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Sanerit, and in that language they have preserved their records, involved how, ever as regards history, in the inextricable mystification referred to above.

The independance of Ceylon from Indian rule rescued its authentic bud Chistical literature which had been brought from India, from brahmanical destruction, and the native historians of Ceylon, uninfluenced by any motives, reli gions or political, for confusing the evidences of history subsequent to the advent of the last Buddho, continued to record with chronological veracity the narrative of their own historical events to modern times. The existence, however, of these valuable works, in so authentic and connected a form in Ceylon was not generally known till recently, as the claims preferred by the budd. bist priests in behalf of their native records were rejected by Europeans, with a disdain which would have been unpardonable, but for the published results of the investigations, made by competent parties, of similar pretentions in India. To obtain, however, the recognition among Europeans of the authenticity of their histories, nothing more was asked by buddhists than an impartial examin ation of their contents. Often had I been drawn into discussions, on this deeply interesting subject, with the well informed among the priesthood in this Island, when I was only acquiring their vernacular language to serve as a medium of communication. In those discussions I have noticed-how impenetrable was the darkness in which Indian events, and the identity of Indian monuments of antiquity were enveloped how completely all collateral record of the incidents connected with the invasion of Alexander had been obliterated ;----how entirely the literature, which had been manifestly extant when Megasthenes was deputed to the court of Sandrocottus, had been annihilated or perverted ;--and with what discouraging disappointment all attempts to identify the age in which, and the rulers by whom the great works of antiquity scattered over India had been achieved, were baffled. The simple answer has always been: Learn to read our Páli works: you may not find all that your European associations may suggest; but in those works you will find the history of India from the advent of Buddho to the establishment of his religion in Ceylon; comprehending a term of three hundred years, embracing' in it the very period of Alexander's invasion which you seek; containing, moreover, the history of the conversion of the emperor of all India to buddhism, as well as the stupendous results that ensued therefrom; and, above all, comprising a conpected and authentic history of Ceylon from the establishment of buddhist in this island to modern times.

In these assurances there was something almost dazzling, in the flood of light that was promised to be let in upon the unbroken gloom of the previous darkness; and yet these promises-making due allowances for the pretended probpecies and miracles of Buddho, and of his pretended inspired disciples, as well as some trivial chronological discrepancies.--have been realized. It has been my humble endeavour to give to these records all the publicity in my power; and the medium through which I sought to afford that publicity was the Asiatic Journal of Bengal, of which Mr. James Prin sep was the editor. The data contained in those contributions furnished, at the same time, to my late friend, collateral matter for his own more general researches; in the midst of which, by a most extraordinary coincidence, he decyphered the long lost alphabet of the ancient inscriptions of India. By that discovery, those inscriptions, which have survived the effects of the elements and of political convulsions for upwards of two thousand years, were made to bear direct and unimpeachable testimony to the authenticity of the Ceylon Páli literature. They proved to be the monuments and the edicts, composed in the Páli language, of the identical emperor of all India, renowned in buddhistical annals, who had become the convert to, and had spread buddhism over, almost the whole of Asia!* In those inscriptions were, moreover, found the names of

Since this letter has been sent to the press, I have received by the Emma a note from the Cape, from Mr. Wathen, recently chief secretary at Bombay, who says "previous to my leaving Bombay I had almost succeeded in decyphering the Salsette inscriptions, which proved to have been executed under the auspices of the same king as those of Mr. Prinsep."

Antigonus, Antiochus, Ptolemy and Maga, proving thereby that, in his zeal to extend the mild and benevolent tenets of his newly adopted creed, he had sought the co-operation of the rulers of Bacuiana and of Egypt.

Much vague and hypothetical discussion may, perhaps, be avoided in your Magazine, by those who may desire to illustrate in its pages the results of their inquiry into the native literature, by being furnished with a guide to the authentic portions of those records; and although despair of being able to find time to recast what I have written before, I will willingly, if you desire it, allow you to reprint in your periodical, my contributions regarding Páli annals which have appeared in the Bengal Asiatic Journal, a work not received, I believe, in Ceylon by auy one but myself.

In the meanwhile I place at your disposal a series of letters, the composition unquestionably of an accomplished scholar in western literature, recently forwarded to me by Sir William Colebrooke,.now governor of Antigua, and well known here as one of the commissioners of eastern inquiry. The author is the Rev. Mr. Gilbert, the colonial chaplain of that island, and the letters contain his views on the supposed origin of buddhism.

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I shall reserve my remarks on these interesting notices for a future occasion, having already trespassed too largely on your limited space.

Colombo, 2d August, 1840.

I remain, Sir,

Your obedient humble Servant,

(Signed)

GEORGE TURNOUR,

Extract from the Rev. Mr. GILBERT's letters to Sir WILLIAM COLEBROOKE.]

Gilberts' Antigua, May 3rd, 1839.

MY DEAR SIR,-You very kindly intimated that if I had any suggestions. to make on the subject of Mr. Turnour's oriental researches, you would communicate them to him. I have accordingly put down a few hints on the nature and origin of Buddhist, which, I now inclose, and will thank you to make whatever use you think best of them.

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The derivation of the name buddhist is I believe new. It is at least so to myself, for it was only yesterday morning that the thought occurred to me. What I have written, therefore, must not be considered as intended for the critic, but for the amateur, The coincidences, however, are striking, and may at least lead to something better and more definite. If I had the real oriental names of Buddh, Buddhism, and Buddhist, as written in the east, but in the Roman character, it would tend to throw light on the subject. It is not the oriental mode of pronunciation, but of writing the words that I wish for, and perhaps you may have it in your power to aid me in this respect.

The connection of astronomy with religion appears to be co-eval with creation itself, when the heavenly bodies were appointed" for signs, and for seasons, and for days and for years," and we find that as early as the time of Job, this connection had by one portion of mankind at least, been degraded into idolatry, and the sun and moon had become objects of adoration. This, there can be no doubt, was the origin of the Sabean idolatry, which consisted essentially in an ascription to the heavenly bodies themselves of that influence, and power, of which they were only ordained to be the chronicles and signs. The originators of this idolatrous system were, in all probability, individuals of the line of Shem, who settled in Ur of the Chaldees, from which place Abraham was afterwards called, and instructed in the worship of the true God.

Another division of the same family the descendants of Elam, the eldest son of Shem, and the founder of the Persian dynasty, appears to have migrated farther to the east, and to have carried with them a purer system.

The connection of astronomy with religion was still retained, but no 'idolatrous Worship was paid to the heavenly host. With this purer worship a purer mora. hty appears to have prevailed, and the only visible emblem made use of was that of fire, which was kept constantly burning; and as fire on the altar of Jehovah was never suffered to go out, we may feel assured that in those early ages, such a custom was not inconsistent with the true worship. This I conceive to have been the origin of the Magian religion; and although the science of astronomy was soon degraded into that of judicial astrology, yet there is every reason to believe that the knowledge and worship of the true God was still retained and practised by the Magi. The wise men, who came from the east to worship at Jerusalem, are expressly called by St. Mathew Magor; and in the book of Daniel we learn that he was made by Nebuchadnezzar master of the astrologers" or according to the Septuagint Archonta Magon.

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It is probable that the Magian religion was further purified by being subjected to the authority of so enlightened and pious an individual as Daniel; and it is almost certain, that he very considerably extended the knowledge, which the Magi possessed of the connection really existing between the movements of the heavenly bodies, and the great chronological epochs of the world. The two leading prophetic eras of the book which bears his name are the periods of 1260 and of 2300 years; and these with their difference of 1040 years, are the most perfect, indeed the only round numbes which form cycles of the sun and moon. So accurate is the last of these numbers that at the expiration of 1040 years the sun and moon return, within less than 2 minutes of a degree, to their original positions.

We have undoubted évidence to prove that the Magian or oriental morality or science (gnosis) was of a pure and elevated character. Mosheim says that "the first principles of the oriental philosophy (the name by which he distin guishes the Magian from the Grecian doctrine,) seem perfectly consistent with the dictates of reason." He afterwards gives a full and detailed account of the tenets of these philosophers: and they appear to agree in the most sur prising manner, with those contained in the tablets of Piadasi, decyphered by Mr. Prinsep and published in the Asiatic Journal.

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From this Magian morality I suppose Buddhism to have derived its origin; and we are thus enabled to account in a simple and satisfactory manner, for the superiority and sublimity of its doctrines. In its progress through the East, it doubtless became contaminated with the different religious systems which it found already existing, and also more or less accommodated itself to the local circumstances and social peculiarities of the communities through which it passed retaining however its humane and inoffensive character, and greatly improving and exalting the institutions of all the nations which ultimately embraced it.

The origin of the name of Buddhist I conceive to be the same as that of the Bedouin Arabs. The word in Hebrew is written budud, and is translated by the Septuagint Kechorismenos. It does not occur in the Old Testament as a verb, but Parkhurst says that in Arabic it signifies to separate," and that from their dwelling alone and roving in the deserts "the Bedawce or Bedouins had their appellation." This word is synonymous with muzur, the root from which the designation of the Nazarite is derived, and which Aquila translates, by another compound of the same Greek verb, horizo; and hence it may be understood, like the latter, to imply a religious or spiritual separation from the rest of mankind.

It is remarkable that Balaam uses this identical word to indicate the distinction between the children of Israel and all the other nations of the earth so the people shall dwell alone, (az om lubudud ishukun) and shall not be

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In the absence of Greek and Hebrew types, Roman characters are unavoidably used.[Ed. C. M.

reckoned among the nations."

This privilege the Jews constantly abused, and in a spirit of pride were ever ready to say to others "stand by thyself, Come not near me, for I am holier than thou." It is plain that a similar spirit of self-righteousness has always been, and is to this day, a striking characteristic of the religious morality of the east.

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It is also worthy of remark, and corroborative of the observations already made, that the linen, of which, the garments of the Levitical priesthood were directed to be made, is called in the Hebrew (bud);;, and. when we recollect that the fine linen" is distinctly declared to be emblematical of the righte qusness of the Saints, there can be little doubt but that the word was understood to imply something of holiness in the separation which is indicated. Indeed in Leviticus, xvi. 4., where the dress of the high priest, in which he was to enter the the Holy of Holies is decribed, it is expressly called the "holy linen" (kudush bud) iinum sanctitatis.

The origin of the name of Buddhist is almost placed beyond the possibility of doubt, when we reflect that there actually occur two passages in the writings of the Jewish Prophets, where this word is used to designate some species of diviner or astrologer, although in our English translation it is rendered by the word "liar." The first of these passages (Is. 44. 25.) is as follows that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, (budim literally Buddhists) and maketh diviners mad, that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish." The other is in Jer, 50, 36; A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the Lord, and, upon, the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men. "A sword is upon the liars (budim) and they shall dote. A sword is upon her mighty men and they shall be dismayed.". In each of those passages we find the budim or Buddhists actually identified by the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah with the Chaldeans, diviners and wise men of Babylon, and therefore we are certainly entitled to draw the conclusion that they were persons exercising a similar profession and authority.

From the prophecies of Daniel there is every reason to believe that the Magian religion spread itself throughout the whole of the East; and if Mr. Turnour should have it in his power to throw any light upon this subject, and would bear it in mind during the prosecution of his chronological researches, he would confer a great obligation upon me; and it might also be the means of throwing a new and unexpected light not only on various passages of Scripture, but on the past providential dispensations of the Almighty towards the great mass of mankind, and on those prophetic anticipations of future happiness even in this world, which appear to be alike congenial to the inhabitants of the east and or the west..

(To be Continued.)

1.

N. B. My meaning may not be very apparent in saying that kechorismenos and aphorismenos. are derived from the same Greek verb, horizo, as the former of these is generally considered to be a simple derivation of choris, This however I look upon as only a partial derivation of the word, and that it may be more correctly considered as a compound of apo and horizo. all events both words are correctly rendered into Latin by separatus.

The Overland Route.

BY THE REVD. J. G. MACVICAR.

THERE is no one who derives advantage from the modern improvements of machinery more than the traveller. For time spent in travelling, in so far at least as it is merely travelling, is just so much sank from existence; and the fastness and facility with which one can now accomplish the longest distances adds much to the value and in a manner to the length of life. How great is the change in this respect, within the last few years! It is not yet a century since there was only one conveyance between the capitals of England and Scotland. It bore the strange name of "The Armory (or Almyra as it would be called in this country) and it was three weeks on the road! The same journey is now performed in 30 hours and coach after coach and train after train are constantly rolling in during all the four and twenty.

Nor this in England only. The Americans are not behind us. And several of the nations of the continent of Europe are following rapid y in our footsteps. Nay, although it is no easy matter to effect any change in the East, yet this improvement in the case and rate of travelling begins to be felt very sensibly even in India. Not to speak of the establishment of regular mail coaches in this Island, so much to the convenience of travellers between Kandy, Galle, and Colombo, and so much to the credit of those who had the enterprize to set them agoing, England and India now seem nearer by half their former distance, in consequence of "The Overland "as the route by the Mediterranean and the Red Seas is rather preposterously called. Besides the regularity and dispatch with which correspondence may now be conducted in this way, the traveller, instead of a tedious and uninstructive voyage of four or five months round the Cape may follow by this route a line so pleasing and so improving that it carries him successively through Paris, Rome, Athens, Alexandria and Grand Cairo, the very places of all the world the most interesting and the best worth seeing, whether we view them in reference to their past history or their present state. Nor does this cost more time than the other way. On the contrary, if one must come to India he may save a good month by coming Overland, yet 80 as to allow himself ample time not only to sce the places that have been named, but also to visit the Pyramids and see all that is to' be seen about Bombay and the islands of Elephanta and Salsette.

The author having performed this journey very recently proposes to lay before the readers of the CEYLON MAGAZINE Some of the observations which he has made. His object is to endeavour both to avoid those common-place details of the road, which are already amply stated in many books by many tourists, and to find something to say which without being very grave will not be altogether uninteresting or un-instructive to the reader. But to begin.

LONDON

When leaving for India' by whatever route almost every one comes to London. And ere we leave that city now, let us just ask where we shall see its like again! Linneus the celebrated Swedish naturalist making use of a botanical figure said beautifully of England that he looked upon it as the kernel of the whole world. And with respect to London its capital, an English gentleman made an ́ exceedingly good remark to a Frenchman, when he was boasting (not without truth) that Paris was the city of cities, and not the capital of France only but of all the continent. Granted" said the Englishman "but London is the capital of the whole world." This is very near the truth. Positively there is nothing like London to be seen any where. The noble Thames with its docks, wharfs and countless shipping-the endless variety of streets with their immense masses of architecture on all hands---but above all, the energy of the English character, which fills with a tide of life every street and lane, and drives every chariot, coach, omnibus, waggon, cart, man, woman, child, all in double quick time and all without confusion any where (though not without much rattling, and not a little running at the crossings sometimes through too

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