"people, and accords well with the humane and generous "spirit of the English nation."

Another passage of the document, from which the precè ding extract is taken, announced in India the formation and the proffered friendship of the British and Foreign Bible Society, as furnishing material encouragement to the proposed undertaking. Thus accredited and patronized, the Address from the missionaries at Serampore was advertised in the Government gazettes, and published throughout India; and such was the approbation with which it was received, that in a short time the sum of sixteen hundred pounds was subscribed in aid of the intended translations.

The communication of the proposals in question to the British and Foreign Bible Society was made by Mr. Buchanan in the month of March. He at the same time recommended, that a sermon should be preached before the Society," on the subject of oriental translations ;" and with the zeal and liberality which had now so frequently marked all his proceedings, requested, “that the Reverend Preach"er would do him the honour to accept the sum of fifty "pounds on delivery of a printed copy of the sermon to his "agents in London, for the College of Fort William in Ben"gal." This proposition was at first acceded to by the Committee of the Society; and the Rev. John Owen, one of its able and indefatigable Secretaries, was requested to become the preacher. It was, however, upon reconsideration, unanimously agreed, that, as the measure did not fall strictly within the professed object of the Society, and might open a door to practical irregularities, it would not be expedient to sanction its adoption. The generous offer of Mr. Buchanan was, in consequence of this decision, respectfully declined.

A similar proposal was transmitted by Mr. Buchanan to the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, that two sermons should be preached before each of those learned bodies, on the translation of the Scriptures into the oriental languages, by such persons as the Universities

a History of the British and Foreign Bible Society, vol. i. p. 281.

should appoint; accompanied by a request, that each of the four preachers would accept the sum of thirty guineas, on the similar condition of the delivery to his agents of a printed copy of the sermon for the college of Fort William. These additional offers to the Universities were in each case accepted.

In the course of the preceding year, Mr. Buchanan received from the University of Glasgow, of which he had been formerly a member, a diploma conferring upon him the degree of Doctor in Divinity. By this title, confirmed as it afterwards was by a similar honour from the University to which he more immediately belonged, he will accordingly be designated in the continuation of these Memoirs.

CHAPTER V.

DR. BUCHANAN was now again looking forward to his long projected journey to the south of the Peninsula. On the 12th of March 1806, he thus wrote to a friend in England.

"I proceed to Malabar in a few weeks. My delay has "been chiefly occasioned by the difficulty of my resigning "appointments and offices here, where there is no one to "receive them. And even now, if I get off fairly I shall "wonder.

"I still continue in my purpose of going home about the "end of this year. So that I shall possibly see you and your "family once more."

On the 22d of March, Dr. Buchanan obtained leave of absence from the government for six months, together with renewed assurances of the countenance and assistance formerly promised; but his preparations for his journey were again interrupted by a return of ague and fever. This attack was, however, less serious, and of shorter duration than the former; so that at the end of the month he was able to wait upon the Governor General, who kindly offered to accommodate him with one of his tents for his intended journey to the coast. During the month of April, Dr. Buchanan continued his preparations for his approaching absence; attended an examination of the Chinese class at Serampore, and made arrangements for the performance of his clerical duties. His last sermon previously to his departure was from the beautiful address in the Revelation of St. John (Chap. iii. 7-13.) to the Church at Philadelphia; which he probably considered as in some respects appropriate to that at Calcutta. Dr. Buchanan spent several of the days immediately preceding his journey with Mr. Udny, who appears to have entered with much interest into his views for the promotion of Christianity in India. The late learned and lamented Dr. Leyden had at one time proposed to ac

company Dr. Buchanan in his tour; but this plan, though it would doubtless have proved mutually agreeable and beneficial, was finally abandoned.

The design of this extensive and laborious journey cannot be better explained than in the following quotation from the account which Dr. Buchanan afterwards published of his Researches.

❝a In order to obtain a distinct view of the state of Christ❝ianity and of superstition in Asia, the superintendants of "the college had, before this period, entered into correspon"dence with intelligent persons in different countries; and "from every quarter (even from the confines of China) they "received encouragement to proceed. But, as contradic"tory accounts were given by different writers concerning "the real state of the numerous tribes in India, both of "Christians and natives, the Author conceived the design "of devoting the last year or two of his residence in the "East to purposes of local examination and inquiry.

"The principal objects of this tour were to investigate "the state of superstition at the most celebrated temples of "the Hindoos; to examine the churches and libraries of the "Romish, Syrian, and Protestant Christians; to ascertain "the present state and recent history of the eastern Jews; "and to discover what persons might be fit instruments for "the promotion of learning in their respective countries, "and for maintaining a future correspondence on the subject "of disseminating the Scriptures in India."

Such were the important views with which Dr. Buchanan entered upon his intended journey. It is no disparagement to travels undertaken from motives either of personal curiosity, or of public utility, to assert, that the tour, which Dr. Buchanan was meditating, derived from its disinterested and sacred objects a peculiar degree of dignity and value. If our great philanthropist Howard was justly eulogized by a late celebrated statesman, for his indefatigable and selfdenying exertions in "travelling over land and

a Christian Researches, Introduct. p. 10. Phil. Ed.

1

"sea," not to gratify his taste, or to extend his fame, but "to remember the forgotten, to attend the neglected, and to "visit the forsaken," it is not too much to say, that although the labours of that eminent person were more various and continued, it required in a man of infirm and precarious health, like Dr. Buchanan, a degree of zeal and resolution to enter upon his projected journey, which reflects upon him the highest honour. And although in each case, the love of God and of man was the prevailing motive, the object of the one was, in proportion to its extent, as much more important than the other, as inquiries into spiritual wants with a view to their relief are more weighty than those which concern temporal necessities, and as interests of eternal duration are more momentous than any which are bounded by the narrow limits of time. It must be remembered too, that with the exception of the accommodations afforded him by the kindness of the Governor General, and the hospitality of the British residing at the different stations through which he passed, Dr. Buchanan's extensive tour was undertaken exclusively at his own expense.

On the third of May, Dr. Buchanan left Calcutta on his way to the south; and on his arrival the same day at Fulta, forty miles below that city, he wrote to Colonel Sandys as follows.

"My dear Sandys,

"I am thus far on my journey to Malabar. I propose to "visit Juggernaut first, and hope to be there early in June, "when the grand festival of the Rutt Jattra takes place. "Sir George Barlow has been so good as to lend me some "of the Governor General's small tents, so that I shall "travel very comfortably. My inquiries, you know, have "a threefold aspect, Hindoos, Jews, and Christians. The

bands of infidelity and superstition are loosening fast; "and Calcutta is by no means the place it was when you "were here.

"I have heard this morning that the fleet from England, which went to the Cape, is expected at Madras every day,