surprize, Mr. H. came to us. He said the Burmans had sent him to negociate with the English; that he performed the request as soon as possible, and returned to the place, but the Burmans and prisoners were not to be found. He searched until dark, and then returned to town.

“The dreadful distress of that night seemed more than feeble nature could endure. At times my senses seemed deranged, and I remember but little of what I suffered. At an early hour I was informed, that Mr. W. had made his escape with three other prisoners. My bewildered senses were hardly susceptible of joy : I felt quite overcome, but went down to the street with Mr. and Mrs. H. when we met a gentleman who came to tell us, that three of the prisoners had returned, but they were separated from Mr. W. the evening before, and could give us no information respecting him. May you never know what I suffered at that moment! The recollection even now agitates my whole frame, and I must drop my pen. What a weak, frail, faithless child! Why could I not trust my all in that all-powerful Hand just ready to deliver me! About eleven o'clock, without the least notice, Mr. W. arrived. I trust I felt grateful to Him, who has always watched over us with a Father's

care.

"Mr. W. stated, that when the English ships arrived, a keeper was ordered to stand over each prisoner, and to dispatch every one when the first gun fired upon the town. The executioners took their stations, and commenced whetting their knives and spears in the most unfeeling manner. Mr. W. reclined upon a couch, and expected never more to rise. But when the firing commenced, the poor wretches were so much alarmed, that they left the prisoners, and ran to one corner of the room. Upon the second fire, they left the godown fastened outside, and fled. One of the Burman officers took the prisoners from this place, while the English balls were falling thick around them, and leading them a short distance, commanded that they should be immediately executed. Just at this moment a heavy fire from the Frigate reached them, terrifying them in such a manner that they fled as fast as the chained prisoners could possibly go. They had not proceeded far when the order was again repeated; but Mr. H. who was the only person who could speak Burman, requested that they would send him to the ships to negociate with the General. After some

delay, Mr. H. was sent, with a Burman, to the Frigate. He begi ged them to let Mr. W. accompany him, but in vain. When Mr.

H. was gone, the Burmans assured the prisoners, that if the fire did not immediately cease upon Mr. H.'s reaching the ship, they should not live a moment longer. However no farther attempt was made upon their lives. The prisoners were then separated, and Mr. W. with three others, was taken to the top of the great Pagoda, confined in a vault, and left with a keeper. When the Burmans had retired, the prisoners offered to reward their keeper if he would save their lives. He seemed to pity them, and took them from the place of their confinement, locked them in another vault and left them. Here they remained, without food or water, in a most uncomfortable state till morning, when the Burmans commenced their search for them. They came to the place where they were left, and not finding them, they ran from place to place in a dreadful rage, and several times knocked upon the door which concealed them. The prisoners kept perfectly still. Mr. W. said he expected every moment would be his last. But the Burmans soon beheld the approach of the English troops, and fled. As soon as English voices were heard, the prisoners called out, and to their great joy, the General came to their assistance. Thus, my dear friend, I have given you an account of these scenes, as far as my bewildered recollection will serve me."

After noticing with gratitude, the kindness and attention of the British Officers of all ranks, Mrs. W. adds; "I am sure you will sincerely participate in the pleasure we feel, in seeing the English standard wave over despotic Burmah, and in the interesting prospect of the spread of the Gospel in this land of darkness. If we live to see peace and justice smile upon this Nation, which has always lived in slavery to her rulers, I am sure we shall never regret what we have now suffered."

In a postscript, dated May 29th, Mrs. W. adds, "We remain still quiet in the Mission House, though there are engagements near us almost every day. We begin to despair of the Burmans returning to Rangoon, as every exertion to gain their confidence has proved unavailing. According to the best information that we can obtain, there are hundreds of poor females and children now perishing in the jungles. We hear nothing from Ava yet. Preparations appear to be making for the expedition. We have eves

ry reason to expect that we shall suffer for comfortable provisions, as our stores are almost exhausted, and there is nothing for sale but rice, We cannot get a bit of bread or biscuit, or a single vegetable or fowl, nor have we had any milk or fruit, since the troops arrived."

Our readers will no doubt feel, the following extract, which we have kindly been permitted to make from the letter of an Officer, at Rangoon, particularly interesting at the present moment.

"You will prefer to any farther details of petty warfare, some account of the missionaries, who are established in the suburbs of this singular town. You have heard already the trials to which they were subjected, at the period of our descent. The mission has not on the whole been rapidly successful. They do not number more than eighteen converts, since its first establishment; but these have given proofs of deep sincerity and piety. Like the rest however, they have fled from the face of an enemy, whom they were doubtless taught to believe as sanguinary as their own governors. Mr. Judson is now on his third visit to Ummerapore. He is said to have established himself in the good graces of the Monarch: but his friends tremble to think of the fate to which the first rumour of hostilities may subject him. But they have not forgotten the hopes that cannot die, affectionately strengthened by the recollection of their own recent and most providential escape from massacre. He and his will command our anxious prayers.

"The town of Rangoon is, (excluding of course the tasteless splendors of the rich Baboos from the comparison,) not worse, I think, than the Native town of Calcutta. Its principal streets are of brick pavement. The bulk of the houses, low of themselves, are raised on wooden piles, constructed chiefly of wood, and have roofs of thatch, tile, or wood; chiefly the two latter. There are however several stone and brick edifices to be seen at intervals, which have of course been seized with avidity for stores, or the residences of Heads of Departments.

"But the boast of Rangoon is its suburb eastward and northward. Escaping by the Eastern gate, you find yourself, for the distance of a mile, on a good road, amidst groves of palmyra, aca◄ cia, bamboo, mangoe, and a variety of fruit trees, amongst which åre seen several spacious and comfortable dwellings. Here it is that the missionaries are established. Here too is a large Hindoo

church now occupied by our Paymaster General. Here too be gin to rise above the tops of the trees the spires of those buildings, which for want of a better name, we call Pagodas. They are chiefly of brick work chunamed, but several are richly gilt from the foundation to the summit, and surmounted by the umbrella-shaped pinnacle, which you see in all the books hitherto printed on this subject. The road now begins to ascend and for upwards of one mile and a half is skirted by smaller pagodas, and low arched temples of Gaudama, in which the figure of the idol appears generally in the attitude given in Syme's plate, but somewhat more artist-like in point of modelling and sculpture. Midway up the hill which forms our position, is a temple occupied by the Head Quarters of the 13th. It is a large square apartment, with a vaulted ceiling, curiously gilt and adorned with cleverly carved cornices and ornaments; a vast image of the god has now received in its arms the colours of the corps; and the Regimental jest is, to introduce you to the new Ensign. From this elevated spot, which is, like most of the temples, battlemented and terraced, you look westward and behold the river below; the town of Rangoon, and the hamlet of Mondra, on the opposite bank of the island Dalla, confounded in the middle distance, backed by a verduous and graceful forest, and a fleet of more than forty ships riding as it appears in the very streets. Eastward is an extensive view of the Pegue River; to the right, and farther to the left, a smaller stream spreading in spots into small lakes, and quickly lost amidst the vast surrounding jungle which makes up the rest of the prospect. Half a mile farther on, is the crowning splendor of this haughty hill of devilworship. The grand Pagoda (whose title Dagon reminds us of the rebuke of the uncircumcised) stands on avast square platform of raised earth faced with brick, of 200 yards in every direction. The Pagoda itself, gilt and burnished, rises to the height of 360 feet above the surface of the platform. It is to all appearance a solid mass of brick work, though said to contain in its huge entrails vast treasures of lead, gold, and precious stones. A beautifully carved temple of wood, profusely gilt, adorns one side of its base. There are hung within its precincts, several bells whose metal has already been proved by analysis, to contain an unusual quantity of silver. They are covered with Burmese characters very neatly exe cuted."

THERE are innumerable proofs, that the philanthropy of our age and country, has not yet begun to wane.

ness.

It is still ad-

vancing with firmness and zeal; not exhibiting a restless spirit of change, nor yet contented satisfaction with what has been already accomplished, or the means which have been already put in operation. It seems to be guided quite as much by accurate reflection upon the real nature and sources of human wretchedness, as by simple benevolence. It blends christian philosophy with compassionate feeling. It appears as the discharge of duty, as much as the expression of tender-heartedThere cannot be a more decided evidence of this, than the attention paid to youth. So much had been done to save from contamination, and to educate in religion and useful knowledge the rising generation in England, and so much to reclaim those who had been early depraved, that we were scarcely prepared to hear of any new scheme for their benefit. And yet one has been published and adopted, which recommends itself at once to the understanding and the heart. It has been resolved to pursue the wide-spreading stream of Juvenile delinquency still nearer to its source; to cut it off, if p possible, in its very commencement. For this purpose Infant Schools have been instituted, and it seems likely that they will soon become numerous.

An interesting little volume has been published by Mr. Wilderspin, the master of the Spitalfields Infant School, explaia

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