An Extract from the Succefs of two DANISH MISSIONARIES to the East-Indies: in feveral Letters to their Correfpondents in Europe.

[Continued from page 324.]

Two other Miffionaries arrive at the Cape of Good-Hope.

WE have begun on board our ship to learn both Portuguefe and Malabarick; these being the two languages that will prepare us to propagate the gofpel in thefe parts. I am forry we were not provided at our departure with more Portuguese books, and thereby enabled to read and practice this language betimes. I have heard from fome on board our fhip, and who had been before great travellers in many Eaft-India countries, that the Portuguefe is of far more extensive use, than the Malabarick language itfelf; going almost through all the parts of the Eaft; whereas the Malabarick is confined to a certain tract only.

Here at the Cape, we got one copy of the New Teftament in the Portuguese tongue, printed at Amfterdam, in the year 1681. And another small treatise, in the fame language, was prefented us, containing the Catechetical Principles of the Christian Religion. We defign to apply ourfelves entirely to this language these two months, which we are like to spend on fhip-board, before we reach Tranquebar, in hopes that in a few weeks after our arrival there, we fhall be ferviceable to those that are gone before us.

The aforefaid New Teftament was tranflated in Batavia, by fome Dutch Minifters there; but the firft impreffion proving very faulty, it was remitted to Amfterdam, and printed the fecond time, after it was revifed.

We have found here abundance of Germans, many whereof are of the Lutheran confeffion. One of thefe prefented me with fixteen guilders, for the promoting our design in the Eaft-Indies. This gentleman was bred a fcholar, and had ftudied at the Univerfity of Jena. In the year 1700, he lifted himself into the Dutch fervice, and being arrived at the Cape, he fettled himself here, and is now in very good circumftances. He had read here the Narrative of the Hofpital at Hall, and the wonderful Footsteps of Providence attending it; and being particularly affected with the account, he offered me the aforefaid fum. The Governor here hath entertained me twice at dinner, and is a gentleman of an easy and obliging conversation.

A LETTER from a Friend at Copenhagen, concerning the
Progrefs of the MISSION.

THE

HE letters that are fent over bring an account, that the Miffionaries gain ground more and more among the Heathens in Malabar, and that God hath opened them a door to fpeak the myfteries of Chrift; though they meet with various oppofitions from the common enemy of fouls. Their congregation is increased to above one hundred fouls, and they have hopes of a confiderable addition. The Malabarians did not only refort from very diftant places, to hear the word, but had also many private conferences with the Chriftian Miffionaries, on the falvation of their fouls.

Mr. Ziegenbalgh, who is the greateft proficient in the Mala barick tongue, has fent over feveral treatifes compofed by himself in that language. (1.) Twenty-fix Sermons preached at their Jerufalem-Church, upon the Articles of the Chriftian Religion. (2.) A Form of Examination of fuch as are to be baptized. (3) A Book of Pfalms, ufually fung in their Church. But thefe books are of a quite different drefs from

thofe

thofe in Europe. There is neither paper nor leather, neither ink nor pen used by the natives at all, but the characters are by iron tools impreffed on the leaves of a tree, which is much like a palin-tree. At the end of every leaf a hole is made, and through the hole a firing drawn, whereby the whole fet of leaves is kept together; but then they must be untied or loofened, whenever the prints of these characters are read.

Both Malabarians and Moors much frequent their fermons, but particularly their Catechetical Exercifes. Befides this, they had many vifits from the Malabarian Poets, and from fuch as make up the learned body among them. Those often come from very diftant places, and put abundance of intricate questions to them. The Miffionaries take an opportunity to intersperse their answers with good and edifying reflections.

Some time ago, one of the Miffionaries taking a journey to a large town, called Nagapatnam, was every where kindly received by the Malabarians. In this place he made a stay of fix days. Having contracted an acquaintance with fome of the leading men, he obtained that a folemn difputation might be fet on foot, and held in the Caftle of that town. Abundance of Bramins, Pantares and Poets, and generally all the learned of the town, with a multitude of common people, flocked together. It lafted from morning till one o'clock in the afternoon. The Miffionary began with a fhort oration in Malabarick, and then levelled his difcourfe against the idolatrous worship fo much in vogue among the Heathens. But there was but one that would venture to give an answer to what he faid; and he is generally looked upon as one of the greatest faints in that place.

After the difputation, the Miffionary concluded with a fhort monitory oration. This was anfwered by one of the oldeft Bramins, who at the fame time returned thanks, in the name of the whole company, and expreffed a great fatisfaction at

the

the kind invitation offered them by the Miffionary. All this caufed a great joy and commotion in the whole town.

Of the Divinity and Philofophy of the Malabarians, the Miffionary adds the following particulars: "They have a very regular language, which may be reduced to an exact ftandard, or rules of Grammar. As our learned men in Europe have their course of Philofophical sciences, fo have the Malabarians too, and treat them in as regular a manner, as our fcholars in Europe. They have a written law, from whence, as from the fountain-head, they derive all their theological determinations."

Concerning God, they tell you, they worship but one divine Being, as the original caufe of all things; calling it accordingly Barabara Waflu, or the Supremeft Being of all. Of this they exprefs themselves in the following manner: "The Supreme Being doth not concern himself immediately about things of little moment, either in this or fome other world; but having created fome other great gods as his vicegerents, he thereby moves all the worlds, and all the creatures contained therein. These gods have again their fubordinate gods, who have their particular ftation affigned: by this middling fort of gods, men are created according to the order of the Supreme Being; and therefore it is but reasonable, they should also have some kind of worship allotted them, not excluding even the lowest order of gods."

[To be continued.]

THE

THOUGHTS

on MEMORY.

HERE is a near relation between Memory, Reminiscence, and Recollection. But what is the difference between them? Wherein do they differ from each other? Is not Memory a natural faculty of the mind, which is exerted various ways? And does it not exert itself, fometimes in fimply remembering, sometimes in Reminiscence or Recollection? In fimply remembering things, the mind of man appears to be

rather

rather paffive than active. Whether we will or no, we re member many things which we have heard or feen, faid or done: especially if they were attended with any remarkable pleafure or pain. But in Reminifcence, or recalling what is paft, the mind appears to be active. Moft times at least, we may or may not recall them as we pleafe. Recollection feems to imply fomething more than fimple Reminiscence: even the ftudious collecting and gathering up together all the parts of a converfation or transaction, which had occurred before, but had in some measure escaped from the Memory.

But there is one fort of Memory, which it feems more diffi cult to understand than any other. You pronounce or hear a difcourfe, or copy of verfes, which fixes upon your Memory. Afterwards you can repeat, in your mind, the words you spoke or heard, without ever once opening your lips, or uttering any articulate found. There is a kind of inward Voice (fo we may term it, for want of a better expreffion) which, like an echo, not only repeats the fame words without the leaft variation, but with exactly the fame accent, and the fame tone of voice. The fame echo repeats any tune you have learnt, without the leaft alteration. Now how is this done? By what faculty of the mind, or the body, or both conjointly? I am as fure of the fact, as I am that I am alive. But who is able to account for it? O! how fhall we comprehend the everbleffed God, when we cannot comprehend ourfelves?

Yarmouth, Oct. 21, 1789.

J. W.

EPITAPH on JOHN VISCOMTI, an ITALIAN PRINCE.

PASSEN

ASSENGER, wouldst thou know the nothingnefs of all human power and grandeur, learn what I was! And behold what I am. I was in poffeffion of immense treasures; vaft palaces; fuperb cities; my name alone made all Italy tremble! Of what ufe is all this to me now? Behold me fhut up within a stone and devoured by worms!

LETTERS.