pagating the Gospel, have sent some good men into this country, with the land, Your Lordship's faithful and obedient humble Servant, Madras, Nov. 3, 1806. (Signed) Senior Chaplain of Fort St. George, LITERARY INTELLIGENCE. "THE Rev. Dr. Buchanan, who left Bengal fome months ago, with the view of proceeding to Travancore, to enquire into the state of the Syrian Christians, arrived in that country about the beginning of November last, having travelled from Calcutta to Cape Comorin by land. His Highness the Rajah of Travancore was pleased to afford to Dr. Buchanan the most liberal assistance in the prosecution of his enquiries. About the middle of November, Dr. Buchanan proceeded from the sea-coast into the interior of the country, north-east from Quilon, to visit the ancient Syrian churches, situated amongst the low hills at the bottom of the high Ghauts, which divide the Carnatic from Malayala. The face of the country in general, in the vicinity of the mountains, exhibits a varied scene of hill and dale, and winding streams. These streams fall from the mountains, and preserve the vallies in perpetual verdure. The woods produce pepper, cardamoms, and cassia, or wild cinnamon; also, frankincense and other aromatic gums. What adds much to the grandeur of the scenery in this country is, that the adjacent mountains of Travancore are not barren, but are covered with teak forests, producing the largest timber in the world. "The first view of the Christian churches, in this sequestered region of Hindostan, connected with the idea of their tranquil duration for so many ages, cannot fail to excite pleasing emotions in the mind of the beholder. The form of the oldest buildings is not unlike that of some of the old parish churches in England; the style of building in both being of Saracenic origin. They have sloping roofs, pointed arch windows, and buttresses supporting the walls. The beams of the roof being exposed to view, are ornamented; and the ceiling of the choir and altar is circular and fretted. In the cathedral churches, the shrines of the deceased bishops are placed on each side of the altar. Most of the churches are built of a reddish stone, squared and polished at the quarry; and are of durable construction, the front wall of the largest edifices being six feet thick. The bells of the churches are cast in the founderies of Travancore. Some of them are of large dimensions; and have inscriptions in Syriac and Malayalim. In approaching a town in the evening, the sound of the bells may be heard at a distance amongst the hills: a circumstance which causes the British traveller to forget for a moment that he is in Hindostan, and reminds him of another country. When Dr. Buchanan arrived at the remote churches, he was informed by the inhabitants that no European had, to their knowledge, visited the place before. The Romish priests do not travel thither, there being no church of their communion in that quarter. "The number of Syrian churches is greater than has been supposed. There are, at this time, fifty-five churches in Malayala *, acknowledging the Patriarch of Antioch. The church was erected by the present bishop, in 1793. "The Syrian Christians are not Nestorians. Formerly, indeed, they had bishops of that communion; but the liturgy of the present church is derived from that of the early church of Antioch, called Liturgia Jacobi Apostoli. They are usually denominated Jacobile; but they differ in ceremonial from the church of that name in Syria, and indeed from any existing church in the world. Their proper designation, and that which is sanctioned by their own use, is, Syrian Christians, or The Syrian Church of Malayala. “The doctrines of the Syrian church are contained in a very few articles; and are not at variance, in essentials, with the doctrines of the Church of England. Their bishops and metropolitan, after conferring with his clergy on the subject, delivered the following opinion: "That an union with the English church, or at least such a connection as should appear to both churches practicable and expedient, would be a happy event, and favourable to the advancement of religion.” It is in contemplation to send to England some of the Syrian youth, for educa tion and ordination. "The present bishop, Mar Dionysius, is a native of Malayala, but of Syrian extraction. He is a man of respectable character in his nation, and exercises himself in the pious discharge of the duties of his high office. He is now 78 years of age, and possesses a venerable aspect, his white beard descending low to his girdle. On public occasions he wears the episcopal mitre; and is robed in a white vestment, which covers long garments of red silk; aut in his band be holds the pastoral staff. The first native bishop was ordained by the Romish church in 1663: but he was of the Romish communion. Since that period, the old Syrians have continued, till lately, to receive their bishops from Antioch; but that ancient patriarchate being now nearly extinct, and incompetent to the appointment of learned men, the Christian church in Malayala looks henceforth to Britain for the continuance of that light which has shoue so long in this dark region of the world. "From information given by the Syrian Christians, it would appear that the churches of Mesopotamia and Syria (215 in number) with which they are counected, are struggling with great difficulties, and merely owe their existen to some deference for their antiquity; and that they might be expected soon to flourish again, if favoured with a little support. It would be worthy the Church of England to aid the Church of Antioch in her low estate. The Church of EngJand is now what the Church of Antioch once was. The mode in which aid can be best afforded to Christians under a foreign power in the east, is not chiefly by contributions of money, but by representing to those governments, with which we may have friendly intercourse, that these Christians are of the same religion with ourselves; and that we are desirous that they should be respec'ed. The argument, from the sameness of religion, is well understood by all Asiatie princes, and can never fail when seriously proposed; for they think it both natural and obligatory that every government should be interested in those who are of its own religiou. There are two circumstances which invite us to turn our eyes to the country of the first generations of men." The tolerant spirit of the Wahabian Mahomedans is a fair prognostic; and promises to aid our endeavours to restore to an ancient community of Christians the blessings of knowledge and religious liberty. Another favourable circumstance is, that some of the churches in Mesopotamia, in one of which the Patriarch of Antioch now resides, are said still to remain in their pristine state, and to have preserved their archives and ancient manuscript libraries. A domestic priest of the Patriarch, now in Cochin, vouches for the truth of this fact. We know from autuzatic history, that the churenes between the rivers escaped the general desolation of the • Malayala comprehends the mountains, and the whole region within them, from: C.pe Comoria ro Capel, whereas, the province of Muabal commonly so called, contain only the 1 9 Then Dis Tvis; not including the country of Travancore. Mahomedan conquest, in the seventh century, by joining arms with the Mahonedans against the Greek Christians, who had been their oppressors. The revival of religion and letters in that once highly-favoured land, in the heart of the ancient world, would be, in the present circumstances of mankind, an auspicious event. "The Syrian Christians in Malayala still use the Syriac language in their churches; but the Malayalim, or Proper Malabar (a dialect distinct from the Tamul) is the vernacular tongue. They have made some attempts to translate the Syriac Scriptures into Malayalim; but have not hitherto had the suitable means of effecting it. When a proposal was made of sending a Malayalim translation to each of their 55 churches, as a standard book, on condition that they would transcribe it, and circulate the copies among the people, the elders replied, That so great was the desire of the people in general to have the Bible in the vulgar tongue, that it might be expected that every man who could write would make a copy on ollas (palm leaves) for his own family. "It ought to be mentioned, to the praise of the present Bishop of the Romish church on the coast of Malabar, that he has consented to the circulation of the Scriptures throughout his diocese. The Malayalim translation acquires from this circumstance an increased importance, since there will be now upwards of 200,000 Christians in Malayala who are ready to receive it. The translation of the New Testament (which it is proposed to print first) has already commenced, under the superintendance of the Syrian Bishop. The true cause of the low state of religion amongst the Romish churches on the sea-coast and in Ceylan is, their want of the Bible. It is doubtful whether some of the priests know that such a book exists! It is injurious to Christianity in India to call men Christians who know not the Scriptures of their religion; they might as well be called by airy other name. Oral instruction they have none, even from their European priests. The best effects may therefore be expected from the simple means of putting the Bible into their hands. All who are well acquainted with the na, #ives, know fat instruction by books is best suited to them. They are in general a contemplative people, and patient in their enquiries; corious also to know what it can be that is of importance enough to be written, - at the same time that they regard written precept with respect. If they possess a book in a language which they understand, it will not be deft long unread. In Tanjore, and other places where the Bible is freely given, the Protestant religion flourishes; and produces the happiest effects on the character of the people. In Tanjore, the Christian virtues will be found in exercise by the feeble-minded Hindoo, in a vigour and purity which will surprize those who have never known the native character but under the greatest disadvantages. On the Sunday, the people, habited in their best apparel, repair to the parish-church, where the solemnity of their devotion, in accompanying the public prayers, is truly impressive. They sing the Old Psalm tunes well; and the voice of the full congregation may be heard at a distance. Prayers being ended, they listen to the sermon evi dently with deep attention; nor have they any difficulty in understanding it, for they almost all, both men and women, can read their Bible. Many of them take down the discourse on ollas, that they may read it afterwards to their families at home *. As soon as the minister has pronounced his text, the sound of the iron style on the palm-leaf is heard throughout the congregation. Even the boys of the schools have their ollas in their hands; and may be seen after divine service reading them to their mothers, as they pass over the fields homewards. This aptitude of the people to receive and to record the words of the preacher, renders it peculiarly necessary that" the priest lips should keep knowledge." Upon the whole, the moral conduct, upright dealing, decorous manners, and decent dress of the native Protestants of Tanjore, demonstrate the powerful in fluence and peculiar excellence of the Christian religion. It ought, however, to be observed, that the Bible, when the reading of it becomes general, has nearly the same efect on the poor of every place. "When the Syrian Christians understood that the proposed Malayalan translation was to accord with the English Bible, they desired to know on what authorities our translation had been made; alleging, that they themselves possessed a version of undoubted antiquity, namely, that used by the first Christians at Antioch; and that they could not depart from the reading of that version. *It is well known that natives of Tanjore and Travancore can write down what is spoken deliberarely, without losing one word. They seldom look at their ollas while writing; and can write in the dark with huency. This observation led to the investigation of the ancient Syrio-Chaldaic manuscripts in Malayala; and the enquiry has been successful beyond any expectation that could have been formed. "It had been commonly supposed, that all the Syriac manuscripts had beca burned by the Romish church, at the Synod of Udiamper, near Cochin, in 1599; but it now appears that the most valuable manuscripts were not destroyed: the inquisitors condemned many books to the flames; but they saved the Bible. They were content with ordering that the Syriac Scriptures should be amended agreeably to the reading of the Vulgate of Rome; and these emendations now appear in black ink, and of modern appearance, though made in 1599: but many Bibles, and many other books, were not produced at all; and the churches in the mountains remained but a short time subject to Romish dominion (if indeed they can be said to have been at any time subject to it); for the Native Governments have ever formed a barrier between the Inquisition at Goa and the Christians in the mountains. "In the Acts of the Council of Nice, it is recorded that Joannes, Bishop of India, signed his name at that Council, A. D. 325. This date corresponds with the Syrian year 636; for the primitive Syrian church does not compute time from the Christian Era, but from Alexander the Great. The Syriac version of the Scriptures was brought to India, according to the belief of the Syrians, before the year 636; and they allege that their copies have ever been exact transcripts of that version without known error, through every age, down to this day. There is no tradition among them of the churches in the southern mountains having ever been destroyed, or even molested. Some of their present copies are certainly of ancient date. Though written on a strong thick paper (like that of some MSS. in the British Museum, commonly called Eastern Paper) the ink has, in several places, eat through the material in the exact form of the letter. In other copies, where the ink had less of a corroding quality, it has fallen off, and left a dark vestige of the letter, faint indeed, but not, in general, illegible. There is one volume found in a remote church of the mountains, which merits particular description: it contains the Old and New Testaments, engrossed on strong vellum, in large folio, having three columns in the page; and is written with beautiful accuracy. The character is Estrangelo Syriac; and the words of every book are numbered. This volume is illuminated; but not after the European manner, the initial letters having no ornament. Prefixed to each book there are figures of principal Scripture characters (not rudely drawn) the colours of which are distinguishable; and, in some places, the enamel of the gilding is preserved; but the volume has suffered injury from time or neglect, some of the leaves being almost entirely decayed. In certain places the ink has been totally obliterated from the page, and has left the parchment in its natural whiteness; but the letters can, in general, be distinctly traced from the impress of the pen, or from the partial corrosion of the ink. The Syrian church assigns to this manuscript a high autiquity; and alleges that it has been for some centuries in the possession of their Bishops; and that it was industriously concealed from the Romish Inquisition in 1599: but its true age can only be ascertained by à comparison with old manuscripts in Europe of a similar kind. On the margin of the drawings are some old Roman and Greek letters, the form of which may lead to a conjecture respecting the age in which they were written. This copy of the Scriptures has admitted as canonical the Epistle of Clement, in which respect it resembles the Alexandrine manuscript; but it has omitted the Revelations, -that book having been accounted apocryphal by some churches during a certain period in the early ages. The order of the books of the Qld and New Testament differs from that of the European copies, this copy adhering less to unity of subject in the arrangement than to chronological order. The very first emendation of the Hebrew text proposed by Dr. Kennicott (Gen. iv. 8) is to be found in this manuscript. The disputed passage in 1 Jòhu v. 7, is not to be found in it: that verse is interpolated in some other copies in black ink, by the Romish church, in 1599. "Thus it appears, that during the dark ages of Europe, while Ignorance and Superstition in a manner denied the Scriptures to the rest of the world, the Bible found an asylum in the mountains of Malayala; where it was revered and freely read by upwards of co churches; and that it has been handed down to the present time under circumstances so highly favourable to accurate preservation, as may justly entitie it to respect, in the collation of doubtful readings of the sacred text. "There are many old Syriac manuscripts besides the Bible, which have been well preserved; for the Synod of Udiamper destroyed no volumes but those which treated of religious doctrine or church supremacy. Two different charac ters of writing appear ever to have been in use among the Syrian Christians, — the common Syriac and the Estrangelo. The oldest manuscripts are in the Estrangelo But there are other ancient documents in Malayala, not less interesting than the Syrian manuscripts. The old Portugneze historians relate, that soon after the arrival of their countrymen in India, about 300 years ago, the Syrian Archbishop of Angamalee, by name Mar Jacob, deposited in the fort of Cochin, for safe custody, certain tablets of brass; on which were engraved Rights of Nobility and other Privileges, granted to the Christians by a Prince of a former age; and that while these tablets were under the charge of the Portugueze, they had been unarcountably lost, and had never after been heard of. The loss of the tablets was deeply regretted by the Christians; and the Portugueze writer, Gouvea, ascribes their subsequent oppressions by the native powers, to the circumstance of their being no longer able to produce their charter. It is not generally known that, at a former period, the Christians possessed regal power in Malayala. The name of their last king was Beliarte. He died without issue; and his kingdom descended, by the custom of the country, to the King of Cochin. When Vasco de Gama was at Cochin, in 1503, he saw the sceptre of the Christian King. "It is further recorded by the same historians, that besides the documents deposited with the Portugueze, the Christians possessed three other tablets, con. taining ancient grants, which they kept in their own custody; and that these were exhibited to the Romish Archbishop Menezes, at the church of Tevelecar, near the mountains, in 1509, — the inhabitants having first exacted an oath from the Archbishop, that he would not remove them. Since that period, little has been heard of the tablets. Though they are often referred to in the Syrian writings, the translation itself has been lost. It has been said, that they were seen about 40 years ago; but Adrian Moens, a Governor of Cochin, in 1770, who published some account of the Jews of Malabar, informs us, that he used every means in his power, for many years, to obtain a sight of the Christian Plates; and was at length satisfied they were irrecoverably lost; or rather, he adds, that they never existed. The learned world will be gratified, to know that all these ancient tablets, not only the three last mentioned exhibited in 1599, but those also (as is supposed) delivered by the Syrian Archbishop to the Portugueze, on their arrival in India, which are the most ancient, have been recently recovered by the exertions of Lieut. Col. Macaulay, the British Resident in Travancore; and are new officially deposited with that officer. "The plates are six in number. They are composed of a mixed metal. The ergraved page on the largest plate is thirteen inches long, by about four broad. They are closely written; four of them on both sides of the plate, making in all eleven pages. On the plate reputed to be the oldest, there is writing perspicu ously engraved in nail headed or triangular-headed letters, resembling the Persepolen or Babylonish. On the same plate there is writing in another character, which has no affinity with any existing character in Hindostan. The grant on this plate appears to be witness d by four Jews of rank, whose names are distinctly written in an old Hebrew character, resembling the alphaber called The Palmyrene; and to each name is prefixed the title of Magen; that is, Chief: "It may be doubted whether there exists in the world another document of equal antiquity which is, at the same time, of so great a length and in such faultless preservation as the Christian Tablets in Malayala. The Jews of Cochin indeed contest the palm of antiquity and of preservation; for they also produce tablets, containing privileges granted at a reinote period. The Jewish tables are two in numl er. The Jews were long in possession of a third plate, which now appears to be the property of the Christians. The Jews commonly shew an ancient Hebrew translation of their plates. Dr. Leyden made another translation; which differs from the Hebrew: and there has lately been found among the old Dutch records at Cochin, a third translation, which approaches nearer to Dr. Leyden's than to the Hebrew. In a tlebrew manuscript, which will shortly be published, it is recorded that a grant on brass tablets was given to the Jews in A. D. 379: As it is apprehended that there may be some difficulty in obtaining an accurate translation of all these tablets, it is proposed to print a copper-plate fac |