translation; for had I gone through the villages preaching, as my inclination led me to do, I fear by this time I should have been in a deep decline. In my last I gave you a general idea of my employments. The Society still meet every night at my quarters, and though we have lost many by death, others are raised up in their room; one officer, a Lieutenant, is also given to me, and he is not only a brother beloved, but a constant companion and nurse; so you must feel no apprehension that I should be left alone in sickness; neither on any other account should you be uneasy. You know that we must meet no more in this life: therefore since, as I trust, we are both the children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, it becomes a matter of less consequence when we leave this earth. Of the spread of the Gospel in India I can say little, because I hear nothing. Adieu, my dearest sister: let us live in constant prayer for ourselves and the Church."

TO THE REV. D. CORRIE.

October 19, 1808.

my

"I HAVE just come out of my Chapel, where, with little flock, I have once more resumed my duties. The infrequency of my appearance among them of late has thinned them considerably, and this effect, which I foresaw, is one of the most painful and la

mentable consequences of my withdrawing from

them; but it is unavoidable, if I wish to prolong my life. My danger is from the lungs; though none of you seem to apprehend it. One complete service at church does more to consume my strength and spirits than six days of the hardest study or bodily labor. Pray for me, my dear brother, that I may neither be rash nor indolent."

TO THE REV. D. CORRIE.

"October 24, 1808.

"You mention a letter inclosed, but none came. The intelligence, however, intended to be conveyed by it, met my delighted eyes. Thomason too coming! This is good. Praise be to the Lord of the harvest for sending out laborers! Behold how the prayers of the Society at Calcutta have been heard. I hope they will continue their supplications, for we want more yet, and it may please God yet further to bless us. You cannot leave Calcutta by the middle of November, and must therefore apply for one month's extension of leave. But you are unwilling to leave your flock, and I do not wonder, as I see my sheep dispersed grievously during my absence. Uncertain when I may come amongst them, they seldom come at all, except ten or twelve who meet one another. My morning congregation increases as the cold weather advances, and yesterday there seemed to be a considerable impression. I spoke in

a low tone of voice, and therefore did not feel much fatigue; but after the Hindoostanee service I was very weak, but at night tolerably strong again. On the whole, my expectations of life return. May the days thus prolonged be entirely His who continues them! and may my work not only move on delight. fully, but with a more devout and serious spirit! You are too many happy brethren together for me to mention all; suffice it to say, that my heart is with you, and daily prays for blessings upon you all.”

THE early part of the year 1809 produced no variation in the life of Mr. Martyn, until the month of April, when he was removed from his station at Dinapore to Cawnpore. The following extracts are selected from the continuation of his correspondence with Mr. Corrie, in the interval that passed between the end of the year 1808 and the termination of his ministry at Dinapore.

TO THE REV. D. CORRIE.

"January 10, 1809.

"YOUR letter from Buxar found me in much the same spiritual state as you describe yourself to be in; though your description, no doubt, belongs more properly to me. I no longer hesitate to ascribe my stupor and formality to its right cause-unwatchfulness in worldly company. I thought that

peo

any temptation arising from the society of the ple of the world, at least of such as we have had, not worthy of notice: but I find myself mistaken. The late frequent occasions of being among them have proved a snare to my corrupt heart. Instead of returning with a more elastic spring to severe duties, as I expected, my heart wants more idleness, more dissipation. David Brainerd in the wilderness-what a contrast to Henry Martyn! But God be thanked that a start now and then interrupts the slumber. I hope to be up and about my Master's business; to cast off the works of darkness, and to be spiritually minded, which alone is life and peace.. But what a dangerous country it is we are in; hot weather or cold, all is softness and luxury; all a conspiracy to lull us to sleep in the lap of pleasure. While we pass over this enchanted ground, call, brother, ever and anon, and ask, 'is all well?' We are shepherds keeping watch over our flocks by night: if we fall asleep, what is to become of them!"

"January 30, 1809.-"I have been seized with a sudden desire for reading Hebrew, chiefly from a wish of seeing language in its simplest and purest state. It is my belief that language is from God; and therefore, as in his other works, so in this, the principles must be extremely simple. My present labor is to find a reason for there being but two

tenses in Hebrew. I have read, or rather devoured, the four first chapters in the Hebrew Bible, in order to account for the apparently strange use of these two tenses, and am making hypotheses every moment, when I walk, and when I wake in the night. One thing I have found, that there are but two tenses in English and Persian. I will go:-in that sentence the principal verb is I will, which is the present tense. I would have gone:-the principal verb, is, I would, or I willed. Should, also, is a preterite, namely, shalled from to shall. Another thing I observe is, that both in Persian and English the preterite is formed in the same way, viz. by the addition of ed; porsum, porsedum-ask, asked. should not wonder if in the Saxon, or some other ancient northern language from which the English comes, it is askedum. Thus you have a letter of philology. If I make any other GREAT discoveries, and have nothing better to write about, I shall take the liberty of communicating them. Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter:*—but this, I trust, is not my maxim; 'Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God,' is much better."

I

"February 13, 1809.-Last Friday we had the happiness and honor of finishing the four Gospels in Persian. The same evening I made some discovery

* To possess knowledge yourself is nothing, unless some other person be made acquainted with your knowledge.