pen, or from the partial corrosion of the ink.—I scarcely expected that the Syrian Church would have parted with this manuscript. But the Bishop was pleased to present it to me, saying, 'It will be safer in your hands than in our own ;' alluding to the revolutions in Hindoostan.And yet,' said he, we have kept it, as some think, for near a thousand years.'—' I wish,' said I, ' that England may be able to keep it a thousand years.'---In looking over it, I find the very first proposed emendation of the Hebrew Text by Dr. Kennicott, (Gen. iv. 8.) in this manuscript; and, no doubt, it is the right reading. The disputed passage in 1 John v. 7. is not to be found in it; nor is this verse to be found in any copy of the Syriac Scriptures which I have yet seen.* The view of these copies of the Scriptures, and of the Churches which contain them, still continues to excite a pleasing astonishment

* Notwithstanding this omission, the author believes the passage to be genuine. The foundation on which he builds

this opinion, is the following: Considering, as he does, that learning and argument on both sides, have been nearly equal, he would rest the genuineness of the verse on the answer to the following question: "Which is most likely to be true, that the Arians of the fourth century, in their fury against the Church should silently omit a testimony, (in transcribing their copies) which, if true, destroyed their whole system ; or that the general Church should directly forge and insert it ?"

This appears to the author to be the just mode of stating the question ; but he has certainly no wish to awaken the controversy concerning this verse. If it be genuine it is only one of the hewn-stones of the temple. If it be not genuine, it is not a corner-stone.

in my mind: and I sometimes question myself, whether I am indeed in India, in the midst of the Hindoos, and not far from the equinoctial line. How wonderful it is, that, during the dark ages of Europe, whilst ignorance and superstition, in a manner, denied the Scriptures to the rest of the world, the Bible should have found an asylum in the mountains of Malay-ala; where it was freely read by upwards of an hundred Churches !

But there are other ancient documents in Malabar, not less interesting than the Syrian Manuscripts. The old Portuguese historians relate, that soon after the arrival of their countrymen in India, about 300 years ago, the Syrian Bishop of Angamalee (the place where I now am) deposited in the Fort of Cochin, for safe custody, certain tablets of brass, on which were engraved rights of nobility, and other privileges granted by a Prince of a former age; and that while these Tablets were under the charge of the Portuguese, they had been unaccountably lost, and were never after heard of. Adrian Moens, a Governor of Cochin, in 1770, who published some account of the Jews of Malabar, informs us that he used every means in his power, for many years, to obtain a sight of the famed Christian Plates; and was at length satisfied that they were irrecoverably lost, or rather, he adds, that they never existed. The Learned in general, and the Antiquarian in particular, will be glad to hear that these ancient Tablets have been recovered within this last month by the exertions of LieutenantColonel Macauley, the British Resident in Travan

core, and are now officially deposited with that

Officer.

The Christian Tablets are six in number. They are composed of a mixed metal. The engraving on the largest plate is thirteen inches long, by about four broad. They are closely written, four of them on both sides of the plate, making in all eleven pages. On the plate reputed to be the oldest, there is writing perspicuously engraved in nail-headed or triangularheaded letters, resembling the Persepolitan or Babylonish. On the same plate there is writing in another character, which is supposed to have no affinity with any existing character in Hindoostan. The grant on this plate appears to be witnessed by four Jews of rank, whose names are distinctly engraved in an old Hebrew character, resembling the alphabet called the Palmyrene: and to each name is prefixed the title of Magen,' or Chief, as the Jews translated it.—It may be doubted, whether there exist in the world many documents of so great length, which are of equal antiquity, and in such faultless preservation, as the Christian Tablets of Malabar.-The Jews of Cochin indeed contest the palm of antiquity: for they also produce two Tablets, containing privileges granted at a remote period; of which they presented to me a Hebrew translation. As no person can be found in this country who is able to translate the Christian Tablets, I have directed an engraver at Cochin to execute a copper-plate fac simile of the whole, for the purpose of transmitting copies to the learned Societies in Asia and Europe. The Christian and

A copy

Jewish plates together make fourteen pages. was sent in the first instance to the Pundits of the Shanscrit College at Trichiur, by direction of the Rajah of Cochin; but they could not read the character.*-From this place I proceed to Cande-nad, to visit the Bishop once more before I return to Bengal.'

THE MALABAR BIBLE.

AFTER the Author left Travancore, the Bishop prosecuted the translation of the Scriptures into the Malabar Language without intermission, until he had completed the New Testament. The year following, the Author visited Travancore a second time, and carried the Manuscript to Bombay to be printed, an excellent fount of Malabar types having been recently cast at that place. Learned natives went from Travancore to superintend the press; and it is probable that it is now nearly finished, as a copy of the Gos

* Most of the Manuscripts which I collected among the Syrian Christians, I have presented to the University of Cambridge; and they are now deposited in the Public Library of that University, together with the copper-plate fac-similes of the Christian and Jewish Tablets.

respecting the Syrians

123

pels of St. Matthew and St. Mark, beautifully printed, was received in England some time ago. This version of the Scriptures will be prosecuted until the whole Bible is completed, and copies circulated throughout the Christian regions of Malabar.*

THE SYRIAC BIBLE.

Ir has been further in contemplation to print

* The Author received from the Syrian Christians the names of several Christian churches in Mesopotamia and Syria, with which they formerly had intercourse, and which constitute the remnant of the ancient church of ANTIOCH. These have, for the most part, remained in a tranquil state under Mahomedan dominion, for several ages; and the Author promised the Syrian Bishop that he would visit them, if circumstances permitted. For this purpose he intended to have returned from India to Europe by a route overland; but the French influence at the Court of Persia at that time, prevented him. He has it now in contemplation to make a voyage from England, and to fulfil his promise if practicable; the relations of amity subsisting between Great Britain and the Porte and Persia rendering literary researches in these regions more easy than at any former period. He proposes also to visit Jerusalem and the interior of Palestine, Greece, and the Archipelago, with the view of investigating subjects connected with the translation of the Scriptures, and the extension of Christianity.