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    to their own professors . -Hence the indifference of the Singhalese as to the comparative claims of Christianity and Buddhism , and the facility with which , both under the Portuguese , the Dutch , and the British , they have combined the secret worship of the one , with the ostensible profession of the other . In their cosmogany , they seemed to declare the eternity of matter , and its submission , at remote intervals , to decay andre-fbrniation ; such changes , with the organisation of animal life , being the results of spontaneity and procession , They believe in the state of pre-existence , and in the existence of "heavens and hells , —in the

    latter , the wicked undergo purgatorial imprisonment . Adverse events in this life are the general results of Akusala , or moral demerit in some previous stage of existence . The moral code of Buddha prohibits the taking of life under any circumstances , from even the humblest created animal ; together with intemperance and incontinence , dishonesty and falsehood , hypocrisy and anger , unkindness and pride , ungenerous suspicion , eovetousness , evil wishes to others , the betrayal pf secrets , and-the propagation of slander . On the

    other hand , it enjoins the forgiveness of injuries , the practice of charity , a reverence for virtue , the cherishing of the learned , submission to discipline , veneration for parents , care for one ' s family , a sinless vocation , contentment , and gratitude , subjection to reproof , moderation in prosperity , submission under affliction , and cheerfulness at all times . It only remains to be added , that demon-worship prevailed amongst the Singhalese before the . introduction of Buddhism by Mahindo .

    One . of the most original parts of this work is the portion devoted to the natural history of the elephant . It is extensively treated , correcting old fallacies , as well as adding new information . Elephants abound in Ceylon , frequenting both the open plains and the deep forests . Their numbers in . recent times , however , have been considerably reduced ; the animals , in fact , have been forced to retire to the low country ; but thither the hunter pursue them , either to capture or to slaughter . The Ceylon Elephant is in general without tusks . Its life is harmless and peaceful , and nature appears to have left it almost unprovided with any weapon of offence . Their love of solitude and dislike of

    intrusion are extreme ; hence the shyness the elephant evinces towards nian . He is not instinctively vicious , or even highly irritable . " But" then continues , Sir Emerson the' elephant is said an extraordinary dislike to all quadrupeds ; that dogs running near him produce annoyance , that he is alarmed if a hare start from his form ; and from Pliny to BufFon every naturalist has recorded his supposed aversion to swine . These ajleged antipathies are in a great degree , if not entirely , imaginary . The habits of the elephant are essentially harmless , his wants lead to no rivalry with other animals , and the food to which lie is most attached is found in such abundance that he obtains

    it without ah effort . In the quiet solitudes of Ceylon elephants may constantly be seen browsing peacefully in the immediate vicinity of and in close contact with others animals . I have seen groups Of deer and wild buffaloes reclining in the sandy bed of a river an the dry season , and elephants plucking the branches close beside them . They show no impatience in the company of the elk , the bear , and the wild hog ; and on the other hand , I have never discovered an instance in which these animals have evinced any apprehension of them . The elephant ' s natural timidity , however , is such

    that he becomes alarmed on the appearance in the jungle of any animnl with whioh he is not familiar ; he is ssid to be afraid of the liorso , but from my own experience , I should say it is the horse that is alarmed at the aspect of tile elephant , in the same way , from some unaccountable impulse , tho horse has an antipathp to the camel , and evinces extreme impatience , both of the sight and smell of that animal . When enraged , an elephant will not hesitate to charge a rider , on horseback ; but it is against the man not against the horso that his fury is dircctod , and no instance has been ever known of liis wantonly assailing a horse .

    . The following story is a gem : — "It is true that in captivity , and after a due course of * training , the elephant discovers a new use for his tuak » when employed in moving stone and piling tfnxber j bo much sp , that a powerful one will raise mad , carry on them a log of half a ton weight , or *» oro . Qjne , evening , whilst riding in tho vicinity of * MW $ y ,. towards the scene of tho massacre of Major ¦ P . ftWff party , in 1803 , my horse evinced aomq excitement at a nolue which approached us in tho thick

    jungle , and which consisted of a repetition of the ejaculation— ' Umph ! urnph !'—in a hoarse and dissatisfied tone . A turn in the forest explained the mystery , by bringing one face to face with a tame elephant , unaccompanied by any attendant . He was labouring painfully tocarry a heavy beam of timber , which he balanced across his tusks , but , the pathway being narrow , he was forced to bend his head to one side to permit it to pass endways , and the exertion and inconvenience combined led him to utter the dissatisfied sounds which disturbed the composure of my horse . On seeing us halt , the elephant raised his head , recorinoiteriug us for a moment , then flung down the timber , and forced himself backwards among the brushwood , so as to leave a passage ,

    of which he expected us to avail ourselves . My horse still hesitated : the elephant observed it , and impatiently thrust himself still deeper into the jungles , repeating his cry of' umph ! ' but in a voice evidently meant to encourage us to come on . Still the horse trembled ; and , anxious to observe the instinct of the two sagacious creatures , I forebore any interference . Again the elephant wedged himself further in among the trees , and waited impatiently for us to pass him ; and after the horse had done so , tremblingly and timidly , I saw the wise creature stoop , and take up his heavy burden , trim and balance it on his tusks , And resume his route , hoarsely snorting as before his discontented remonstrance . " The habits of the wild elephant are dwelt on at great length by our author . To these we direct the reader ' s especial attention . The illustrative engravings are admirably executed .

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    A DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY . By Heneleig-h V >" edg ^ voodv M . A . Vol . 1 . —Triibner and Co . That there are fountains in the world as well as cisterns is too frequently overlooked in critical inquiry . It has been the custom , for instance , to trace the words o f a language to their roots , and where these have been the same or similar to roier them to a common origin . The learned author before us is at pains , on the contrary , to show that the roots in question arise from the instinctive imitation made , by the human organs of speech , of natural sounds , and that therefore they may be found originally produced among distant peoples

    that were never related to each other . His argument on this point forms the introduction to the present work . It is lucidly stated and lavishly illustrated . That the instances will not appear as convincing as they are numerous , to all readers , may be expected . Etymological theories presuppose an acquaintance with the subject , and much is sometimes required befoi'e the value of a particular instance can be appreciated . The study is a wide one , and involves the labour of years—perhaps of lives . At any rate we have the names of Todd , Richardson , arid Webster , as labourers in this field of inquiry ; and we find that it is not yet exhausted .

    Mr . Wedgwood speaks , therefore , with some contempt of those who too readily adopt an arbitrary theory , and too easily satisfy themselves that they have solved , the difficulty when they have traced a word to a Sanscrit root , lie somewhat indignantly demands , " In what condition is it possible that roots could have existed , before they were actually used in speech ? " Nor will ho admit the answer , that they were implanted by Nature in the mind of man—such a suggestion being opposed to daily observation in rcgavd to infants . But he is disposed to accept them as fictions of the grammarians , to indicate the core of

    a group of related words having similar significations . "If , " he adds , " we are to rogard them as tho remains of some former condition of language , then they ooaso to afford a solid rostlng-place ; and the . origin of the roots themselves becomes as fit an object of inquiry as of the words in actual use at the present day . " The origin of language , then , is to be recognised in tho tendency to imitation which Aristotle long ago remarked in tho child , and to which ho attributes the production of the drmnn . Still , aa of

    old—„ ,,,, » " with now Joy and prldo Tho llttlo Actor oona unothcr part | grilling from time to timo Ills humorous etftgo With all tho 1 ' craons . down to pivlBlud Ago , That Lilo brings with hur in hor equipage » Ae If hlH whole vocation Wore ondloai ) imitation . " In manhood , as in childhood , the instinot is manifested ; and human spceoh is subject to the universal influence . Words , then , according to tho book before us , aro made to imitate or

    represent sounds characteristic of the objects in tended to be designated . Such , for instance as bang , crack , purr , whizz , hum . Too frequentlv such words have been received by etymologists as exceptional cases—nay , there is a constant ten dency , says Mr . Wedgwood , in the progress of civilisation , to regard the words , whose imitative character is most clearly marked , as a sort of illegitimate pretenders to the dignity of language . " We are apt to look upon words like / iiz , whack bump , hang , clearly representing different ¦ kinds of sound , or the actions which they accompany as make-shifts of modern invention , not entitled to take place in sustained composition with elements

    which appear to derive their significance from the mysterious source of universal speech . The discredit , however , into which words of this description have fallen , is a prejudice resting on no solid foundation . , There is no reason for supposing them less ancient than the most time-worn particle , of whose origin in a sensible image we cannot form a guess . To slam the door is a colloquial expression in which the verb seems as if it might have been suggested yesterday by its appropriateness to express that kind of noise , but the word is used in a much wider sense by the Laplanders , with a special application to this very instance of slamming the door ; and what countless ages must have elapsed ' . since their ancestors and ours parted from a common stock '

    " A little examination shows that the principle of imitation has a wider range than we are at lirst inclined to suppose . In some words the . imitative character is so strongly marked , that it will ' 'be admitted by every one as soon as the question is raised . In others , though not consciously recognised , it heightens the power of expression , and gives much of that -vividness of imagery -which we ad mire , in the poetry of Spenser and Gawaine Douglas . Jn others , again , the power . of direct representation is wholly gone , and the imitative origin can only bo shown by a detailed examination of a mode I il v , i > ich the meaning of the word has been developed . "

    Such is a plain , straightforward expression of the idea that pervades this work , which it is supposed two more volumes will complete . Its merit cannot be too highly appreciated .

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    DISTRICT DUTIES DU 1 UXO THE HHVOLT IN THE NORTH-WJEST ritOVINCIJti UF 1 X 1 > JA , IX 1857 : With liemarks on Subsi ^ i ' m-ut luvisu ' uations during 1856-9 . By 11 . Duudas Kobcrtsou . —Smith , Elder and Co . The writer of this book is in the Bengal Civil Service , and being detained in tho capital of British India , employed his enforced leisure in making a memorial of the scenes through which he had passed during the llevolt , in 1857 . It relates , in part , to a town and station under the Government of the North-west Provinces , where tbc author was

    frequently left alone . lie was a jomt-insigistrate in the Saharunpore district , and afterwards became officiating collector of it . Towards the close of 1857 , lie was , in conjunction vjth Messrs . J . 0 . Wilson , and T . L > . Foi-. syth , placed on a commission for the investigation and trial of cases connected with the ' mutiny ami rebellion , being vestod with jurisdiction extending over the Northwest Provinces , . Oudo , Jiougul lVopor , nnd Central India ., Such are tho author ' s claims to

    notice . . . Salmru ' npore , about eighty miles from Delia , is , fortunately for the victims of revolt * , un isolated place ; for its isolation during the revolt of 1857 was aivimportant feature of strength it * long ftS m " tcrnal mutiny and insurrection could Ik ; repressed The eastern and western boiiMiJumvs of the district , aro protected by tho Ganges and tliu Jumna ; tho north is screened by a rnngo of uninhabitable mountains . The inhabitants prcnont a mongrel

    mixture of races—Moghuls , JL ' utliiins , Urahmuns , Gopjurs , Rajpoots , lianghurs , Clharas , &c . A s xn India , persons of dilleront races ami ovvmU never intermarry , they remained as distinct und sepnrnte from each other , aaif thoyhad ullinlmbitod uiUoronc oountries , pertinaciously retaining the nntionn peculiarities , and tho characteristic virtuos nn « vices of their ancestors . There aro iviisto Jan {»> on which " tho promoters of Christianity inigWi

    with advantage , plant Christian villages . There ia little of personal adventure in our author ' B descriptions , oontenting l » iansol | , i \ s wo docs , with such as illustrate the general chfiraotor of the times rather than as referring to hlins f , Caato , according to him , is tho only religion ot tnc East . Tho oauso of the massacre at ^ wttehffuru was tho presence of women and children ) wi »«» paralysed the action of tho mew . Amongst w »

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    I& 98 THOS LEADER . [ No , 509 . Pec . 24 , 185 ? -.

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 24, 1859, page 1398, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2326/page/18/