A pious widow, who lived with her virgin daughters, lay at the point of death. A devout female friend, a virgin, came to see her. The visitor, who had the power of working miracles, saw the Queen of Heaven standing by the bedside, fanning the dying woman. Devils were crowding around; but St. Peter came, cross in hand, and expelled them. At last the woman expired. Some might think that the Virgin Mary would then take her up to heaven. No such thing. The friend of the departed beheld her suffering in purgatory. She told this to the daughters, and the three fasted and prayed for several days. Afterwards the spirit of the widow appeared, shining as bright as the sun, and said, “I was in purgatory till this time; but on account of your penances I have been released and I am now on my way to heaven." The hearers are exhorted by this instance of success to pray for souls in purgatory.

In contrast with the miracles of the Romish Saints, two futile attempts by Protestants are thus narrated in "Medicine for the Poison of the Black Cobra."

"We cannot deny what the heretics have done to prove the truth of their doctrines. We shall here state two miracles wrought by Luther and his disciple Calvin.

First Miracle by Luther.

"A certain woman, possessed by a devil, began to whirl her head and to dance. Luther then came out to expel the devil by repeating certain Mantras. While he was uttering them, the devil which possessed the woman, caused her to spring upon Luther, and tear his dress. Luther, unable to expel the. devil, was put to shame and ran away.

Second Miracle by Calvin.

"A certain beggar, named Pilunu, and his wife, who lived at Ostune, came once to Calvin begging alms, Calvin offered them a large sum of money, if they would do what he would tell them. They consented. It was agreed that the beggar should fall and lie on the ground in the street as if he were dead, and that his wife should cry out and weep for her husband.

They did so. People crowded about the spot. The beggar's wife went to Calvin and begged him to restore her husband to life. So Calvin came out and addressed the people thus, Here is a dead man. Behold the miracle I am about to work in order to prove the truth of what I teach.' He then turned to the dead man and said, Rise in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.' He uttered these words aloud three times. The dead man did not rise, but was found to be really dead. When the woman saw that her husband was actually dead, she began to weep and mourn, and to tell the people what Calvin had said to them. Then Calvin was afraid aud ran away."-pp. 71-7.

SECTION VI.-POETRY.

Caiura. The Unfading Garland. By Beschi. In 3 vols. 8 vo. pp. 488, 371, and 568. Also bound in one volume, Rs. 5.

The following notice of this work is from "Catholic Missions in Southern India":

"The hero of this Tamil epic is the ever blessed and glorious St. Joseph. The history of this saint being inseparably connected with that of the Immaculate Mother of God, the author has included in his vast plan all the historical events of the Old and New Testaments which symbolise or refer to these two privileged beings. The incarnation of the Son of God, and the redemption of the world, in which so admirable a part was allotted to our Blessed Lady and St. Joseph, furnish the poet with themes higher than were ever sung in Tamil verse. It is from the Holy Scriptures that his subjects are derived. He has profited also by the revelations communicated by the Blessed Virgin to Maria D'Agreda. The poem is divided into thirty-six cantos, of which the first contains a magnificent description of the country of Judea, and the second of the city of Jerusalem. The birth of the saint, the wonders of his childhood, and his holy espousals, form the subjects of the three following cantos, The incomparable virtues of the Mother and foster-father of Jesus, the first sorrowful doubt of St. Joseph, and his subsequent joy, are said to be sung by the poet with a mastery of language and elevation of thought never surpassed."

"The original, in the handwriting of F. Beschi, which had come into the possession of Mr. Walter Elliot, a distinguished Magistrate of the Madras Presidency, was generously lent by that

gentleman to the Missionaries by whom it was printed at Pondicherry in 1851." p. 139.

The work is in the style of the Tamil Epic Poems. Its language is too high for ordinary readers; but there is a commentary. The following verses, translated by Ellis and Babington, will give some idea of its nature:

Defeat of Adonezedec.

"On that day (Adonezedec) the Lord of the winged chariot, the warrior whose bow scattered fire, the crescent-crowned monarch, the renowned conqueror decked with garlands of everlasting perfume, at whose feet bowed innumerable tributary kings, was sore vexed, and brought low."

Penitence of the Egyptian Mary.

"On the flying chariot of desire she arrived at the desert of sin; on the flying chariot of fear she repaired to the mountains of penitence; on the flying chariot of resplendent wisdom she entered the grove of growing virtue; and on the flying chariot of my name she shall enter the kingdom of heaven.

On a Life of Seclusion.

"If thou art desirous of being where no sin is, thou must seek that place in heaven; even when retired to the wilderness, the asylum of innocence, the war of the passions may still rage; freedom from sin proceeds from strength of mind, not from difference of place, Ō my son!' replied the sage." O

Address to the Deity.

"Thou art the sea of virtue, thou art the sea of grace, thou art the most benevolent.

Thou art the sea of power, thou art the sea of prosperity, thou art the sea of wisdom which enlighteneth the mind.

Thou art the confirmation and the life of the world; to whom is no likeness.

Thou art the infinitely bright and heavenly Sun, which cannot be hidden by the assembled clouds, and which sinketh not into the ocean.

Thou art the sea of constant felicity which hath neither swell nor wave.”.

Qurn. The Sweet Garland. By Beschi. Selections from the Tempavani. Scripture doctrines; hymns on various occasions; on the conversion of the heathen, &c.; with poems in honor of the Virgin. 12mo. 244 pp. 14 as.

Select Works of Beschi, with his life. Contents: Story of Vaman, Selections from Tempavani, Tirukalavar Kalampakam, and Annai Alangkal Antati. A poem by Mr. Ellis is also included. Small 4to. 80 pp. கித்தேரியம்மாளம்மானை. The life of a Spanish Saint. By Beschi. Small 4to. 80 pp. Madras 1849.

திருப்பாவணி

Gura Tirupavani. By Beschi. Hymns in honor of the Virgin. The last part of Tempamalai. 12mo. 46 pp. 4 annas.

உத்தரிகமாதாவின் பதிகம் By அந்தோனி சூசை-டிக்கு T. Ten stanzas in honor of the Virgin. Small 4to. 4 pp. Madras, 1863. 6 pie.

Christian Psalmody. By Anthonykutti, Annaviyar, a contemporary of Beschi. His poems were printed a few years ago at Jaffna.

SECTION VII.-MISCELLANEOUS.

திருநாட்களின் விளக்கச்சுருக்கம். Abridged Account of Festivals. 18mo. 315 pp. 6 as.

தேவமாதாவின் வணக்க மாதம். The Month of the Worship of the Mother of God. The month of May is devoted to the Virgin Mary. Some point connected with the history of Mary, a Prayer, and a Miracle for each day. 18mo. 386 pp. 9 as.

தேவமாதாவின் நவநாட் பிரசங்கம். The Novena of the Mother of God. Lithographed. 10 as.

தேவ மாதாவுடையபரிசுத்த திரு விருதயத்தின் அதி சிரேஷ்டசபை யநுசாரம். Rules of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of the Mother of God. The formation of the Congregation, its Rules, Miracles, Prayers, &c. 18mo. 342 pp. 8 as.

Brief account of the preceding. 18mo. 10 pp.

அமலோற்பவத்தின் உத்தரியம். The Mantle of the Immaculate. The Virgin Mary, wearing a blue mantle, appeared in vision to a lady, and told her to form a society, composed of 33 virgins wearing a similar dress. 18mo. 12 pp. 6 pie.

திருவுத்தரிய விளக்கம் The Splendour of the Holy Garment. About the scapular worn by a certain order as a mark of peculiar veneration for the Virgin Mary. 18mo. 180 pp. 6 as.

அர்ச். பிராஞ்சிஸ்குவின் மூன்றாஞ் சபை யொழுக்கம். Rules of the third Congregation of St. Francis. 18mo. 208 pp. 6 as.

திருப்பாலத்துச்சபையொழுக்கம். Rules of the Holy of Childhood. Rules of a Roman Catholic Missionary Association among the young for the baptism of heathen children. 18mo. 24 pp.

22

Sermon preached in St. Mary's Church Mauritius. General Police Press, Mauritius. 1864.

DIVISION III.-HINDUISM.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

Primitive Superstition.-It has been mentioned that the Tamils belong to the great Turanian family, which overspread a great portion of Asia and part of Europe before the Aryan immigrations. In the southern extremity of the Tamil country, where the Brahmans never gained a complete ascendancy over certain classes, the aboriginal superstition still prevails to a large extent. Dr. Caldwell shows that it is identical with the Shamanism, or demonolatry, of Siberia. By investigating the ancient vocabularies of the language, he arrives at the following conclusions. "The un-aryanized 'Dravadians' were without hered* Dravidian Comparative Grammar, p. 521.