44 UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF THE 



You mention the name of your last little one (may she be a 

 follower of her namesake !), It reminds me of what Mr. Brown 

 has lately written to me. He says that Mrs. B. had determined 

 her expected one should be called after me : but, as it proved 

 to be a girl, it was called Lydia Martyn Brown, a combination 

 that suggests many reflections to my mind. 



And now I ought to begin to write about myself and India : 

 but I fear you are not so interested about me as you used to be ; 

 yet the church of Grod I know is dear to you always ! Let me 

 speak of the ministers. The gospel was preached before the 

 Governor-General by seven different evangelical chaplains in the 

 course of six months. Of these five have associated, agreeing 

 to communicate with each other quarterly, reports of their 

 proceedings. They are Mr. Brown at Calcutta, Thompson at 

 Cuddalore, Parson at Berhampore, Corrie at Chunar, and myself 

 here. Corrie and myself, as being most similarly employed, 

 correspond every week. He gives all his attention to the 

 languages, and has his heart wholly towards the heathen. He 

 has set on foot four schools in his neighbourhood, and I four 

 here along the banks of the Ganges, containing 120 boys ; he 

 has nearly the same number. The masters are heathens, — but 

 they have consented with some reluctance to admit the christian 

 books. The little book on the parables in the dialect of Bahar, 

 which I had prepared for them, is now in the press at Serampore ; 

 for the present, they read with their own books, the " Sermon 

 on the Mount." We hoj^e by the help of God to enlarge the 

 plan of the schools very considerably, as soon as we have 

 felt the ground, and can advance boldly. 



Respecting my own immediate plans, I am rather in the 

 dark. They wish to engage me as a translator of the Scriptures 

 into Hindoostanee and Persian, by the help of some learned 

 natives ; and if this plan is settled at Calcutta, I shall engage in 

 it without hesitation, as conceiving it to be the most useful way 

 in which I can be employed at present in the church of God. If 

 not, I hope to begin to itinerate as soon as the rains are over ; 

 not that I can hope to be easily understood yet, but by mixing 

 familiarly with the natives I should soon learn. Little permanent 

 good, however, can be done, till some of the Scriptures can be 

 put into their hands. On this account I wish to help forward 

 this work as quick as possible, because a chapter will speak 



