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With regard to lecturers there surely must be sufficient amongst the Europeans and Ceylonese: and as to auditors, the many government and mer. cantile clerks who toil through the heat of the day at their desks, would I am confident, quit in the evening all light and frivolous relaxations to hear amusing and instructive lectures on History, Commerce, Geography Botany, the Mechanical Arts, Music &c. &c. Hoping that these few hasty observations may lead to some good result,

Colombo, January 1st, 1841,

I remain, your's truly,
LANKA.

[We think that "Lanka's" hints should be considered. None would rejoice more than we at the consummation of his wishes: when the time arrives, that Ceylon can boast of a "Mechanics' Institute" we shall be found among the first to promote its' welfare by every means in our power,—Ep, C, M.]

BRIEF NOTICES OF THE POETS, PHILOSOPHERS &c.
OF THE TAMILS.

BY SIMON CASIE CHITTY, ESQ.-(Continued.)

30. Kumara Guru. This individual was born at Strivyguntam, in the Tinnivelly district, about two hundred years ago. He established his fame as a poet while yet a child; for it is reported that when he was only fire he composed a hymn called Kali Venba, in praise of Subramanya, the deity of the temple at Trichendoor. Like most of his countrymen, he was of the Saica profession and having entered the Matam, or monastery at Dharmapuram at a very early ago, he assumed the habit of Tambiran, on head ascetic, in which capacity he continued till his death, Besides the juvenile production already alluded to, he was the author of thirteen poems, of which his last one entitled Nidi neri Vilakkam, consisting of 102 stanzas on moral subjects, is considered the best, and has been translated, into English by Mr Stokes, of the Madras Civil Service.

The following selections from bis Midi neri Vilakkam may not be found uninteresting.

“Learning at first painful, will afterwards afford pleasure. It will destroy ignorance and extend knowledge. But the pain which succeeds to the shortlived pleasure of immoderate lust, is great, O thou adorned with perfect jewels!

"Learning, however extensive, will be useless, unless there be discretion to display it in the proper place; and even then, without the power of language, of what avail is it? With that, it is a flower of gold that possesses fragrance.

"The learning of those whose frame trembles with diffidence before the assembly, the frivolous loquacity of the ignorant who feel no awe in the assembly, the wealth of those who do not conscientiously bestow alms before they eat,—and the merit of a poor man, are things, the absence of which is better than their existence.

"The learned need no other ornament than the excellence of learning. Nothing is wanting to adorn an ornament perfectly set with every precious stone. Who would beautify beauty itself?

"Contemplate those who are poorer than yourselves, and rejoice in the greatness of your possessions. Contemplate those who are more learned than yourselves, and destroy all self-conceit, exclaiming what is all our learn ing to these?

“To praise oneself in order to attract admiration, is like feeding the flame with pure water. Is not the absence of self-admiration that which is to be admired? Is not happiness freedom from the desire of pleasure?

"For him who desires much notice from others, there is one act of pe nance which he must never forget to practise: continually to dwell upon all the merits, and conceal the defects of others; and to address all with humility. "There are none who understand every thing. Exult not in the idea that your learning is universal. The rock will give way to the small chisel of the mason."

31. Tâyumâna Swami, so named from the deity of the temple at Trichl nopoly, in which city he was born about one hundred and fifty years ago in the reign of the King Chokalinga Naiker. In his childhood he was con signed to the care of a famous preceptor named Mauna Tesigar, who bestowed on him a learned education besides initiating him into the mysteries of the Vedas. On the death of his father, who was minister of state, the King promoted him to his post; but becoming religious as he advanced in life ho quitted it and retired into the Ramnad country, where he fixed his residence and spent the remainder of his life in devotion. Amongst his poetical com positions, the most reputed is a collection of metaphysical pieces under the title of Tiruppadel.

32. Arunásala Kavirayer. a dramatie poet was born at Tilliady, near Tranquebar about 1705. From his fifth to his twelfth year he studied Tamil at the school of his native village and afterwards, in consequence of the death of his parents, he placed himself in the Matam of Dharmapuram, where under the tuition of several ascetics he acquired a knowledge of the sanskrit and Telegu languages. Being married in his thirteenth year, he commenced business as a banker; but soon after abandoned that profession to devote himself to dramatic poetry, and produced the Drama of Rama Chandra, which has secured for him a lasting celebrity. He died at Sheerkaly in his sixty seventh year.

RECOLLECTIONS

OF A

GOVERNMENT EMISSARY.

COMPILED BY THE EDITOR

CHAP. III.

Beau Brummell. The Militia.

Anecdote of Sir W. Curtis.

Ministerial fears. Visit to Vidocq. Parisian Thieves.
French Galleys, and their morale.

The

ABOUT this period (1803) my duties brought me in frequent contact with the then celebrated Beau Brummell, the friend and companion of the Prince. I was much struck with his eccentricity of manner, which however, amidst all his peculiar nonchalance never was other than courtly in extreme, and in his dress he was certainly pre-emiuent both as regarded taste and variety, yet I could hot help regarding him as a species of Court Jester rather than as the friend of the heir apparent. Brummell was of very plebiau extraction and could not brook any allusion to his ancestry. His grandfather was originally a domestic of Lord North's who in his old age procured for him the situation of porter at the Treasury. His son (the Beau's father) having a superior education obtained a clerkship in the Home Office and amassed some money by speculations. Young Brummell went into the army at an early age and by good fortune happened to be the officer on guard at Carlton House when the Prince wanted some one to accompany him to Windsor. No one was in the way and Brummell took the seat by desire of the Prince. His gentlemanly, graceful manner so won his royal companion's favor that from that night he was estab lished in the friendship of the Prince, and soon took the lead at Court where he supplanted Lascelles the then Beau. When I became acquainted with Brummell he had fallen into some slight disfavour with his royal friend in consequence of his inconsiderate behaviour and intolerable rudeness. A great deal more however, laid to his charge than the truth. One of the many exaggerated stories was that of his desiring the Prince to ring the bell. Brummell assured me that he did not say "George ring the bell," as reported, but that when asked to do it by H. R. H. who was engaged in conversation, he very inconsiderately replied "it is close to you Sir." The Prince did ring it, but it was to desire the attendant to order Mr. Brummell's carriage.

was

From 1803 until the peace in 1814 I did not leave the Kingdom. During that period however I was far from idle. Political events, both at home and abroad, were thickening and throwing a gloom upon the prospects of England. Hostilities were recommenced

with France, now an Empire; Napoleon was every where victoriousį. our Austrian Allies were defeated, Spain and Portugal appeared to be all but lost to us, an immense army at Boulogne threatened us daily with an invasion, and lastly the domestic peace of the country was shaken to the centre by discontent and rioting. The militia was every where put in requisition, and in the southern counties the greatest diligence and regularity was observed in training the "Locals," for it was universally believed that Napoleon would attempt a descent upon our shores. I was enrolled in the " Surrey Volunteers" under the Duke of Cumberland as Colonel, and Lieut.Colonel Gaitskell, the latter of course doing all the fag. Our Re giment was eventually one of the most efficient in the country, for we had excellent officers, and the entire body was of a superior grade. I had in my company as privates, many young men who have since risen to great eminence in their several professions.

Our head quarters were ou Clapham Common and it was pretty sharp work for soine of us who had to fag at our desks from ten till four, and then ride out to evening drill, and back again to dinner, besides having to be on parade at day-break. There used to be considerable grumbling, particularly during bad weather, for it was no joke then. After the first year however, we got together a mess and were altogether more comfortable. We had rare festivities at times, when our Colonel invited a few choice spirits to join us, for we were mostly young men. It would be tedious to recount the many frolics and adventures of those days; one anecdote, however, I must relate for I do not think it has ever been made public. Sir William Curtis was one night the guest of our Colonel, and the conversation happening to turn, as it often did, upon drinking, the latter said that he was sure Sir William drank as much as any three of us and that what he took that night would fill a two gallon pail. The Knight merely laughed and said nothing, but the Colonel asked me to have a pail placed under the sideboard and to desire his servant to watch Sir William and whenever he drank a glass of anything to throw a similar glassful into the pail. This was done, but before the evening was half spent we both observed that the man failed to put anything into the pail. The Colonel called him and asked why he neglected to do it. "Please, Sir," was the answer, "the pail has been running over these ten minutes past!"

During the disturbances in 1810-11 we were compelled to keep a guard under arms night and day, at our depôt where we had about 600 stand of arms and 20 or 30 barrels of gunpowder. Bút even that precaution was considered insufficient: and so little confidence in the militia did the government feel, and so alarmed were they at the riotous proceedings of the people, that on the eve of am unusually large meeting on Kennington Common, Mr. Beckett, Home Secretary, sent our Colonel an order to remove the arms, &c. to Woolwich if possible, or at any rate to take off the musketlocks and keep them in safe custody. Being on guard at the time I was commanded to put the order in execution. Removing

600 stand of arms to Woolwich was an impossibility and I at once gave up the idea. But to unscrew the locks was a task equally difficult, particularly as I had not the armourers with me and but a few hours to do it in. I determined, therefore, on my own responsibility to coutent myself with unscrewing the cocks only, which had the double advantage of being equally to the purpose and of being accomplished in a very short space of time. They were put into powder kegs and marched off to the Colonel's house: but the ammunition he would have nothing to do with. There was no time for debating, so I placed the 30 barrels of gunpowder in carts and taking a file of men in undress, escorted them to my own house in Vauxhall: there they were placed in a loft under the roof, no one, not even my wife, knowing their contents. I kept them under bolt and bar but must confess I sometimes felt a little uncasy about thein. They remained there until things were a little more settled, when they were conveyed to Woolwich Arsenal, much to my joy. From that period to the disbanding of the Volunteer Corps in 1816,—we never kept more than a few rounds a-piece in our own depot.

During the hundred days of peace I determined to take a holiday and visit my old acquaintance Vidocq in Paris. Hitherto I had only met him in the hurry of business and longed to see and converse with him in the retirement of his family circle. Besides I might be able to gather from him some information which could be turned to account hereafter. I arrived in Paris about the end of July, in the very midst of the gay season. The capital was crowded with English who having been shut out so long by the war, were making amends for their absence by spending their money in the most profuse manner. I found Vidocq in very comfortable quarters, with a nice house and an agreeable wife, and in the enjoyment of a very liberal income,--He pressed me to stay with him but I preferred living alone, and visited him when it pleased me. I was much amused with some of his exploits which he related to me, both in Espionage and Friponnerie, for he had begun his career in the Cour de Miracles, and it was his astonishing talent as a thief which brought him to the notice of the police. Some of his achievements certainly appeared more like those of faburous history, than of every day occurrence in the nineteenth century. The deeds of Dick Turpin and Jack Sheppard were mere child's games of hide-and-seek compared to them. Fouché soon saw the real value of the man and lost no time in buying him over. He was then in great and deserved favor with the Prefet, under whose orders alone he acted. He told me that his wife was of great service to him both in gaining secret intelligence and playing double to him, and that without her some of his best things would never have been accomplished. One night he took me a round of his old haunts where he was well known, and not less feared. We first bent our steps towards the environs of the Palais Royal, a densely populated quarter, resembling our Saint Giles's, or Kent

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