der this he continued to languish for some time, until the removal of the Rev. Mr. Ringeltaube from the Mission Church, left a vacancy that he was called to fill, which, with the performance of divine service in his own house as often as he could obtain an audience, furnished him with pleasing employment.

the smell, will presently come down from the woods, and prowl about. They live on carrion of all kinds, and are generally inoffensive.

"The air is frequently thronged with kites, hawks, and crows, who are looking for snakes and other noxious creatures; and they are so successful in their search, that we are seldom annoyed by these animals. So attentive is Providence to the comfort of man!

The scenes with which he was encircled on his arrival, could not but make some strange and singular impressions on his mind. These he delineates and describes in the follow-dead ing letter.

"A woman burnt herself with her husband about three days ago, a few miles up the river. This happens very frequently.

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not touch the glass, though he will pour the wine into it! So strange are the superstitions of these people. Another will wipe my shoes, but he will not wash my feet. A third will bathe me, but he will not fan me. You see, Miss E., what strange things we travellers behold.

"Shall I give you a picture of the scene around me? I am situated on My servants bring me a glass of the banks of the Ganges. The coun- wine and water. Two are concerned. try is champaign, but covered within this operation; one of them will trees the most numerous are cocoanut, plantain, mango, and banian trees. (Pray learn all about them.) The river is covered with boats, passing and repassing. There are two elephants amusing themselves at the water side. One of them is eating plantain leaves, which are his ordinary food; he takes hold of the leaves "Have I told you all? or shall I with his trunk, and puts them into mention a north-wester? This is a his mouth. The other is washing violent tornado from north-west, which himself: he fills his trunk with water, makes a regular and magnificent proand then throws it around him, so gress through the heavens. Violent that he is covered with the spray. A wind, thunder, and lightning, roll on little boy is now going to mount one of in a kind of collected body. This them in order to lead them home; as short-lived tempest is very awful, and he is not very heavy, he sits upon the very grand. It is always a welcome point of the trunk, and thus the ele-visitor; for it cools the heated air, and phant lifts him on his back. An ele- refreshes all nature around. phant has no bridle. How then is he directed? The boy has a rod of iron, sharp at one end, and with this he pricks his head when he goes wrong.

"When the elephant wishes to set down the ladies, who frequently ride upon him, he falls upon his knees; and when they have dismounted, he rises. He is altogether a wonderful animal.

"I am now so familiarized to violent thunder, that I scarcely ever notice it, except when I go out purposely to contemplate the grandeur of a north-wester."

Scarcely had Mr. Buchanan obtain→ ed a settlement at Barrackpore, before he turned his attention to the languages spoken in the East by those natives, with whom, in all probability, "On the other side of the river, I it would be essentially necessary for see a flock of vultures; they are hover- him to become conversant. With this ing over a dead body which is floating view he took a Moonshe into his down the stream. Many of the Hin-house, to instruct him in the Hindosdoos cast their dead into the Ganges, tanee and Persian tongues; and his that they may be conveyed to Para-subsequent improvement shows, that dise! About a mile up the river, ahis time and exertions were not emfuneral pile is just lighted. It is now ployed in vain. near evening, when this rite is usually performed. The relatives accompany the corpse to the water side, where a pile of dry wood is raised about the body, and the nearest relative applies the torch. The jackals, allured by

On the 3d of April, 1799, Mr. Bu chanan's solitude, of which, in nearly all his letters from India, he had seriously complained, was alleviated by his marriage with Miss Mary Whish, third daughter of the Rev.

Lec

Richard Whish, then rector of North- | year 1800, Lord Mornington, who in wold, in the county of Norfolk. This consequence of the splendid successes lady and her elder sister, afterwards of his policy in the Mysore, had been married to Major Prole, had come out created Marquis Wellesley, had form. to India about five months before, with ed a plan of a collegiate institution, their aunt, Mrs. Sandys, wife of for promoting the literary improveCaptain Sandys, then Commissary of ment of the younger civil servants of Stores, at Calcutta, but now a Lieu- the company. In the arrangement tenant Colonel, and residing at La- and conduct of this important college, narth, in the county of Cornwall. of which he became Vice Provost, Mrs. Buchanan, on her arrival in Mr. Buchanan was essentially conIndia, was so much disgusted at the cerned. This college was formally profligacy of manners which prevail- established by a minute in council, on ed, that she would gladly have return- August 18th, 1800, in which the Goed to her native land; but providen- vernor General detailed at length his tially finding in Mr. Buchanan a reasons for such an institution. friend to whom she could look up for tures in the Arabic, Hindostanee, protection, in whose bosom her affec- and Persian languages, commenced tions could find a home, and in whose in the month of November following, piety she could discover an example but the first regular term opened on worthy of imitation, she, at the age of the 6th of February, 1801. seventeen, abandoned all thoughts of returning, and became his wife. Of the talents, piety, and amiable disposition of this lady, all who had the happiness of an acquaintance with her, have spoken in terms of the most decided approbation. Among these, the testimony of Colonel Sandys, under whose hospitable roof she resided on her arrival in India, and whose praise is in the churches, is worthy of the highest regard.

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There is, however, no condition in life that can wholly exempt us from its calamities. Scarcely had Mr. Bu chanan entered on the important functions of his office, as Vice Provost and Professor of Classics in the college of Fort William, before he had to anticipate the loss of his beloved wife, through a consumption, which for some time appeared to have made inroads on her constitution. In the hope of recovering her health, she had removed from the place of their permanent residence, and the change seemed to flatter their mutual wishes; but on her return, the symptoms of her malady again revived; and as the only probable means of regaining her health, she was advised to try the effect of her native air. Mrs. B. at this time had two daughters, Charlotte the eldest, which she intended taking with her to England, and Augusta the youngest, not quite six months old, of whom her husband was to take the charge. She sailed from India on the 25th of July, 1801, and, after a stormy, perilous, and painful voyage, reached England on the 18th of February, 1802.

Towards the close of the year 1799, Mr. Buchanan was appointed third chaplain to the Presidency, at Calcutta: and in the month of February, 1800, he was called upon to preach before Lord Mornington, and the principal officers of the Government. The occasion was “a general thanksgiving for the signal successes obtained by his Majesty and his allies, and for the ultimate and happy establishment of the tranquillity and security of the British possessions in India." This discourse gave so much satisfaction, that the author received the thanks of the Governor General in council, with a direction that it should be printed for general distribution. His text was Psalm xxi. 11. "For During Mrs. Buchanan's absence, they intended mischief against THEE, Mr. B. was busily employed in proand imagined such a device as they moting the interests of the college, are not able to perform." This dis- well knowing that this was the most course contained a luminous and im-likely instrument that could be devispressive view of the principles, pro-ed, for the general diffusion of Eugress, and effects, of the new French philosophy, to which he attributed the awful struggle in which his country was then engaged.

During the first six months in the

ropean knowledge and science throughout our vast territories in India, and for the acquirement of oriental literature. Nor was the cause of Christianity neglected by him, amidst his

numerous avocations. On all suitable | pensable. With this view, preparaoccasions, he appeared as the avowed tions were accordingly made, and on advocate of the Christian system; and the 25th of January she sailed from from the pulpit, in private correspon- | Madras, taking the youngest daughdence, and in personal conversations, ter, and leaving her disconsolate hushe took every opportunity to silence band in doubt whether they should gainsayers, by repelling their objec- ever again meet on this side of etertions, and by giving publicity to the nity. evidences on which Christianity rests. His life also was a comment on the cause he had espoused, and on the doctrines which he taught. It was a living epistle, seen and read of all men, and no doubt it shone with more conspicuous brilliancy, from the dissipation and moral darkness with which he was almost every where surrounded.

grave. During this illness, his Christian graces shone with a peculiar lustre, and even in the near approach of death he seemed prepared for his solemn change, and, in calmness and resignation, was anxious to take his flight to glory.

While confined with this severe fever, Mr. B. invariably thought that it would terminate in death; and under this persuasion he made various arrangements respecting his publications, his interment, the college, and frequently alluded to his wife and children, for whose sake alone he expressed his only wish to live. But alas! his wife, though he knew it not, was now no more. The disorder, however, taking a favourable turn, he was so far recovered on the 4th of September, as to be able to remove, first to Barrackpore, and then to Sooksagur, about forty miles from Calcutta, for the change of air.

and her pious purposes; (for she too had undertakings in view;) believing that she would be much more useful than I could. My first care on my convalescence was to write to her an account of that event. In a few days afterwards the Calcutta Indiaman arrived from St. Helena, and brought me the news of my dear Mary's decease! Before she went away, I perceived that her affections were nearly weaned from this world; and she often said, that she thought God was preparing her for his presence in glory. She was greatly favoured in her near access to God in prayer; and she delighted in retirement and sacred meditation. She was jealous of herself latterly, when she anticipated the happiness of our all meeting in England; and endeavoured to chastise the thought.

"Her sufferings were great, but she accounted her consolations greater; and she used to admire the goodness of God to her, in bringing her to a knowledge of the truth at so early an age. It was her intention, had she lived to reach England, to have gone down with her two little girls to visit you; saying, "We shall behold each other as two new creatures.' You had been accused to her of being too peculiar, and she wished to see what was amiss.

Mr. B. during his temporary retreat at Sooksagur, for the re-establishment of his health, was diligently employed in Hebrew, Syriac, and Chaldee studies, with various accompanyments of Rabbinical and other commentators. But in the midst of these pursuits he was interrupted by the afflicting intelligence of Mrs. Buchanan's death. This distressing, though in some measure expected event, had taken place on the 18th of June, off "When she found her dissolution the island of St. Helena, on board of drawing near, she solemnly devoted the East-India ship in which she was her two little girls to God; and prayreturning to England. On this melan-ed that he would be their Father, and choly occasion he wrote the following letter to Colonel Sandys.

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Sooksagur, near Calcutta,
22d Oct. 1805.

"My dear Sandys,

"I have been at this place for some time past, in the hope of getting a little strength. I was visited by a fever about two months ago, and was despaired of for a day or two. But the prayers of the righteous were offered up, and my days have been prolonged. It was with a kind of reluctance I felt myself carried back by the refluent waves to encounter again the storms of this life : for I had hoped the fight was done. Although unprofitable has been my life, and feeble my exertions, yet I was more afraid of the trials to come, if I should survive, than of departing to my rest, if it was the will of God. I had made a disposition of my fortune to Mary,

bring them up in his holy fear, and preserve them from the vanities of this evil world. She said she could willingly die for the souls of her children; and she did die, in the confident hope of seeing them both in glory.

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Having had it in contemplation to have followed my dear Mary to England next year, I had let my house at Garden Reach to Sir John D'Oyly. I had also sold my furniture, horses, &c. previously to my proceeding to Malabar. But in the mean time I fell sick; and now that I have recovered, 1 mean to defer my journey to the coast till the new government be settled. Sir George Barlow is at present up the country; Mr. Udny is Deputy Governor. Both of them are warm supporters of religious improvement in India, and I trust they will do good. They know nothing of my

'Memoir,' nor any one else but Mr. | honourable distinctions have been Brown. more deservingly bestowed.