ity, great precaution is necessary. which combine to form the happiIn bestowing the fruits of benevo-ness of civilized society. lence, one is strongly reminded of

The com

The Burmese cannot be considour Saviour's advice, "Give not ered as having a peculiar propenthat which is holy unto the dogs,sity to loquacity, or to inquisitiveneither cast ye your pearls before ness. But they are sociable and swine, lest they trample them under communicative on all common toptheir feet, and turn again and rend ics, and are inclined to discuss you." Under such circumstances, disputed points. They are not init is not difficult to perceive to quisitive to any laudable or profitwhat extent hospitality may be able extent, as their inquiries selsafely shown. If a traveller meet dom issue in the promotion of usea stranger in a solitary path, his ful knowledge. There are various fancy traces in him the lineaments reasons why a Burman does not of a thief or a robber, and if they indulge an inquisitive disposition pass each other merely with mu- to any great extent; one is, that tual looks of suspicion, each deems he confides in the wisdom and exhimself fortunate. ample of his ancestors. Travelling by boats, which af- mon doctrine that a man cannot be fords the greatest personal com- wiser or better than his progenifort, presents the danger of bands tors, greatly prevails. Another of robbers, who often attack with reason is, that the King or the offiknives and muskets, and make "acers of Government often monopoclean sweep" of whatever portable lize the fruits of ingenuity to effects can be seized, to the jeo-themselves, to the inconvenience pardy, and frequently to the destruction of the lives of their possessors. It is but just to add, however, that the view which these remarks would otherwise present, should in some respects be qualified. There do exist among the Burmese, friendly relations and ties of consanguinity, which, in private life, are seen so to operate as to soften in some degree the sterner features of their public character. Among relatives and friends, between whom there is a mutual and thorough acquaintance, feelings which originate generous actions, the duties of hospitality, kind deportment, and sympathy, prevail over those views of mere personal consideration, which govern the general course of their lives in their civil connexion with one another.

They are certainly not incapable of strong attachments, or of exercising the social virtues; and could their public character be formed in a different mould from that in which their system of government has already cast it, they would be found by no means destitute of those elementary principles

of the ingenious. A man excelling in any profession of art, enjoys the honour of ministering his productions to the King, or to some person of official rank; but he seldom finds the honor attended with much profit to himself. Under such circumstances, a spirit of investigation must necessarily lie dormant. Mistrust forms a barrier against inquiry. A Burman rarely gives correct information; and he never expects to receive it. Every thing new is told to an incredulous ear, and nothing but the most palpable demonstration can convince the understanding.

Upon ordinary topics of conversation, however, the Burmese are not reserved. On the contrary, they often display their colloquial abilities to considerable advantage. Not possessing much irritability, they are capable of maintaining an argumentative discussion in a temperate manner. They are seldom vehement in their language; but appear cool, collected, and consid. erate. They are not insensible to the power of wit, or illiberal in their approbation of it.

(To be concluded in our next Number.)

REVIEW OF REVIEWS.

REMARKS ON THE QUARTERLY REVIEW OF || arrival at Rangoon. In 1820, Mr.

MRS. JUDSON'S ACCOUNT OF THE AMER-
ICAN BAPTIST MISSION TO THE BURMAN
EMPIRE. NO. LXV. FOR DECEMBER.

pp. 37-63.

Colman removed to Chittagong to
establish a mission at that place;
and Mr. Hough, being principally
engaged in the printing department,
has been frequently absent at Cal-
cutta, and occasionally for a con-
We state
siderable period of time.
these facts not to underrate the la-
bours of Mr. and Mrs. Judson. They
have borne from the beginning the
burden and heat of the day, and no

We have read this article with lively interest. Its general aspect is conciliatory, and its opinions frequently judicious. As, however, it is liable to leave an incorrect impression respecting some matters of fact, and as it advances some opin-one can possibly esteem them more ions from which we seriously dissent, we make no apology for offering some remarks upon it to the consideration of our readers.

highly than ourselves. We merely wish it to be known, that they have not laboured entirely unassisted and alone, forgotten and neglected by the American churches.

But passing this general impression which the article is liable to produce, we find in the very commencement the following paragraph.

"But before we enter on the work it

And first, the review would lead the public to believe, that Mr. and Mrs. Judson had laboured entirely alone in the Mission to Burmah. This is evidently an unintentional error. As Mrs. Judson's work is compiled chiefly from the journals and letters of her husband, a read-self, we wish to say a few words on the er who had no other means of infor- Baptist mission to the East. It is impos mation than those which the book sible that there should be any difference afforded, might very easily fall in- of opinion as to their object, and we think there should be none as to the singleto a mistake of this nature. To hearted zeal with which it has been purcorrect this impression, it will only sued; but we confess that we do enter be necessary to state the following tain serious doubts whether those engaged facts. Mr. and Mrs. Judson arin them are following the right path to effect that object. If we were to judge rived at Rangoon in July, 1813. from the result of their labours, the conIn October, 1816, they were joined clusion would necessarily be, that they by Mr. and Mrs. Hough. Messrs. are not, and we will briefly state what we Wheelock and Colman, with their conceive to be at least sufficient causes for their failure." wives, embarked from Boston in November, 1817, and arrived in Rangoon in September, 1818. In December, 1821, Dr. Price and his wife joined the mission family. In June, 1823, Mr. and Mrs. Wade embarked for Rangoon, with Mrs. Judson, on her return; and in May, 1825, Mr. and Mrs. Boardman sailed from Philadelphia for the same destination. Here, however, it may be proper to state, that Mr. Wheelock died a year or two after his

The

Now all this is doubtless well meant, and is kindly said. reader, however, will observe, that it assumes the fact that the Baptist Missions to the East have failed, and it promises to disclose the causes of that failure. It is to the consideration of these topics that we would for a few moments invite the attention of our readers.

1. The Reviewer assumes it as "a fact, that the Baptist Missions to

the East have failed. This asser- || lation, no result can be expected tion evidently has reference to the until this task is accomplished, the Baptist Missions from Europe as version printed, and circulated well as America, but we shall con-among the people. And if, as the fine our remarks at this time to the Reviewer elsewhere asserts, no Mislatter, sionary ought to engage in the work of translation until he has become thoroughly acquainted with the language, it illy becomes him to call that a failure, which by his own showing was absolutely indispensa

Mr.Judson did not labour in preach-
ing so much as under other circum-
stances he might have done, from a
deep conviction of the necessity of
a translation of the scriptures into
the Burman language.
He was
aware of the uncertainty of life,
and also that he was probably the
only being on the globe sufficiently
acquainted with the language to
translate the Scriptures into it;
and therefore to this work, and to
the compilation of a grammar and
dictionary, he has almost exclusive-
ly devoted himself for several years
past. These works are now fast
hastening to completion. A part
of the New-Testament has been
printed, and received in this coun-
try, and but for the war, it would
before this have been in circulation
in Burmah. When this Bible
has been printed and circulated,
and when tracts explanatory of it
have been read, and when the
pel has been preached faithfully
and perseveringly, and when after
all this it is found that the Bur-
mans, unlike human beings every
where else, are incapable of being
affected by that appeal to the con-

Now at the outset, we must be permitted soberly to state, that the American Missions to the East have not failed. The Mission to Burmah was, before the late war, in most promising circumstances.ble to success. The fact is, that If we recollect aright, more than eighteen Burmans, some of them of most respectable character, had been admitted to communion upon profession of faith in Christ, and were adorning their profession by a blameless and pious life. The New Testament had been almost translated, and was partly printed in the Burman language. Religious tracts had moreover been widely circulated and eagerly read. Now if we consider how long a time must necessarily elapse before an European, destitute of grammar and dictionary, can acquire an oriental language, and if we remember how often the labours of Mr. Judson were interrupted by sickness and necessary absence from Rangoon, and that two of the most promising Missionaries were arrested in the midst of their labours by death, we think no man will deny that the success of this Mission has been most decidedly encouraging; at any rate, it has always seemed so to the friends of Missions in this country. Besides, it is to be remembered that the first labours of a Missionary station are principally the work of preparation. They consist in lay-science which is made by the Bible; ing the foundation for the building; then, and not till then, will it be and it is surely premature to assert time to talk about failure. To tell that the edifice can never be erect- us of it before this, is as utterly ed, because, after considerable toil, unphilosophical as to tell a chemist the work has not yet appeared that his experiment had failed beabove the surface. The language fore his agents had been brought must be acquired. This is a work into contact; or to insist that a of time. The Bible is to be trans-theorem was not proven before even lated. This is a work of still great- its terms had fairly been announer time. And if a Missionary de- ced. votes himself to the work of transMAY, 1826.

gos

But we need not stop here. Mr.

20

We waive the consideration of the unkind and unjustifiable epithets in this paragraph, and proceed immediately to inquire how far this allegation of haste is supported by fact.

Judson devoted to preaching what- ||cious, to those for whom they are intend– ever time he could allow, consisted." p. 38. ently with his great object of translating the Scriptures. His success was such as to give the most animating encouragement to the friends of Missions. At the last accounts, as we have stated, eighteen persons had joined the Mission church, and Mr. Judson arrived in Rangoon they gave evidence of sincere piety, in the year 1813. From that time of that moral change, without which, till the present moment, with the the Bible assures us, "a man can- exception of absences on account of not see the kingdom of heaven." sickness, he has resided constantly Others were inquiring. Many, and among Burmans, and has made the some of them the chief officers of acquisition of their language the the empire, were desirous to know object of his most diligent and persomething about the gospel. Christ severing application. And here let crucified had been preached even us tell the reviewer, what perhaps in the court of Ava. Now all this he does not know, that Mr. Judson looks to us like any thing else than is one of the most thorough-bred failure. At least it was so consid-students that ever entered the Misered by the friends of Missions in America. They estimated the sal vation of eighteen immortal souls, and so did the Missionaries themselves, an abundant reward for all their toils and for all their expenditure. And if Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost, and if there be joy in the pres-er came to the Mission-house to ence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, tell us, have not they judged correctly?

So much for the Reviewer's assumption of the failure of the Baptist Mission to Burmah. We had intended to examine his assertion in its bearings upon the Mission at Serampore; but our limits will forbid. At some future time, we may allude to this part of the subject. At present, it will be necessary to proceed with an examination of the causes to which he considers the supposed failure attributable.

The first cause of assumed failure is developed in the following paragraph.

"We consider it then in the first place, a great want of discretion, or something worse, to send forth hasty and imperfect translations of the Scripture, and of their own religious tracts, before they have acquired a competent knowledge of the languages in which they write, so that their labours are simply useless, if not perni

sionary field. Five years elapsed before any work in the language was published. Then two small tracts were printed. How "indiscreet" the printing of these tracts was, may be known from the fact, that within three months after their publication, the first serious inquir

know what he must do to be saved, and these "pernicious" tracts brought him there. Shortly after this, the gospel of Matthew alone was printed and distributed; and from this time, the progress of the Mission was decided and encouraging.

The zayat began to be well attended, and a spirit of inquiry was manifestly at work among the people. The first edition of one of these tracts was soon exhausted, and a new edition called for in 1819. In 1820, the Epistle to the Ephesians was finished, and read by the converts with great avidity. This, however, be it remembered, was not printed, but only given to them in manuscript, whilst Mr. Judson proceeded to the translation of the Acts of the Apostles. Both of them were, however, after repeated revisions with the most intelligent of the Burman converts, sent to the press at Serampore in May,

1821. By March, 1822, a new || of the work for several years, until translation of Matthew, with Mark he could be fully satisfied of his and Luke, were finished, and the own ability to convey into the Burtranslation of Romans was commen- man language an adequate version ced. Now these are all the facts, of the word of God. No one who which the whole book contains of knows any thing about him, will the progress of the translations, and accuse him of indolence, and even upon these alone does the Reviewer those who know nothing about him predicate his allegation of the Mis- will surely acquit him of haste. sionaries' "indiscreet" and " "pernicious" haste in the work. We are, however, happy to state, that by the latest accounts the transla tion was rapidly advancing, and that now, in the thirteenth year of Mr. Judson's residence in Burmah, it is probably completed. The gospels, we believe, have all been printed, and copies of them received in this country.

This is a serious subject; but it is really laughable to observe how confidently many of our philosophical fellow citizens talk about Mis-. sionary operations, and at every step, without perceiving it themselves, betray an utter ignorance of the facts in the case, and even of the nature of the undertaking. We have shown on what grounds this Reviewer has accused our Missionaries of precipitancy, when the very book he was reviewing abundantly proved that his accusation was wholly unsupported. For the edification of future Missionaries to the East, we will give verbatim the sentence with which he concludes this part of his argument. "Had he" (Mr. Judson) and his worthy helpmate, confined themselves to the study of the Burman language" (which by the way they did most religiously) "while at the same, time they were instructing the natives in English, their labours would probably have been more successful, certainly more judiciously directed ! !”

66

So far has Mr. Judson been from acting with injudicious haste, that we feel absolutely obliged to explain why he delayed the printing of the Scriptures into Burman so long. The facts are these. Mr. Judson was perfectly aware that the translations of Missionaries had been accused of inaccuracy, and he determined from the first to render his own as perfect as possible. With this view, before he attempted to translate at all, he prepared a Burman grammar and dictionary, and devoted himself almost exclusively to the acquisition of the language. This was a work of several years. As soon as he was able to converse in Burman, he began to But it is time to notice the secpreach to the natives. In this man- ond cause of the alledged failure of ner he was still more rapidly im- the Missionary undertaking. It is proving his knowledge, and render-"the humble character which these ing himself familiar with their terms for moral ideas. The Burmans are very generally able to read, and as soon as he began to preach religion, they began to inquire for his sacred books. This led to the printing of the two first tracts of which we have spoken, together with the first edition of the gospel of Matthew. || The publication of these tracts was evidently attended with the very best effects. But still Mr. Judson suspended the further prosecution

teachers of the gospel assume, and to their system of principally attempting to convert, and connecting themselves almost exclusively with, the very dregs of the people." p. 39.

As to the humble character which the Missionaries assume, we remark,

1st. This is the only character which they can assume honestly. They are humble and poor men, and why should they appear in any