Hinduism is the established and national religion of the country: the high spirit of enterprise which burst the bounds of the extensive confines of India, like the dove from the ark, rested its weary wing only for a while on Java, till driven from hence, it sought a refuge in Bali, where even among the rudest and most untutored of savages, it found an asylum.

The facts we have presented in this summary of Indian Buddhism, are supported by the testimony of scholars and eye witnesses of undoubted veracity: the rise and progress of Indian Buddhism can be traced out with as much accuracy as the history of any of the ancient systems of philosophy, of course the judgment must often be exercised in separating fact from fables, poetic embellishment from reality. Various lessons may be learned from the study of Buddhism,—the success that attended Buddhism was mainly owing to two causes-it resorted to itinerant preaching and popular appeals as means of diffusing its doctrines, "inscribing its most sacred texts (Sanskrit and Prakrit) on temple walls and pillars placed in markets, high roads and cross roads." Sakya and all the great apostles of Buddhism spent their time principally in travelling about diffusing their tenets. By throwing open the priesthood to all classes and affording scope for talent, even in the lowest grades of life, to exert itself in its cause, it infused a spirit of the warmest zeal into the breasts of its votaries: it appealed to the common sense and judgment of the mass: "all the ancient inscriptions throughout India are in Pali, they are mostly for the instruction of the people, are addressed to the people, and must have been understood by the people." In opposition to Brahmanism, which inculcated the dogma of priestly mediators, it taught an "enthusiastic self-reliance:" it resorted to the vernaculars as the vehicles for its doctrines, instead of shrouding them within the veil of a learned language. Buddhism is comparatively free from the endless mythologies and ontologies of Brahmanism, and its action upon Asiatic Society has probably exercised a less injurious influence. Buddhism has been extinct for ages in Bahar, and the Pali language, once in general use there, now unknown. The history of Buddhism shows in the clearest manner that the Hindus are not those unchangeable beings that some would represent them to be; it affords hope to the philanthropist as to the result of his plans, however discouraging may be the appearance of present prospects.

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ART. II.-1. The Cape of Good Hope Almanac and Annual Register for 1845. Compiled from the most authentic sources by B. J. Van de Sandt, Superintendent of the Government Printing Office. Cape Town, 1845.

2. The South African Commercial Advertiser, 1835-45. (Edited by J. Fairbairn.)

THE CAPE. There are not many of our readers, who will pause to ask, what Cape. To the Indian Resident, there is but one Cape, about which he concerns himself the Cape of Good Hope to some, a place to be " touched at" on the way to and from India—a pleasant, half-way house, as it were;—to others, a sort of holiday-ground on which do congregate the servants of Government on sick furlough-the furthest point to which they are permitted to proceed, without incurring the penalty of a forfeiture of the greater part of their Indian allowances.

In either point of view the subject is one of some little interest-interest, indeed, sufficient to have warranted us in making it the text of an article, although it had possessed no other claim upon the attention of the Anglo-Indian public. But we hope, before we throw aside our pen, to be able to convince the reader, whether resident on one side of the Cape or the other, that it has further and more important claims to be considered in such a journal as this-that, as a Colony, it is entitled to far more extensive regard, than has hitherto been bestowed upon it by thinking men in the Eastern or the Western world.

The greater number of our Indian readers have, at some epoch or other of their lives, visited, or, in conventional language, "touched at"-the Cape of Good Hope. A considerable proportion of the home-ward bound and many of the outward-bound Indian ships, break in upon the monotony of their voyages, by putting in to this southern port, ere they turn their prows towards the place of their final destination. The voyage is thus protracted by some two or three weeks; but the advantages gained both by ship-owner and passenger, amply compensate, in most instances, for the detention. These vessels touch at the Cape, partly to convey passengers thitherthe accommodation thus vacated being taken up by parties at the Cape, wishing to proceed to England or to India: partly, because the visit to the Cape, enables the vessel to proceed to sea, with a much smaller supply of water, live stock, cuddy stores, &c. than it is necessary to encumber the ship with when she makes the voyage direct from the English to the Indian port. Stock and stores are, for the most part, much

cheaper at the Cape than in India or in England, and the risk of mortality among the former is of course diminished by thus dividing the voyage. The passenger finds his account, too, in the visit to the Cape. He may diminish the extent of his out-fit-repair any discovered omissions in it—and stretch his legs, to his own abundant contentment, for a week or so, on dry land.

And in truth we know no place, at which the sea-voyager,weary of the constant monotony of the Ocean-view with which he has so long been surrounded, and impatient of the unceasing petty annoyances with which, under the most favorable circumstances, life on board-ship must ever be encompassed, can more fully enjoy the delights of a temporary sojourn on terra firma— a brief period of quiescence after disturbance, of excitement after stagnation. The home-staying reader may start at the paradox; but few who have made the voyage between England and India will fail to recognise the truth which is embodied in this seeming contradiction. Life on board-ship is in reality a state of stagnation without rest-of perturbation without excitement. Of genuine repose there is none; and yet, in the midst of constant petty distractions there is, in truth, no excitement. A brief residence on shore, in the midst of the voyage, supplies both excitement and repose-pleasureable excitement after the wearisome monotony of board-ship life, and delightful repose after the unceasing noise and bustle and confusion-the endless small distractions and unavoidable publicity of daily life, in a floating boarding-house, where to escape from noise and to be at rest is a consummation not to be attained. After two months spent on board-ship, whether the time has galloped as "with a thief to the gallows," or stood still, as "with lawyers in the vacation;" whether it has been a season of actual pain or comparative enjoyment-of utter idleness or of profitable occupation-a week's residence on shore, be the resting place where it may, can scarcely be other than a period of enjoyment. It is possible, therefore, that passengers to and from India may carry away a more favorable impression of the delights of Cape Town and its environs, than a longer residence in the colony might confirm; and on this account it is not uncommon to hear such people, on these admitted grounds, qualify their expressions of approbation; but we are very much inclined to think that these qualifications, though the results of misgivings by no means unreasonable, are in reality somewhat unjust. Much of the enjoyment derivable from a visit to the Cape is to be laid to the account of the undeniable advantages possessed by the place itself; and there are many other advan

tages with which so brief a sojourn can not render the stranger familiar. We would counsel such of our readers as have only seen the Cape, under these favorable circumstances, when the mind is apt to tinge everything with its own bright hues, not to take it for granted that the pleasurable emotions produced by surrounding objects were the offspring of nothing more real than the couleur de rose of the imagination-not to take it for granted that because they might have been, they must have been deceived into a too favorable estimate of their restingplace. It is true that even muddy water may be relished in an arid desert; but it is unjust to decide that the water, which appeared so pure and refreshing and still seems delicious in the restrospect, was nothing more than a muddy pool, because even that would have been a blessing under such circumstances.

With his shore-going toggery on-his blouse or rough shooting jacket thrown aside, and a bright Saxony frock coat donned in its stead, whilst his rude straw hat or blue cloth cap, which has covered his head on poop or quarter deck, gives place to a shining black beaver, and gloves of which during the last two months, his hands have been guiltless, perform in creaseless beauty, their appointed offices. The passenger is all eagerness to escape over the side of the vessel. For many days, speculation has been busy with conjectures as to the probable day and hour in which the ship will cast anchor in Table Bay; bets have been made, lotteries have been drawn; and there has been, for topics of discourse are not very abun→ dant on board-ship, an immense deal of discussion on this stirring subject with all the various incidentalities with which it is environed. Land has been for some time in sight-at first it has been a moot point whether the dingy neutral-tint, undulating outline just above the horizon, in the direction where the shore ought to be, is really land or only a cloud; and certain it is that clouds are often much more like land and land much more like cloud than the actual thing which the appearance simulates. To see land is a great matter, even though it, or something like it, be only visible through a telescope; and every morning brings with it a fresh interest, for the land appears in a new aspect, or disappears altogether; and so there are everywhere expressions of pleasure or mortification to be

*

*Passengers, by the way, often spy land just at the opposite point of the compass to that in which nature has planted and nautical men are wont to look out for it. Ladies are very cunning in this respect. They see land in the East-are quite certain of it-when it ought to lie in the west; they see it, are quite positive and angry if contradicted, over the larboard quarter when, according to all modern geography, it ought to appear over the starboard bow.

interchanged, till at last the flat, cloud-girt summit of the table mount is distinctly visible; the rude peaks and jutting promontories of the bold high coast are to be clearly seen with the naked eye, and anon traces of human habitation are discernible, though at first in nothing more significant than a column of ascending smoke, blending itself with the light clouds which may be seen pouring down the sides of the many-colored, many-shadowed hills. Anon objects on shore become more prominently developed; houses are visible; and the masts of the shipping in Table Bay. Every one is on deck; all the glasses in the ship find employment; they who have never visited the Cape before ask questions, and those who have visited it, answer them; portmanteaus and carpet-bags are already stored, and money which has long lain idle, once again begins to discover the importance which is attached to it by mankind. Passenger-faces brighten up and do their best not to discredit the improved attire which sets them off. The stagnant pool is disturbed as by an angel's wing; and hearts flutter and lips smile, as they have not fluttered and smiled for months, whilst the vessel glides into Table Bay, takes up her position before the white cheerful-looking town, which lies at the foot of the huge Table mountain, and once more drops her anchor into the bed of the sea.

The passenger is all impatience to make his way over the side of the vessel; but is compelled to restrain his shore-going impulses, until the Port Captain has made his appearance on board, received assurances of a clean bill of health, and moved his boat from the gang-way. From this functionary the first news of the terrestrial world is received; the first question put to him generally is-" What ships have arrived?" "When did the Prince of Wales come in when did she sail? Have you seen any thing of the Hardwicke ?—Is the Tudor in yet?Many people looking out for passages?" These are the interogatives which rapidly follow-put by the Captain of the ship, and responded to by the Captain of the Port. Soon other questions the news from India or the news from England, succeed each other in quick succession:-perhaps a newspaper or shipping list is ferreted out of the pocket of the visitor from shore. Every body wants to know something, if it be only whether the hotels are full-a matter of no small moment to those who are going on shore for a cruise and resolute to enjoy

There is generally a month's or six-weeks' news from one point or the other to be picked up at the Cape-in spite of the steam communication between England and India. On one occasion, we believe, the Colony received English news viâ Bombay-but this was an extraordinary, we believe, a solitary instance.