the cattle, and, if strong and well-formed, the male children, who were made converts to the faith of Manock. But since the payment of a fixed tribute has been stipulated, which does not amount to more than five per cent. on the revenue, the mountaineers are little molested. except when the Sieks have been called in to adjust their domestic quarrels.

The extensive and fertile territories of the Sieks, and their attachment and application, in the midst of warfare, to the occupations of agriculture, must evidently produce a large revenue. The districts dependant on Lahore, in the reign of Aurungzebe, produced, according to Mr. Bernier, a revenue of two hundred forty-six lacks and ninetyfive thousand rupees; and we are naturally led to suppose, from the industrious skill of the Sieks in the various branches of cultivation, that no great decrease of that amount can have taken place since the Panjab has fallen into their possession.' P. 10.

The discordant interests which agitate the Siek nation, and the constitutional genius of the people must incapacitate them, during the existence of these causes, from becoming a formidable, defensive power; nor are they invested with that species of executive strength which is necessary to advance and establish a distant conquest. In the defence and recovery of their country, the Sieks displayed a courage of the most obstinate kind, and manifested a perseverance, under the pressure of calamities, which bear an ample testimony of native resource, when the common danger had roused them to action, and gave but one impulse to their spirit. Should any future cause call forth the combined efforts of the Sieks to maintain the existence of empire and religion, we may see some ambitious chief, led on by his genius and success, and absorbing the power of his associates, display from the ruins of their commonwealth the standard of monarchy. The page of history is filled with the like effects, springing from the like causes. Under such a form of government, I have little hesitation in saying, that the Sieks would be soon advanced to the first rank amongst the native princes of Hindustan, and would become a terror to the surrounding states.' P. 12.

The account of the Jauts is not interesting to the English reader; and the character of the Malays, by Mr. Elmore, who had a constant intercourse with them for upwards of sixteen years,' does not add greatly to our knowledge, though it confirms, in many particulars, former descriptions.

The Character of the Inhabitants of the Maldive Islands, on the South-East of the Peninsula of India, by a Gentleman who has visited them,' offers nothing peculiarly interesting. The inhabitants, though rude, are described as brave, resolute, dexterous in the use of their weapons, prudent, clever, and discerning, in the affairs of life, expert in manufactures, and skilled in astrology. Distinct trades are carried on in the different clusters of islands; which renders communication between them very frequent.

"An Account of the various Habits and Customs of the Ja

panese, from Thunberg's Travels,' and the Character of the Chinese,' from the abb Grosier's work, have been long since published; and a notice of the different volumes has occurred in our journal. The account of the life of Lally, by the viscount de Vaulx, is to be found in the viscount's history of St. Domingo. These circumstances should have been mentioned by the editor: in their present form, they appear as original communications.

An authentic Account of the late Admiral Boscawen, during the Time he commanded in the Coromandel, and of the Transactions of the Fleet and Army under his Command,' is very interesting: it contains, however, no novelty, though we cannot point out the work from which it is taken. The authentic memoir of colonel Ironside is new, and 'written by a friend of that gentleman.' The colonel appears to have been an excellent officer, well acquainted with the eastern languages, and possessed of no inconsiderable knowledge on very different subjects. The editor, from gratitude, should have added the assistance afforded by this gentleman to the last volume of his Register.

An authentic Account of the Life and Character of the late Robert Orme, Esq., Historiographer to the Honourable EastIndia Company.' We have read this life with peculiar satisfaction, and can pronounce it to be an able and impartial account of a very intelligent and excellent man. To Mr. Orme the nation was indebted for the services of lord Clive, as, by his influence, he was raised to the command of the Bengal army, when the nabob had captured Calcutta. Lord Clive and Mr. Orme were not, however, afterwards intimate; and the latter remarked, with a peculiar and expressive naïveté, 'Lord Clive travels post through the world, changing his horses every stage.' Another terse remark merits notice. Speaking of Johnson's Tour through Scotland, he observed that it was a most valuable book. Besides extensive philosophical views, and lively descriptions of society, it contains,' he added, 'thoughts which, by long revolution in the great mind of Johnson, have been formed and polished like pebbles rolled in the ocean.' We shall add the editor's very discriminated and comprehensive character of Mr. Orme.

Mr. Orme was somewhat above the middle stature, and his countenance expressed much shrewdness and intelligence. In his personal habits he seems not to have had any striking peculiarities. His general manner was sensible, easy, and polite. Of the qualities of his heart, those who knew him long and intimately, talk very highly. He was zealous in the service of those whom he really loved: but as it was not his custom to make professions of friendship, his acts sometimes surpassed expectations. His powers of conversation, as we have already shown, were very considerable; and such was the extent of his

knowledge, the readiness of his, thoughts, and the facility of his expression, that he generally illustrated in a pleasing, often in a forcible manner, whatever subject he talked on. Ancient literature was one of his favourite topics; and he conversed on it with no common degree of learning and critical exactness, without any sort of pedantry or affectation. He loved to talk of music and painting, and was a good judge of both.

With respect to his intellectual character, it would appear, from his life as well as his writings, that the principal features were good sense, sagacity and judgment. These qualities were assisted in their operation by an active spirit, a solicitous curiosity, and a cultivated taste. A mind thus constituted, readily acquired that power of combining circumstances in lucid order, and of relating them with compressive force, which distinguishes the writings of Orme. Few historians have connected the events of their story with more perspicuity, or related them with more conciseness. If he is sometimes minute, he is never redundant, and never tedious. Every incident is so distinctly stated and clearly arranged; every new nation, or individual, is introduced with so compendious an explanation; all the observations arise from the facts with so much propriety, and are in themselves so forcible and just; and the general style has so much simplicity and terseness, that every reader of discernment and taste must feel a strong interest in perusing his history. It is not indeed illumined with philosophical views of society, or manners, or civil institutions, or arts, or commerce; nor is it adorned with any fine delineations of character; but it is nevertheless a work of great merit, and must continue to hold a high place in the second rank of historical compositions.' P. 54.

The last article is entitled 'An authentic Account of George Thomas, an Irish Adventurer in India.' It is, indeed, a singular narrative. He was, as is stated in the title, a native of Ireland, ran away from the ship in which he was a cabin-boy, on the Coromandel coast, served as private soldier in the nizam's army, married the begum of Somroo, and became a powerful chief. He had, at one time, under his command, 10,000 infantry, 1000 cavalry, and 50 pieces of cannon.

"In one of his letters he proposes that we shall attack the Seiks; and he says, that these people are the enemies both of the Mahrattas and the English. All he desires is, that our government will request the Mahrattas not to assist the Sieks. He wants no money, no arms, no troops; and he engages, in three years, to deliver to the company his own army, and all that country called the Punjaub, yielding a revenue of two crores of rupees per annum.-He will only require to be paid for his cannon. His ambition is to serve his country, and it is by this means he can do it.

"The plan may be thought wild and impracticable by those unacquainted with the Sick nation and with Thomas. With the former I have done all I could to get acquainted; the latter I believe to be equal to any thing possible to be performed, and I am fully convinced he will accomplish all he has promised, if the Mahrattas will not interfere." P. 56.

It is added that our government cannot interfere, but that the marquis Wellesley wishes him success. Thomas was at last betrayed and vanquished; but, by the capitulation, he received 50,00 rupees for his fort, and was permitted to carry off his own baggage.

Of the Miscellaneous Tracts,' the first is An Account of the Tea-Tree,' by Mr. Pagou, or rather a description of the methods of preparing the leaves. It is the only very distinct statement we have seen, and is very probably accurate.

The Account of the Hindu Method of cultivating the Sugar-Cane, and manufacturing Sugar and Jagary in the Rejamundry District,' is less interesting, and incapable of abridgement. The author is Dr. William Roxburgh, who endeavours to show the great advantages that may be derived from increasing this branch of agriculture, and improving the quality of the sugar.

Lieutenant Comyn's Description of the Countries on the Malabar Coast, ceded to the English by the Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792,' affords a pleasing prospect of increased produce, and increased happiness to the inhabitants.

Borneo, the largest island in the world, except Australasia, has seldom been visited; and the short account of it by Mr. John Jesse is of course interesting.

The Borneyans who inhabit the sea-coast are Mahomedans, and, as they say, are originally an emigration from Jehore, but are igno rant of the chronology; they extended their dominions over these coasts, Palawan, Manila, and other parts of the Philipinas; and even Sooloo, as Mr. Dalrymple observes, was formerly a part of this empire. From these extensive conquests, and the unconnected traditions I have had from them, I am inclined to think they were originally a warlike people; but, as most other empires, when arrived at a pitch of grandeur, have generally declined to nearly their original state, from a want of that vigorous and active government which is so essentially necessary in supporting all acquisitions obtained merely by force of arms, so appears to be the case with that of Borneo; and I am the more convinced of it, from that entire indolence and inactivity I found them immersed in, on my arrival, being totally degenerated from that courage and enterprize which seems to have marked the character of their roving ancestors, and deprived of their influence, in all their former dominions situated to the northward of Borneo.

From what I have been led to say relative to this state, it may be seen they are enervated and unwarlike; added to which, they seem to be envious of the private property of each other to a great degree: but, on the other hand, I have found them fair in their dealings; cool and deliberate in their resentments, even where the object is in their power; candid in their intentions; strangers to what we call the world, although not deficient in the innate faculty of the understanding, as they seem to have in great perfection such mechanical arts as are met with in these countries, particularly in the foundery of brass

cannon, wherein they excel all the Asiatics I have seen on this side, or have heard of on the other.' P. 18.

They appear, however, to be constant in their attachments; and the country would admit of advantageous settlements. The tribe of Idaan, or Mooroots, are said to be the most abandoned idolaters, who think their future happiness depends on the number of their fellow-creatures that they may have killed in this world.

Some curious letters from sir Thomas Roe, during his residence at the court of the Mogul emperor Jehangeer, in the years 1615 and 1616, are next inserted, but offer nothing that requires at this time our notice; and these are followed by A Disquisition on the Property in the Soil,' from Mr. Colebrooke's Translation of the Digest of Hindu Law. An article 'On the Population of Bengal' is original and curious. The author renders it highly probable that Bengal and Bahar contain thirty millions of inhabitants. The present State of Husbandry in Bengal;' the Observations on Property in the Soil, Rents, and Duties; Tenures of Free-Land, and of Lands liable for Revenue;' and The Profits of Husbandry in the Province of Bengal,' by the same author, merit attention. From the first of these we shall extract some useful observations.

The want of capital, employed in manufactures and agriculture, prevents, in Bengal, the division of labour. Every manufacturer, every artist, working for his own account, conducts the whole process of his art from the formation of his tools to the sale of his production. Unable to wait the market, or anticipate its demand, he can only follow his regular occupation, as immediately called to it, by the wants of his neighbours. In the intervals, he must apply to some other employment in immediate request: and the labours of agricul-ture, ever wanted, are the general resource. The mechanic finding himself as fully competent, as the constant cultivator, to the management of common husbandry, is not discouraged from undertaking it at his own risk. Every labourer, every artisan, who has frequent occasion to recur to the labours of the field, becomes a tenant. Such farmers are ill qualified to plan or conduct a well judged course of husbandry, and are idly employed, to the great waste of useful time, in carrying to market the paltry produce of their petty farms.

If Bengal had a capital in the hand of enterprizing proprietors, who employed it in husbandry, manufactures, and internal commerce, these arts would be improved; and, with greater and better productions from the same labour, the situation of the labourers would be less precarious, and more affluent; although the greatest part of the profit might rest with the owners of the capital.

Capital is certainly not less deficient to the internal commerce of Bengal, than to manufactures and agriculture. The small capitals now employed require large returns. Blessed as Bengal is, beyond any country, with an extensive internal navigation, the want of roads (though a great evil) would not sufficiently account for the very li