furnace, or the opening an oven-door. About two o'clock, the hot wind, which blows with extreme violence, begins to subside, and about three, a faint but refreshing sea-breeze sets in, which is most grateful to the whole creation, and we begin to revive, after the blasting influence of this Eastern sirocco. In our houses, we use the same contrivances for cooling the air. Wet tats are placed at the doors and windows; but even then I have known the thermometer to be at 110°. At such times, what must have been the heat, and its influence upon the animal frame, out of doors? There is one benefit these hot winds confer, which seems extraordinary, namely, the power it has to cool all sorts of liquors. The wine and beer bottles are dressed in a kind of petticoat, which is kept wet, and placed where the land wind can blow upon them; the water goglets also have the same kind of cloth round them, and, by the effect of evaporation, the water is rendered perfectly cool, as if it had been iced. The wind from any other quarter will not answer the same purpose, and at other times we are obliged to cool every thing we drink in water mixed with saltpetre.

THE NATIVE PRESS OF BENGAL.

THE influence of a public press upon any community of freemen is manifestly so great, either for good or ill, that the extension of that influence, its nature and peculiarities, must excite the deepest interest, and engage the earnest attention of all the friends of civil liberty. The operation of the free press in India, in as far as regards that portion of it which is conducted by Europeans in their own language, and for the benefit of their countrymen, has obtained the closest observation of all classes of the community; nor hitherto have the beneficial results been few or of small moment, while the once apprehensively anticipated evils have in no case been realized. Important, however, as is the influence of the Calcutta European Press on the interests of the Indo-European community and their descendants, it is in reference to the extension of that influence over the indigenous population of the vast country that its full value is to be estimated; nor this merely in relation to the open discussion of questions of law, revenue, and governmental policy in general, or of commerce, trade, and manufacture; or to the application of the test of public opinion, freely expressed, to the measures of the ruling power, to the administration of justice, to questions of internal police, to the various relations of government with the native states, and to an innumerable multitude of other matters vitally affecting the stability of the empire, the growth of national prosperity and the improvement of the resources of the country-all of which form subjects, the free, public discussion of which must inevitably exert a wondrous power to enlighten and ameliorate, to check and prevent abuses, favouritism and short-sighted policy, and in a variety of ways to promote the public weal. Besides these inestimable results, in which the advantages of the operation of a free English press is progressively developing itself, we estimate as of no less moment, in a large and prospective view of things, its concurrent efficacy in awakening the slumbering energies of the natives of the soil, by producing in their mind a conception of public spirit, and creating national sentiment; in educating them to feel and exercise their civil capabilities, indoctrinating them with just principles in the sciences of government and political economy, and imbuing them with right views of public morals and national character. Nor can we overlook the silent but inappreciable, nay almost omnipotent power, so to speak, in this way exerted upon the indigenous superstitions of this vast region of moral darkness and religious death. It is no longer possible to misrepresent the motives or belie the characters of the missionaries of the gospel of Christ, or to torture their proceedings into charges whose burthen shall be, as so often heretofore, that they endanger the peace of society, the stability of our empire, the continuance of a commerce so advantageous to the resources of our native country. To no considerable extent, this revolution has been brought about through the English press, which the wide dissemination of English education among the natives of Calcutta, and many other places, has brought to bear upon them in its most useful operation; but chiefly has it resulted from the creation of a free native press. The far and justly famed Serampore missionaries, among other numerous and wellsubstantiated titles to the gratitude of India and to an illustrious place in the memory of posterity, have the distinguished merit of having originated the Calcutta native press. The Sumáchár Durpun, or Mirror of Intelligence,' which first issued from the Serampore mission press, we believe in the year 1818, and was conducted by those whose undying names alone now survive, was the first specimen of a Bengali newspaper. The Sumáchár Chandrika, or

'Moonlight of News,' conducted by a well-known individual of influence among the so-called orthodox Hindus, was the first to try the experiment upon native resources. Since then, especially since the Free Press Regulation, many competitors have started up to contend for the dominion of public opinion among the native community. Of these the tabular view annexed to these remarks will at once shew the number, spread, and importance. This it

has cost us no small labour and trouble to prepare; first in obtaining, through the aid of an intelligent native friend, and from the best sources to which we could find access, the statistical information; and then in reading for ourselves many numbers of the papers we have characterized. These, it may readily be supposed, are of very various merit and circulation. Each, however, cannot but separately possess some influence, and all unitedly a prodigious efficacy; especially now when, at the same time that English education is spreading on all hands in daily enlarging circles, so wondrous an impetus has been given to a concurrent cultivation of the vernacular languages, by their restoration, on the fall of the usurping Persian, to their legitimate rational, and natural place in the courts, in all government offices, and in general business.

These papers are printed mostly at native presses, conducted by native editors; and the greater number are issued weekly, in small single or double folios, usually of three columns; a few, as the Bháskar and Gyánánneshán, in large folio. Most are in Bengali only; a few in Bengali and English, Some of them, like those evanescent meteors called falling stars, have just appeared and been extinguished even in their nascent coruscations; or, as abortive embryos, have existed but to die. Of their typographical execution little requires to be said; most of them are printed on indifferent paper, with indifferent and much-worn types; are composed and worked off by native pressmen, and swarm with typographical errors. Some, however, of the large ones especially, are both neatly and correctly executed, doing great credit to the enterprise and diligence of their conductors.

The style of native composition prevailing in them is generally not overcorrect, seldom elegant, too often loose and vicious in the extreme. Magniloquent phrases, bombastic figures, tedious alliteration, puerile conceits, accumulated epithets, and far-fetched analogies; these are all in the native taste as it now is; the transition, however, to a purer has commenced; and a more correct style of composition is beginning to be cultivated, as a juster conception of the real beauties and true end of written language is better understood. Many are already exhibiting a nobler aim than to make a display of personal acquisitions; nor will it be long ere the more educated taste and better-informed judgment of the daily improving alumni of the various schools and colleges appear, in an abandonment of affectation and purposed obscurity for simplicity and perspicuity of diction. At the same time, no doubt, the scurrilities, which now too often discredit the native papers, will give place to a candid and honest discussion of questions, both in politics and religion, on their own merits alone. Too frequently, indeed, have we had occasions to lament seeing the native papers stuffed with miserable verse, or equally wretched prose, vituperation and misrepresentation of Christianity, its teachers, and their

converts.

The best of them, by many degrees, at present, is the Bháskar, or 'Sun ;' it is published weekly, in two folio sheets. The leading article is an ethical maxim or definition, illustrated, after the oriental manner, by a tale, usually fictitious and not always in keeping with the sobriety of the subject. The strictly ethical portion, however, is always good, often excellent. The style

of the Bhúskar is immeasurably superior to that of any of the whole tribe besides; and, though not free from defects, exhibits, on the whole, the finest specimens of Bengali composition, neither mixed and vulgar on the one hand, nor affecting the abstruseness of an almost Sanscrit diction, on the other. The editor is a Brahman of highly liberal sentiments; extremely solicitous to raise the tone of feeling and standard of thought among his countrymen; unsparing in his use of a well-managed severity of satire and indignant rebuke directed against the worst faults and follies of his compatriots. He is candid, too, disinterested, and energetic. We have a personal acquaintance with him, and can vouch for the correctness of our remarks. We recommend his paper to all who either desire a guide to the purest style of native composition, or to obtain much really valuable information regarding the state of public opinion and the advance of general improvement among our native fellow-subjects.

The Rasaráj, published at the same press, is largely occupied with original metrical compositions : its prose style is much on a par with the preceding. The Sambad Purnuchandrodoy is conducted by a very intelligent young Babu, employed in one of the public offices. It has an extensive circulation, and retails a great mass of useful intelligence. Its style, however, is too laboured and ambitious; it is consequently sometimes both affected and obscure, as well as occasionally loose and incorrect. The earlier numbers abound in specimens of various versification, and, what is still more valuable, contain many good moral apophthegms and definitions. Some of its latest articles are very valuable; they are proofs of a growing zeal, and augur well for its increasing usefulness. We have had much intercourse with the editor. Although a thorough Hindu, and frequently admitting vituperative verses, &c., directed against the missionaries, into his paper, we have experienced much candour and obligingness personally at his hands.

The Gyánánneshun is next in merit; it is a very respectable paper, doing great credit to the talent, zeal, and public spirit of its conductors.

Of the Anglo-Bengali papers, the Durpun, already referred to, as issuing - from Serampore, is under joint European and Native management. The contributions from without are in various styles of native composition; but its editorials are not always written in the purest and most idiomatical Bengali ; it has, however, the far higher praise of being ever liberal, of advocating every good cause, of containing a large amount of useful information, and of being uncompromising in hatred of vice and oppression. It is always the enemy of superstition, bad government, and worse anarchy; the friend of education, the patron of the oppressed, and, in fact, is truly a " Mirror of the Times."

The proprietors of the paper known by the magnificent title of the "Full Moon of Intelligence" (Sampurunu Chandrodoy) lately projected a daily paper in the same language, a specimen number of which is now before us. It is entitled, somewhat more modestly than the preceding,-probably as being deemed but the early breaking of a flood of mental light, in process of time to shine forth from similar more extended efforts,-the "Dawn of Intelligence." (Sambâd Arunodoy). The Arunodoy is intended to be a daily paper. We venture to repeat below, respecting it, and indeed of the native press generally, what we have elsewhere remarked before; because our observations, though specially referring to that one paper, are strictly applicable to the whole class, the Bháskar even not entirely excepted. It is to be published at the same press as the Sambád Purnuchandrodoy, and delivered daily, at one rupee per mensem, or eight rupees per annum, if paid in advance. The price is so small as clearly to adinit of no expectation of pecuniary advantage to the speculators,

unless through a very extended circulation; the only chance of which is, in a careful catering to the wants and tastes of the Babus, with as small a demand as possible upon their purses, as we should say, or in native parlance, their zones, which are usually but hard to loosen for disbursements, however insignificant, even when a full equivalent is obtained. The quid pro quo principle is one, indeed, which they well understand.

The character of the poetry in some of the native hebdomadals, is indifferent; not having always even the merit of some other ephemeral verse, of possessing at least some point and wit; while it is not seldom, as we have already said, discreditable to them and to their supporters, consisting, as it too often does, of scurrilous doggrel directed against Christian missionaries and their procedure, and what is of far more serious moment, against our holy and divine Saviour or his benevolent system of faith and piety. The proper antidote to this is just “to let it alone,” and to abound the more in patience, zeal and disinterested effort to disperse the light of truth through the surrounding darkness. We augur well to the cause of Christianity, when its grand enemy, beginning to fear for his usurped dominion of God's rightful sovereignty over the minds and hearts and services of his moral creatures, stirs up his human slaves to fight for his tottering power: for tottering it is, to its very base, and ere long will fall, nor leave, we trust, "one wreck behind!"

It has long been our intention to take a succinct review of the native newspaper press. The pressure of more important duties alone has compelled us to postpone its fulfilment. We have now, however, set ourselves to give effect to the design, and shall ground our general concluding remarks on a special notice of the before-named but newly-projected journal.

This, as many of its compeers, is to be a half-sheet of small folio, in quadripartite columns, furnishing a daily supply of four pages of multifarious matter. In a lengthy editorial, the projector exhibits his bill of fare, and the mode in which he proposes to excite the appetites of his expected hon-vivans. The press, and in particular the newspaper press, he deems a most important agent in the production and advancement, nay, to lie at the root, of all national felicity; and from the root which it has taken in India, "the germ," he thinks, "of national prosperity has already shot forth!" Candidly enough, he attributes its introduction to European intelligence, benevolence, and activity; and rightly, for the first newspaper in the Bengali language was, as above observed, the Súmáchar Durpun, or 'Mirror of News,' which still issues from the Serampore Press, and was the first to excite a taste for reading in the indolent and illiterate Babus of the capital and its vicinity; with such success, too, that not fewer than some twenty or more competitors for their patronage have since appeared, many of them yet in vigorous existence. A weekly paper he considers inadequate, now, to secure the full advantage derivable from these sources: whether in regard to the supply of information required upon all matters of commerce and general business, constantly extending, or to the wide spread of literature among the native population. Undertaking, therefore, to increase the supply, he writes, as if appealing to the kindlier feelings of his hoped-for supporters," our heart, expanding to furnish our countrymen with all useful intelligence, bearing upon either worldly or intellectual advancement, and prompt to respond to the call of their necessities, is as yet, however, afloat on a shoreless sea of desire. Should the Universal Ruler but send the angel of pity to lift up the life of our hope above this sea of desire, then shall we not become (by our impotent struggles) an object of ridicule to the prudent and intelligent, but have our best expectations fully realized." The wily projector