both abound in mica. In neither have I been able to discover any organic remains; in the bed of the river I picked up pieces of transition limestone, and I doubt not but that useful mineral will be found in abundance in the neighbourhood; flinty slate is an abundant mineral in the bed of the river. The soil of the hills consists of the disintegrated sandstone chiefly: this material, as it would seem, is but little favourable to vegetation, either of the herbaceous or arborescent kind; at least there is not here that profusion of vegetable life, which from the mildness of the climate we should expect, more particularly amongst hills, which from their elevation probably attract considerable moisture from the atmosphere. This first range, however, is but partially and sparingly wooded: vegetation is indeed more abundant in the valley, doubtless from a more constant irrigation, assisted by the vegetable matter carried thither from the hills during the rainy season. The more common objects of the commerce carried on at Hurdwar, which, considering the vast crowds assembled here, seemed to be on the whole inconsiderable, are, besides the northern horses already mentioned, the celebrated shawl manufactures of Cashmir, some of which are sold as high as eight hundred rupees each, and others as low as fifty; preserved fruits from the countries north of Hindostan, as pomegranates, raisins, almonds, dried figs and dates, walnuts, truffles and pistacio nuts:-also, liquorice root, assafoetida, garlic, and salep. Besides some woolen cloths, and a few other articles of English manufacture, the company's territories supply ginger, turmeric, areca, nuts, cloves, and other spices and condiments; as well as indigo, and various other vegetable dyes. In the bazars we observed abundance of rock-salt, and of the salt called kali nimik, or black salt, consisting of common salt fused with the acid fruit of the Phyllanthus Emblica. Considerable quantities of borax are exposed for sale, and small pieces of lapis lazuli cut into ornaments. The other manufactured articles are chiefly coarse necklaces of stone, paste, or glass; glass bracelets gilt, or painted of various colours; pewter and brass rings and bracelets, course looking glasses, and brass and earthen vessels.

The following were the more common metalic preparations:Sulphuret of antimony, called Surma; red Sulphuret of Mercury, called Sungruff; Muriate of ammonia, called Nansador.

Amongst the medicinal drugs, I found the natural magnet. It was said to have come from Cashmir, and I was assured by the possessor, that it was of wonderful efficacy in the cure of diseases.

This interesting paper has been communicated to us by a friend, as part of the Journal of the late George Finlayson, one of those persons, of whom Scotland, more than any other country, has cause to be proud. A peasant in his origin; his worth and talents recommended him to patronage, and after service for some years as an Army Surgeon, he was removed to Ceylon on the Staff, and thence to Bengal, as Surgeon of the 8th Dragoons, then stationed at Meerut; at this time the observations we have published were written. He was subsequently attached to the Mission to Siam and Cochin, as Surgeon and Naturalist; in the fulfilment of the duties connected with which station, he so exhausted

his constitution, that he died on his passage home from India, leaving behind him the character of an able, upright and independent man. Sir Stamford Raffles superintended the publication of his account of Siam, and prefixed an interesting memoir. Our readers will not peruse this paper with less feeling, because the author is beyond the enjoyment of praise, or the fear of censure; nor with less interest, from the similarity which is so evident between what is here described, and what we have heretofore recorded in our pages as occurring at Lough Derg, Struel, and other high places of Popish superstition in Ireland.-ED.

THE DIFFICULTIES OF ROMANISM.

TO THE Editor of THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER.

SIR. As a periodical work circulates much more widely than any private publication can do, and as one important object of the Christian Examiner is to expose the dishonest practices of the Romish Priesthood; I beg permission to request the insertion of the following statement, to which I am desirous of giving all possible publicity.

The Bishop of Strasbourg, in his reply to my Difficulties of Romanism, has reviled me, with an intemperance utterly disgraceful to his profession, on the ground, that I have WILFULLY SUPPRESSED two passages, the one from Tertullian, the other from Cyril of Jerusalem, which he fancies to be favourable to the doctrine of Transubstantiation.

In this proceeding, it is impossible to mistake his object. Doubtless his intention was, to exhibit me as a faithless garbler, and thus to injure my credit with the public, whether Popish or Protestant. The end, in the Bishop's estimation, sanctifies the means: and, provided only he could put down an author whom he was unable to confute, and who, (though with perhaps a superfluous measure of civility) had given him a thorough castigation; this Latin Ecclesiastic was no way particularly scrupulous in his measures. Those measures to which he has so disgracefully resorted, have, through the activity of the Romish Priesthood, been, I find, to a certain extent successful. My answer probably may not have circulated so widely as the Bishop's calumnies: and for this reason I request your assistance, as well as that of any other friend of Protestant truth, and indeed of common honesty.

The Bishop reviles me for having WILFULLY SUPPRESSED two passages, which he deems favourable to his cause: and the Priesthood, with their admirers, I find join eagerly in the cry.

Now, Mr. Editor, both these passages were ACTUALLY QUOTED, and DULY COMMENTED UPON in my Difficulties of Romanism, the precise work which this Latin Prelate has undertaken to answer, and which he answers by the allegation of A GROSS AND UN

PRINCIPLED FALSEHOOD.

This conduct of his I have not failed to expose, with merited contempt and indignation, in my answer to him and those of your readers who may be curious to trace the crooked paths of a Romish controvertist, 1 refer to my Testimony of primitive Antiquity, against the peculiarities of the Latin Church, p. 20,

59, 60. Rivingston's, London. The work was written in reply to the Bishop and I may venture to say, that it contains a complete exposure of his practices, though it is designedly very short.

You will observe, that the matter to which I would thus call the attention of the public, is not a point of theological dispute; the Bishop holding one opinion, and I maintaining another opinion: on the contrary, it is a pure and simple question of MERE FACT. To serve the purposes of the sect to which he belongs, the Bishop of Strasbourg is guilty of A WILFUL AND DELIBERate falsehood. He asserts, with much indecent abuse, that I have dishonestly suppressed two passages, both of which I have honestly quoted. Inadvertence he cannot plead: for he had the Difficulties of Romanism open before him, for the express purpose of answering that work. He has unblushingly descended to a wilful falsehood, knowing it to be a falsehood, in order that he might injure, where he could not confute.

The utmost charity cannot ascribe his conduct to ignorance, where a BARE FACT is concerned though, very possibly, a hopeless ignorance of Greek may be his apology for so translating a passage in Theodoret, as to make that Father vouch for the doctrine of Transubstantiation, when he is absolutely confuting it. Theodoret says of the eucharistic bread and wine, after consecration, Μενει γαρ ἐπὶ τῆς προτέρας ουσίας καὶ τοῦ σχημάτος καὶ τοῦ εἴδους: which, as every school-boy knows, purports, that the bread and wine remain in their former SUBSTANCE, and shape, and appearance. The Bishop, however, translates the passage: They remain in the shape and form of the former SUBSTANCE. See my Testimony of primitive Antiquity, p. 98, 101. Thus, while Theodoret condemns the notion of Transubstantiation, the Bishop compels him to assert it. His conduct here inevitably conducts him to the following dilemma: either he mistranslated Theodoret through sheer ignorance; and then what shall we think of him as a teacher of others? mistranslated Theodoret, as he calumniated me, through deliberate dishonesty and then what shall we think of him as a moral agent? This choice lies between a dunce and a knave. I suspect his Lordship, however, not precisely to be a dunce; and my reason is, because he has carefully suppressed Theodoret's Greek, and given only his own translation; by which dexterous management, his unsuspecting reader has no opportunity of judging for himself, unless he happen to have Theodoret at hand.

:

Or he

I think it right to state, that in a correspondence which I had with Mr. Husenbeth, Lord Stafford's Chaplain, and the Editor of the Bishop of Strasbourgh's reply to me, I pointed out to him the unprincipled attack which that Prelate had made upon my moral character, through the medium of a direct falsehood: and, as a man, a gentleman, and a clergyman, I called upon him to do me a public justice, and to make my strict integrity known as widely as the Bishop's flagrant dishonesty. To this request, though several letters passed between us, Mr. Husenbeth made no answer. tainly I cannot say that he has taken no steps to vindicate me:

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190 Sketches of the History of Popery in Ireland.

but then, no less certainly, I cannot say that he has taken any steps. In this state of ignorance, I hereby publicly call upon him to declare, through the medium of your pages, whether he has, or has not acted as a man, and a gentleman, and a clergyman ought to have done. If he replies not to this public appeal, which respects a MERE FACT, any comment on his silence from me will be quite superfluous. Henceforward he will become a willing accessory to the degraded Bishop of Strasbourg.

I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
GEORGE STANLEY FABer.

REPLY TO THE QUERY OF "A MAGISTRATE."

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRISTIAN EXAMINER,

MR. EDITOR-In looking over a previous number of your Examiner, I observed in a letter from "a Magistrate," a query respecting the propriety of attaching a "blessed cross" to the Testament, in tendering an oath to the superstitious peasantry who came to him for law. I cannot agree with your worthy correspondent for two reasons-First, that it encourages that too much cherished contempt and disrespect, which our Roman Catholic fellow countrymen have been taught to hold the Bible in: and Secondly, that an oath which would not be acknowledged in the Assize Court, should not be tendered in the Petty Sessions. Although I do not entertain a doubt that the Roman Catholic peasantry, to a man, would respect a cross (particularly if blessed by the Pope) with more veneration and respect than the New Testament, and would consider themselves more bound to declare " the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" on that bit of carved stick, than on the word of God: yet I do not consider it justifiable for any Magistrate to do such an evil that good may come." As I am sure the motive of your correspondent was to prevent that abominable sin of perjury, too frequent, alas! among the lower order of the Irish, he will excuse these few lines from your humble servant, and

CONSTANT READER.

SKETCHES OF THE HISTORY OF POPERY IN IRELAND.

(Continued from Page 45.)

That the religion of Rome is a costly scheme, requiring great sacrifice of national power, intellect, and prosperity, the history of the countries and kingdoms of Christendom has very amply proved; and that its ambitious Priesthood has drawn heavily on national subserviency and individual devotedness, France, Italy, and Austria have afforded abundant instances; not to speak of dark and desolate

Spain; and Portugal, amidst the light and liberty of the 19th century, crying out under the command of her clergy, for an absolute king. But the above position has no where on earth been so amply exemplified as in Ireland, where the laity of the Romish persuasion may challenge the universe to produce instances of greater sacrifices made, or sufferings endured to advance the power, and establish the splendour of their Church, militant as it is, here on earth.

The Roman Catholics of Ireland, though admitted into Parliament, where they sometimes formed the majority; though eligible, and often appointed to high and confidential offices in the state, had rushed into the rebellion of 1641, and after a five years' struggle with distracted England, and disunited Protestants, had concluded a peace by which their privileges were encreased, their properties and titles assured, their power rendered equal, if not paramount to that of the Protestants, and all conceded to their clergy, except power without a superior, and splendor without a rival. Secured

in every thing that was valuable, the Roman Catholics had now the finest opportunity ever presented to a people, of consolidating their own power and resources, and of aiding and extricating their king, who had shown such readiness to make sacrifices for them. Had the Romanists adhered to the peace of 46, and afforded Charles the succours he had covenanted for, they would, in all human probability, have saved the Monarch, and acquired an endless fame for loyalty and discretion. But the obstinate bigotry of their ecclesiastics held such a sway over the consciences and understandings of this devoted people, that political faith and prudence seemed altogether to be lost sight of, and all the advantages which the divisions of Protestants, and their own successful insurrection had obtained, were thrown behind them for the sake of their Church-IT must be exalted and its enemies overthrown, or they persist. * But it is now my business to state how the peace of 1641 was renounced and broken.

⚫ It is not for me, in what professes to be an historical sketch, and not a political tract, to anticipate as Warner the bistorian of the rebellion does, what will be the conduct, in future of the Roman Catholic Laity, in case they receive their forfeited privileges. But I confess I do not see the probability that as long as they remain Romanists, they will cease to tread in the steps of their forefathers; and I cannot anticipate that they never again will resign their reason and their interests up to Priests, or become the insurrectionary tools of ambitious churchmen. I confess I do not see any such sign of altered character in Romanism. During the great rebellion, many of the Clergy were opposed to, and bore their testimony against the designs of the Nuncio and his foreign influenced party. This is not the case now → there are now no such men as Dease or Preston, or Peter Walsh-not a Jansenist not a man to stand up for the rights and liberties of the inferior clergy. The Jesuits are in high power and favour, and not a Priest in Ireland, but wishes them God's speed-and as for the laity, are not politics and religion made to re-act upon each other, the demagogues crouching before the prelate, and in the dust of the high way adoring the majesty of his office-nay, even their richest and most influential Peer, surrendering reason and purpose at the commands of a churchman. He had presumed to become a free-mason without the consent of his confessor, and he must in the most humble manner renounce the interdicted society, without any assigned reason, at the beck of a Priest-are these signs of the altered character of Romanism?