The Bangkok Recorder.

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Bangkok Nov. 15th.

In our last issue speaking of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, we used the following sentence, viz;—"She was to witness on August 26th the inauguration of a memorial statue, in honor of the late prince Consort." A copy of the paper was sent back, by one in the highest authority here with the above sentence under scored, and the fol- lowing comment made in the margin— "Christian idolaters act like Buddhist idol- aters, in honor of the late Buddh".—In an- other place in the margin he says, "The worship of the image of Buddh of the learned Siamese, is like the worship of the crucified Jesus, and Mary etc. of the Ro- man Catholics, and the respect of many Europeans for the statue of their sovereigns. but the worship of idols of Buddh celebrat- ed as inspired or embodied by spirits called phe, like most of the Laos and Cambodians &c. can be called the act of idolatry. "These comments were probably called forth by an article on "Wet Visiting," which appeared in our last issue. Whatever impression the article may have been calculated to leave upon the mind, we are justified in saying that the writer of that article, has the most profound respect for His Majesty the Su- preme King of Siam, and had not the most remote idea of classing him, among those who may be denominated "Old Siam" but has always looked upon him as the Great Representative of "Young Siam."—We are very glad, however to have these comments from His Majesty as no one is more learned upon the subject of the religion of his country, than His Majesty. Any thing that we may say in our columns which may in any way refer to His Majesty, we hope will always be characterised by that high respect, which his very exalted position de- mands. Our journal was not intended to be in the strict sense of the term a religious journal, but occasionally the subject creeps in. We shall only therefore try to show briefly the difference between the respect which the good Queen of England shows for the memory of her late royal husband and the reverence which the Siamese show for the images of Buddh. His Majesty dis- claims for himself and the learned Siamese the idea of being idolaters, and anything which we can conscientiously do to help them out of the scrape, we will most gladly do it. Any discussion too, which may be carried on in our columns, we trust will be characterised on all sides by the best of good humor; for when a man gets angry in a fair discussion, it is evidence that he is either advocating a bad cause, or that he is unable to maintain his position. The re- spect which the Queen of Great Britain showed for her late royal husband, by hon- oring with her presence the inauguration of a statue to his memory was by no means a religious reference. Prince Albert was a very good man, and was very much be- loved by his royal wife, and family, and al- so by the whole British nation. Whilst therefore the good Queen honored at Co- burg his native place, the inauguration of his memorial statue, by her presence, she did not worship him, or consider it in any way a religious act. She did not expect to obtain any merit from such service. On the contrary she is a firm believer in the re- ligion of Christ, as revealed in the Bible. It is said that a heathen Prince where he saw that England was a great country, asked her the secret of that greatness, she in re- ply pointed to the Bible and said that was the secret of Englands greatness. Buddh on the other hand is the god of the Buddh-

ists, and when they bow before his image they expect to make merit by it, to assist them in the future world. The one is an act of respect, whilst the other is an act of worship.—Roman catholics it is true do use the crucifix, and images of the Virgin etc. but Protestants of course look upon that as a species of idolatry, a corruption of the true religion, a relie of heathenism brought into the church.

Jesuitism.

The original "Company" was composed of only ten chosen members with Ignatius as their leader. Wise prophets declared that " the company would prove to be that decumen (10th vane) by which the bark of the pirate Luther would be sunk." His- tory has not quite verified the prediction though as Macauley admits "the tide of the battle was turned, and Protestantism was beaten back from the foot of the Alps even to the shores of the Baltic.

The company was first formally organ- ised, and the three vows of obedience, pov- erty, and chastity, administered, August 12th 1534. The members being chiefly young, some preparatory studies were necessary, and it was not until three years later that the Society really entered upon its work at Venice. The first thing was to se- cure the sanction, and authority of the Pope (Paul III). By taking a fourth vow of implicit obedience to the demands of the sovereign Pontiff, they received his blessing and immediately entered upon their miss- ion. Free passports were granted them to visit any part of the world on their errand of love, they accordingly went forth, two and two as preachers of the faith. Loyola, Lainez and Faber, however, remained in Venice, to more fully complete and perfect the organisation. By vote, Loyola was elected as General of the Order, which position he retained until his death in 1556.

Let us now attend briefly, first to the Society itself, and then to some of its res- ults. The Society is composed of four distinct classes, the Professed (servants of Pope,)— temporal and spiritual coadjutors, (Priests and lay brethen, printers &c.)—- Scholars and Novices, or those admitted on probation for two years. The General is elected by vote of the Professed mem- bers, and holds his office during life. His power is absolute as to the appointment of all officials, the disposal of temporalities, admission of fresh members into the So- ciety, etc. The first vow and virtue of the Society is unqualified obedience to consti- tuted authority. This principle prevails a- mong the four classes.

Their system of education was complete. Every pupil was thoroughly examined be- fore being admitted to the benches of the company. As has been said, they tested the quality of the metal before they undertook to coin the circulating mediom. On one occasion a candidate for admission, was put though the ordeal of examination and failed at all points, and was about to be dismissed as a helpless blockhead, when they be- thought to try him in Geometry, and Na- ture at once responded; he retained his place on the benche;—became a great mathematician, and aided in constructing the Gregorian calendar, while his pupil Ricci went to repeat his lesson to the Chin- ese, and "built there a mission on lines, curves, and angles." From this accurate knowledge of the mental quality and cap- acity of each member, the General was al- ways able to adopt the worker to his work. As Steinmetz says, "square pegs in round holes, or round pegs in square holes are seldom seen in the history of the Society." A system of free education was established by the Jesuits throughout Europe, and their schools soon became immensely pop- lar, and were the great means by which the solid growth and widening influence of the Society were secured. At the death of Loyola, in 1556, nineteen years after the birth of the Society, the company numbered 2000 members; 4000 youths were under Jesuit tuition, and nine provinces were established, viz;—-Italy, Sicily, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Asia, Africa, and America. Not Romanista only but Pro- testants from every land sent their children to be instructed at Jesuit colleges. Among the alumni of their universities are found enrolled the names of some of the greatest scholars-in Europe. Lord Bacon declared their schools as worthy to be taken as models, and for two centuries they were just- ly so regarded. At the time of the partial suppression of the Order, the King of Prussia offered them protection affirming, "I consider them as learned men whom it it would be difficult to replace to educate youth. Among all the Catholic clergy in my kingdom, the Jesuits alone are given to letter."

The canonical writings of the Jesuits are three; the Spiritual Exercises, Loyola's fa- mous Letter on Obedience, and the Consti- tutions. The first was simply a drill book, or manual of Church discipline. It laid down certain rules, and prescribed certain duties to which every candidate for admis- sion to the Society must conform, and by the faithful compliance with which all were certified of being made "meet for the kingdom of heaven." Twenty eight days were deemed amply sufficient to convert the vilest sinner into the most virtuous saint, the first week he must purify the lusts of the flesh by bodily mortifications, scourg- ings and fastings, while he occupies his mind with a gloomy retrospect of sin. The second week the study of the life and suf- ferings of Christ is to absorb his attention, and by close self scrutiny he decides what profession he can engage in to the greatest service of religion. The third week he contemplated the gloom of our Saviour's sepulchre and the abyss and wailings of the damned, from which his death rescued us. The fourth week the chrysalis saint bursts forth into rapturous joy, glorifying the Redeemer and singing peans of praise to the most high God. This is the com- plete Bible of Jesuitism. This method of cure if duly applied to the soul is absolute- ly infallible. However much the spirit may be defiled by dross when cast into the fur- nace, it is only pure gold when it comes forth from it. As we have said, twenty eight days was the original time allotted for this purgation, but this period was after- wards abbreviated to fifteen, and even ten days, when the demands of business were pressing.

The entire system of religion embodied "Exercises" was materialistic and sensuous in the extreme. It consisted chiefly of conjuring up before the mind representa- tions of Christ in the garden—on the Cross,—of heaven,—of hell, and of purga- tory, and then devoutly meditating thereon. It was what Isaac Taylor aptly calls—"An asasatus of pictorial piety," and he hazards the conjecture that Loyola drew the hint for it from the illustrated Book of Martyrs, which entertained him while in hospital. There is at any rate abundant evidence that the author had a very meagre ac- quaintance with the Bible. But the secret of the great strength of the system of Jesuitism lay in their peculiar vow and doctrine of Obedience. This doctrine is ful- ly developed in a letter of Loyola's to the Portuguese houses, written only three years before his death. The doctrine simply re- quired a complete "immolation of the is- tellect." The Society is an absolute monarchy, and its head has perfect jur- isdiction over the whole man—body, in- tellect and soul. We cannot do better than to quote a paragraph from the above letter.

"Obedience is the daughter of humility, -—the nurse of charity,—-the sister of jus- tice,-—the mother of brotherly concord, and the enemy of self opinion;—-it is a guide which never wanders; an oracle that can- not deceive; the port of salvation, and the mark which distinguishes you from all other religious orders. There are two sorts of obedience, the one imperfect—-the other perfect. The imperfect considers if what is commanded be just and reasonable, and submits but in appearance to orders which shock the understanding;—-the perfect, on the contrary, is nearly blind—believes with- out examining, that all the orders it recieves are just,—-complies internally with the ex— ection of them, and adds to the execution the sacrifice of its own will to that of its superior."

Thus absolute was the government which the General exercised over the Society. The Jesuit was taught from the initial point of his connection with the Order, to yield him- self to the will of his superior perinde cad- aver,—and he learned his lesson well, for with the unreasoning, passive obedience of a corpse, or an automaton, he executed an and every command of his superior. So completely was the freedom and the man- hood of the Jesuit vassal destroyed. Need we wonder that under such a regime, his moral sense became sadly blunted, and his spiritual being yet more sadly distorted.

We come next to speak of the actual workings of the order, and shall conclude with a few general remarks on the past and probable future of Jesuitism.

The Weather

During the last year or more, we have had a kind of "lusus naturae" in Siam, the rains of last year were quite short of The usual amount, and consequently the rice crop was short. During the rainy sea- son which has just about closed, up till Sep- tember we had not near the amount of rain we should have had. But when they got rightly started, is appeared as difficult for them to stop at the proper time. We usually find the rains pretty well settled up, and the N. E. Monsoon set in by the 1st of November, but this time copious rains con- tinued up till about the 10th. We heard cries, of too much water, and a flood, and rice rose slightly in price in consequence. About the year 1828 it is said, the whole country was flooded, for about two months, and the crops were completely drowned out. Some of the natives began to be ap- prehensive of another such flood. During the last few days of October, and the first few in November the weather was oppres- sively hot. Although we generally have a few such days during the lull in the mon- soons, this year there appeared to be more of them and they were unusually sultry. Mosquitoes too, the pest of Siam, have been unusually plenty, and ravenous for some- time, so that it is almost impossible to have any enjoyment in the evenings. They gen- erally appear to know a new-comer, and having once singled him out, they show no mercy; but this year they appear to be in- discriminate in their attacks, and treat all alike. For the last few days, the weather appears to be settled, and the N. E. mon- soon rightly set in, and in consequence we have a change in the atmosphere, and have also a taste of those cool "bracing breezes" so grateful to Europeans in this latitude. During this monsoon on account of the dry breezes and the cool atmosphere we enjoy a kind of respite from the mosquitoes. But every season has its draw backs. The sud- den change in the atmosphere has brought the usual colds, generally prevalent at this season. Those once past however Europeans may expect for the next three months to enjoy the most pleasant season in the clim- ate of Siam. It is also the best time to enjoy a tour through the country or down the sea-coast.

An Incident in Paris.

In 1845, while in Paris, I occasionally dined with an American gentleman of wealth. He gave the most sumptuous din- ners, and these were washed down with costly wines and liquors of every descrip- tion. Among the light wines most relished, and especially recommended by our Amer- ican Consul, Mr. L. Draper, who was gen- erally one of the guests, was the Lafitte wine of Bordeaux. This was a very superior kind of claret. So much was said in its favor that I, then being a wine-bibbler, was anxious to take to America with me a sup- ply of this superior article, and our host kindly gave me a letter of introduction to the Messrs. Lafitte at Bordeaux, whither I was soon going.

Soon after arriving in that city I called upon the Messrs. Lafitte, and was by them introduced to their business manager, Mr. Good. He accompanied me through their extensive wine vaults, and descanted enthu- siastically upon the peculiar qualities of their vineyards, the superiority of their brands of wine, etc. I tasted several sam- ples of this wine, and was quite favorably impressed. The vintages of 1830 and '31 particularly pleased me. Mr Good de- clared that brand of wine was like oil, and I agreed with him. In fact I fully re- solved to order at least a couple of pipes of Lafitte wine for America, before quitting Bordeaux.

The next day I met an English friend, and invited him to spend the evening at my hotel, and indulge in cigars and a bottle of Lafitte wine. He was punctual, and the refreshments were duly ordered. An old bottle of Lafitte wine was produced. It was covered with mold and cobwebs, which, upon being carefully removed by the wait- er, discovered a label nearly destroyed by mildew, but which, with some difficulty, we deciphered to read:

Our mouths watered as we reflected that here was a bottle of this genuine and cele- brated claret, fourteen years old. The cork was drawn, and our claret glasses, as thin almost as the sheet of paper upon which I am writing, were filled. Then, as is inva- riably the custom, we each grasped the bowl of the thin glass in our hands and held it there a few minutes, in order that the warmth of our hands should impart a similar temperature to the wine, and thus bring out the taste of the grape.

Then, according to custom, each of us very deliberately took a large mouthful of the wine, and swallowed it very slowly, in order that we might enjoy the full flavor of the grape from which it was made.

"Fruity," remarked my English friend, with charming gusto, as the last of the mouthful slipped down his throat.

"Very," I replied, with great unction, as the last of my mouthful went through the same process.

Now this was all according to the estab- lished practice of drinking good claret wine. Try it in London, Paris, Vienna St. Petersburgh, anywhere, where good wine is drank, and where gentlemen pride them- selves upon being connoisseurs, and it will always be found indispensable in drinking good wine to pour it into very thin glasses, indispensable to warm the glass of wine in the hand, indispensable to taste the grape plainly, indispensable for one gentleman to exclaim "Fruity," and equally indispen- sable for another gentlemen to smack his lips and respond "Very."

We spent the evening joyously, in smok- ing our cigars, relating anecdotes, cracking jokes, and exhausting our delicious bottles of "fruity" Lafitte. The latter article was found to be so rare and delightful that we agreed to spend the next evening in the same place, and in the same pleasing occu- pation.

The following evening at eight o'clock found my English friend and myself seated in my parlor, witnessing the wiping of dust, cobwebs, and mold from a bottle by the same waiter, and revealing to our delighted eyes the pleasant inscription:

The same drawing of the cork, the same warming of the glass of wine in the hand, the same exclamation "fruity," and the same response "very," were the proper preliminaries to another evening of antici- pated enjoyment.

Each of us had drunk our glass of this modern nectar, and each had expatiated in the warmest terms upon its delicious flavor and peculiar merits. Our glasses were again filled and emptied. We felt grateful that we were thus especially and supremely blessed. I had fully resolved to order three pipes of this wine instead of two, from the excellent Mr. Good, agent of the excellent Messrs. Lafitte, proprietors of the super-excellent clarets;, when, while I was in the act of filling our glasses a third time, I was startled by something that made my hair almost stand on end, and which caused me nearly to drop the bottle from my trembling hand. Had the ghost of Bacchus risen from the glass and seized me by the nose I could not have been more astonished; had the spirit of mischief emerged from the bottle and stuck me through and through with pins, I could not have been more outrageously angry. I placed the battle again on the table, fell back in my chair, and pointing to the label on the bottle, I remarked, in a semi-sepul- chral voice, "Good heavens! look at that label!"

My friend's eyes almost started from their sockets; he gave an audible groan, and his right hand involuntarily found it- self pressing upon the pit of his stomach, as he glanced toward the label, evidently expecting to find it inscribed with the word "Poison!"

But, no, it was not as bad as that. There it was, a sort of ornamental label, with the words, rendered indistinct by mold and age, "Vinda Lafitte."

"Look at this," I exclaimed, pointing to a light colored streak running diagonally across the label, seeming to have been caused by the scratch of a nail drawn brisk- ly over it.

"Don't you remember," said I, that last night, while we were drinking our wine and telling our stories, I was playing with my knife, and that, by frequently drawing its point across that label on the bottle, I finally scratched clean through the paper! Don't you see that this is the identical label!

"I would swear it on a thousand Bibles," exclaimed my English friend, with ener- getic indignation.

I was quite as indignant, and rang the bell violently.

"This French scoundrel of a landlord has played us a nice rick," I remarked.

"Yes," replied my friend; "his cobwebs and imitation mold were well laid on."

"This is doubtless common 'vin ordi- naire,' worth about six sous a bottle, in- stead of the fifteen francs which he charges for Lafitte."

"No doubt of it," replied my friend.

"And yet we thought it was quit 'fruity,'" I remarked, with a smile, notwithstanding my anger at the imposition.

"Well, you called it so; but I confess I thought it was very different from that we drank last night," replied my English friend.

"Come, come, that won't do," I respond- ed, determined not to be saddled with all the ignorance which both of us had be- trayed; "you distinctly pronounced it 'fruity.'

"Oh. that was last night."

"Certainly, but it was to-night also. We have both been nicely sold, and there is no use trying to dodge it."

By this time the "garçon" arrived.

"Send the landlord here instantly," said I.

The waiter disappeared, and the landlord soon entered.

My indignation returned, and, putting on the air of a connoisseur, I poured out a glass of wine, and asked the landlord to drink it, and give me an opinion of its quality.

He drank it very leisurely, smacking his lips at each swallow, and then remarked:

"Magnifique! Glorious Vin du Lafitte, more than a dozen years old!"

"Vin ordinaire, two months old," I ex- claimed, with no small degree of anger at his impudence.

"You are joking," he replied, pointing to the label; "you see this is the Lafitte of 1831."

"It is an imposition and a swindle, a cheat and a robbery. Don't you think I know what wine is!" I exclaimed, assum- ing the air of a man who had been in the wine trade all his life. "I tell you this is the vin ordinaire, worth but one franc per gallon."

The host looked amazed, and tried to as- sume an air of injured innocence.

"My dear sir," said he, "you forget that you are in the city of Bordeaux, and that the house of Messrs. Lafitte is only across the street, opposite my hotel. It is not possible to make a mistake about the wine. Besides, did you not see the bottle was covered with mold and cobwebs when it came from my cellar!"

Finding that my assumed knowledge of wine would have no effect on the landlord, and reflecting that he probably knew how successfully he had humbugged us the night previous with the same kind of wine, I pointed out the label to him, and, telling him all the circumstances, convinced him that it was impossible to deceive us any longer. The moment he saw that further denial or prevarication was useless, he smiled, assumed a patronizing air, patted me on the shoulder and exclaimed:

"Monsieur Barnum, you are one very sharp Yankee. I shall acknowledge to you this is vin ordinaire, but you shall have immediately one, two, three bottles of magnifique Lafitte for nothing. But I shall tell you one thing. I have kept this hotel nine years, and have sold many thousand bottles of wine for 'Lafitte,' and I never sell but twelve dozen real Lafitte in my whole life! You are one Americain with both eyes open!"

I accepted his apology, and one bottle of his "Magnifique Lafitte." But the charm was broken. I doubt whether the last bottle was ever in the cellars of Lafitte, but, whether or not, neither my friend nor myself ventured to pronounce its contents "fruity."

This incident caused me to change my mind in regard to taking wine to America. I concluded, if I must be cheated, I might as well have that operation performed by my own countrymen as by foreigners. But the lesson was not wholly lost on me I soon afterward quit wine-drinking alto- gether. There is no denying the fact that imagination leads us into many strange blunders, and in nothing more easily than in regard to the qualities of wines and liquors.-—P. T. Barnum.

For the Bangkok Recorder

MR. EDITOR.

Having in our last Siamese issue employ- ed, the figure Old and Young Siam, I have been suprised to learn that some persons whom I had firmly fixed in my mind as belonging to the class I mean by Young Siam have strangely fancied that because they were rather aged in the ordinary sense of the phrase Old and Young, that I must regard them as being old in the figurative sense. I am very sorry that I have thus been the occasion of displeasing any of our friends and readers some of whom I regard not only as our best patrons, but also as the main pillars of Young Siam. In this class I have unhesitatingly placed His Ma- jesty the supreme king of Siam. By Old Siam, I mean all the rulers and subjects of Siam who are still strenuous for all or most of the old ways and fashions and customs of Siam in regard to government, literature, science commerce, slavery and religion-—all such as think that the ancients knew more them the moderns and that hence it is folly to deviate much from the old track of their ancestors. In other words, all such as be- lieve and act according to the dogmas that the human race are on the great decline of ages, and that it will be useless to resist the abridging tendences of the decline as regards the age, the stature, the mind or morals of mankind. In this class I have been wont to place all the old school Bud- dhists who still cling to all or to most of the fancies and nonsense of Trie P'oom and a multitude of other religious books which the New School Buddists have cast overboard as being enemies alike of all improvement in true knowledge and religion. Now who does not know that His Majesty the supreme king is the found- er of that New school, and that as such he has become the progenitor of what I denominate Young Siam. Having known him more than 30 years, I can testify that when a young man, a chief priest in a Bud- dhist temple, he evinced marked evidence that he was born for a more enlightened age than any before in Siamese history, and would, when placed on the Throne of the Prabat Somdets, stand much higher among the nations of Asia than any or even all of his royal predecessors put together. Every year from that time to his accession was a joyful witness of his progress in lit- erature and the arts and sciences by which he became signally well prepared to rule both the church and the state of the Siamese. And from the time of his accession to the present there have arisen many living and enduring witnesses to the correctness of our judgment that His Majesty is richly worthy of being accounted the main pillar of Young Siam. One of the first and most notice-able witnesses to this, is the fact that His Majesty very soon after coming to the throne, invited one Missionary lady from each of the three Protestant Missions in the city, to teach the English language and European science in the royal harem, and made an experiment of their teaching for a period of about three years. Though it be true that he dispensed with their ser- vices from fear that they would proselyte his wives and children to the christian faith, it did not depose him from the high posi- tion of being father of Young Siam. He quickly obtained the services of an accom- plished English lady as teacher of his children, who did not feel it to be her duty to make any special effort to teach the christian religion in connection with her services in the royal palace. And under- her tuition all His Majesty's children, aged from 8 to 15 years being some 40 or 50 in number, are now being trained.

Witness also the encouragement His Ma- jesty has ever given to new models of ship building, by which Old Sian in the line of Chinese merchant Junks, and war Junks has sloughed herself and we see her old skin eaten of white ants and rotting all about her old docks in the city and the provinces. And we see but recently come out of that old chryilitic state, a fleet of more than 100 square rigged merchant men of good model, 8 men of war-steamers and 20 trading and pleasure yacht steamers. Witness also the new treaties of mutual friendship and commerce which His Ma- jesty has gloriously inaugurated with no less than eight of the western nations, by which the world is being blessed and Siam greatly enriched and improved. Witness too, the two Embassies which His Majesty has already sent to Europe and the one he has in contemplation to send to the U. S. Am.—the new road also and canals he has already caused to be made, and the many others he sincerely purposes to make, and the royal Mint he has established, and the improvements he manifests a determina- tion, though rather slowly developed, of making in its machinery and its issues. With such substantial and enduring wit- nesses by his side, His Majesty need not fear that his contemporary journalists, or future historians will ever think of classing him with Old Siam, provided he does not halt in his progress of improvement and take some retrograde track.

I do not wonder that His Majesty is un- willing at present to adopt all the proposed plans of railroad and telegraph lines that are urged upon him. I agree with him, that the time has not yet come for Siam to launch out largely in this direction. I would have her make a beginning in these improvements on a small scale as she did in 1834 in building square rigged vessels and in 1854 in the use of steam power ap- plied to boats. I am only sorry that His Majesty feels sometimes so much annoyed by the contin?al and, as it seems to me, injudicious pressure of this subject upon him, as to lead him to speak and write im- patiently and sometimes with bitter ridicule against these improvements, which must be introduced into Siam sooner or later if she is ever to stand up with dignity among the family of nations. But I do not take this to be a true index of His Majesty's heart and purposes, as the vane about the chang- ing of the monsoon is by no means a cer- tain index of the direction of the wind for the succeeding six months. They are sim- ply out-bursts of impatience, which will I trust soon give way, as in multitudes of instances before in His Majesty's illustrious career, to a sound policy in the end.

I am one who believes that His Majesty is at heart much more in favor of Chris- tianity, even, than he has the name of be- ing, and that but for the trammels which his oath of office has thrown about him, he would show himself far more liberal in this direction than he now does. But even now how much does the king distinguish him- self in his liberality in this regard above nearly all heathen monarchs? How freely and widely has he opened the doors of his kingdom to all prosyleting influences among his subjects, honoring no foreign influence more highly than that of Chris- tians? I would have this put to His Ma- jesty's credit as the father of Young Siam.

Summary

The European summary bears the same uninteresting feature of the previous mail. The principle pleasing aspect is that every- thing looks for the most part peaceful. The Courts of England and France are still de- voted to pleasure. H. B. Majesty, and the royal family, including the Prince, and Princess of Wales, and the Prince, and Princess Louis of Hesse, are enjoying them- selves in the Northern Highlands. The Imperial Family of France are still at Biar- ritz. The rumoured ministerial Changes are contradicted by the Moniteur. Rath- er a grave correspondence is going on be- tween France and Prussia in relation to the Ott affair.

The principle thing transpiring in the United States is the trial of Wirtz, for the torture, and slow murder by starvation, and otherwise of the Union prisoners, who were confined at Andersonville. In the first in- dictment Gen. Lee, and several others were included, but President Johnson dismissed the. trial, and ordered a new indictment, from which all the names except Wirtz were left out. Some heart rending things, have come to light during the trial, but it is evident that Wirtz was only the instrument of his superiors, and it appears hard that he should suffer alone, whilst the real in- stigators of the cruelty are permitted to go free. Gen. Winder appears to be more at fault, than Wirtz, and the chief instig- ators were undoubted of Jeff. Davis and R. E. Lee. Time appears to soften down public opinion against the Arch Rebel him- self, and it is now probable that should he be even condemned for treason, he would not be executed. The Virginians seem to be unwilling to part with their great chief R. E. Lee, and to prevent his going to Eu- rope as he intended, the trustees of Wash- ington college, Va. have elected him Pre- sident of that institution, which he has ac- cepted. He seems to be more humble than many of the other rebel leaders. It is also certain that, at the outbreak of the re- rebellion it was not so much the rebellion, he followed as Virginia.

That state seceded and from his peculiar views of state rights, he was bound to go with her. Once in the vortex of rebellion, he was lead to do many things at which in ordinary times he would have shuddered, and for which how humble soever he may now be, he ought to receive some punish- ment. There is quite a contrast between him and Gen. Thomas. Both are Virgin- ians, and at the outbreak of the rebellion, Lee was a Colonel, and Thomas a Lieuten- ant in the regular army. Lee resigned, joined the rebellion and became its great Chief- tian. Thomas remained loyal, and if he was not the greatest military leader of the Union, he was among the greatest. Twice he preserved one of the best armies of the Union from destruction, where his superior officer had abandoned it, and when Sherman started on his great campaign across Geor- gia, he left Thomas to attend to Hood, and how effectually he did it. He is now one of the most beloved and honored sons of his country. Lee on the other hand al- though pardoned, might even be looked up- on with distrust. He is however eminent- ly qualified in many respec?ts, for the liter- ary position to which he has been elected.

A delegation of prominent citizens re- presenting nine Southern states have called upon President Johnson, to express their allegiance to the constitution, and the Un- ion. The President on the other hand as- sures them, that the Government have no disposition to deal harshly with them.

EXTREMELY POLITE.—A young of very polite address, whose husband had lately died, was visited soon after by the minister of the parish, who inquired, as usual about her husband's health, when she replied, with a peculiar smile, "He's dead, I thank you."

Christianity vs. Buddhism

We are much pleased with the gentle spirit and frankness evinced by the writer of the article in our last issue headed Budd- hism vs. Christianity. He proves himself to be a gentleman of rare occurrence among Siamese Lords. We hope ourselves to profit by the truly good example of our correspondent in this regard.

Before attempting to reply directly to the questions which he has propounded, we would remark that he seems to regard at quite unanswerable the most important questions we put to a friend of Buddhism and has consequently passed them over in silence. But he has started others which he seems to think will greatly puzzle us to answer, concluding doubtless, that if they are not thoroughly set aside they must stand as insuperable objections to our idea, that all the great intellectual lights of the world come directly or indirectly from the Chris- tian religion; or in other words from the Bible. Our antagonist professes not to be- lieve that Europe is indebted to the Chris- tian religion for her superior amount of intelligence and practical wisdom. He has heard that "there are many in Europe who do not hold to the Christian religion, and who have light and knowledge just the same as those who hold it." Upon making this statement he asks "what light is this that shines and gives them prosperity, pray?" This he evidently thinks is a stunning ques- tion. But we do not feel it to be such at all.

In reply we beg leave first to correct the impression he has in his mind, that "there are many in Europe who do not hold to the Christian religion," The truth is, and we have a world full of evidence to bear us out in the statement, that there is not more than one in a thousand in all Europe of the stamp to which our antagonist has re- ferred. Every kingdom, every province, every city, every village, every little com- munity throughout all that land of light and power is a Christian community. That is, the vast masses of the people believe in one living, almighty, and eternal God the Father of all mankind, and that Jesus Christ his son came into the world to save sinners. But while this is a fact that cannot be controverted, it must be confessed that the great masses of the people of Europe do not hold to the Christian religion in the sense of obeying the instructions of Christ. They are only Christians in the sense that the masses of the Siamese are Buddhists, but do not care to observe strictly its teachings, And such nominal Christians in Europe, as our antagonist concedes, have much greater light and knowledge than the masses who are born and educated in Buddhist coun- tries. "What light is this" our Buddhist advocate enquires.?

We answer, It is the light which has em- anated directly or indirectly from the Bible, that wonderful book of light which the Lord Jesus Christ has given them. Under the light and influence of that Book they were all born and educated. All their parents had been more or less illuminated by that book, and they reflected their light upon the children. All the schools, and academies, and colleges in which the chil- dren were educated were Christian schools to a greater or less extent. Not one of their teachers, probably, certainly not more than one in a thousand would have been at all willing to be called a disbeliever in God or Christ his son. Now if there be at the present time one in a thousand or even more in Europe of her sons in other parts of the world who do not hold to the Christian religion, and yet have as much light and power of intellect as true Christians generally possess, we most confidently say they owe mainly that distinction above the people of Buddhist countries to the Christian religion. Just as a Buddhist young man going to Europe and being educated at Oxford University and returning after 10 years to Siam still a con- firmed Buddhist, would have much more knowledge and power than any educated at the wats, and that because he had been educated in the light of Christianity.

Now is it not a most notable fact that wherever Christianity is successfully plant- ed, and becomes wide spread, filling the land, and influencing powerfully human governments, there you will invariably find the greatest prosperity, among men—the greatest development of intellect—the best state of morals, and the most powerful governments. To what can it be attribu- able but to the influence of Christianity?

There is still another obstacle in the way of our Buddhist friend to believing in the superior utility of the Christian re- ligion, and that is the poor and dwarfish examples he has seen among the natives of this country wh? are professing Chris- tians. Concerning such he says, "that he has not seen them have any prosperity, on the contrary they are much in debt and in slavery. Why does not that light come and shine on them, better than on those who are not Christians?" Our answer is, that if this statement of his be a true one it is because that they are only Christians in name and not in heart. In other words they are more hypocrites so that according to the words of Christ, the light of the gospel shined in darkness upon them, "and the darkness comprehended it not." And it is much to be feared that most of those who have made a profession of Christianity under the teaching of Protestant missionaries are of this class, and that nine hundred and ninety nine in a thousand of the people under Roman catholic Jeautism in all Siam are of the same stamp. We would beg our Buddhist advocate not to refer to such at all as examples of the degree of light and prosperity which Christianity imports to individuals and communities and states that truly believe and obey the teachings of Christ. Such are but false witnesses against Christianity.

If our friend would have a glance at what a little of the true lew of Christianity will do among an idolatrous people after due time is given to it to work, let him look at the beginning of the English nation, when all the people of her isles were wading as deep in heathenism as any of the Budd- hist nations. Let him look at all Europe which was once sunk in heathenism and ig- norance. Let him look to more modern instances of the power of Christianity to elevate an noble the most degraded idol- aters the world ever saw.—I mean the Sand- wich islanders. Only fifty years ago they were far below the Siamese. But now they are above them in general knowledge and they are classed among the enlightened Christian nations. Let our Buddhist ad- vocate come still nearer home and look in upon his neighbors the Karens, whom the Siamese are wont to despise as ignorant woodsend. Let him listen to the meads of praise which the English Commissioners in Burmah are frequently giving them touch- ing their rapid advancement in literature practical wisdom and influence under the teachings of the Christian Missionaries a- mong them.

But our friend in extenuation of the great mental darkness, which he seems to concede does indeed reign over all Buddhist countries, says, "Buddhism is very deep and intricate, and difficult to be understood." If so then surely it is a religion not designed by its author to benefit the great masses of mankind. It is not like Christianity" which a wayfaring man though a fool may read " and understand even when he runneth. And this testimony of our Buddhist advocate we fully believe is a fair one, and hence we draw from it one of our strongest arguments against Budd- hism as having come from any pure and benevolent being. Surely if Buddha were as wise, good, and powerful as his friends believe him to have been, he would have taught a religion that could be easily un- derstood by children as well as men, by the masses as well as by a few of the marvel- ously studious and selfdenying. But ac- cording to our antagonist a man must first annihilate himself, as it were, "become indifferent to every thing," before he can hope to understand Buddhism. In other words "It is only those who have a firm unshaken belief in it, that can live up to it at all." Hence Buddhism offers no-aid to any who have any human sensibility remaining in their souls when they pass into the future state. If such be Buddhism no wonder its advocate con- cludes that it would be useless, in the pres-

ent enlightened age of the world to "go abroad and teach it in other countries." It not according to his own fable a vast "bundle of straw" without even a kernal of good grain in it.

We most earnestly pray that our gentle- manly friend, and advocate of this system may see it as we do and forsake it for Christianity, by which he may receive al- mighty aid to enable him to resist the de- praved will, and overcome the world the flesh and the devil, and reap at death life everlasting.

Arrivals.

The principle local event which has tran- spired during the fortnight was the arrival and departure of the steamer Chow Phya. H. Alabaster Fsq. Interpreter to H. B. M. Consulate who left here about a year ago for a visit home was one of the passengers per Chow Phya. One of the most pleasing features connected with Mr Alabaster's re- turn is that he has brought Mrs Alabaster with him. G. W. Virgin Esq. also returned per Chow Phya.

Mr Thomas Millar who left this some three years ago has also arrived, Mr Millar came via China.

The future prospects of America.

The Toronto Globe, of a recent date, writes as follows:—

With their characteristic readiness to drive a trade the merchants and people of the United States will not be long in get- ting into a position to meet their custom- ers, on the other side of the Atlantic, at least half way. With peace restored at the South, and millions of skilled cultivators ready to work for wages, the plantation of the South may soon be made to bloom with cotton, if the dominant party there only will that it shall be so, by giving less atten- tion to politics and more to work. A rich harvest of prosperity is before them, if they will cordially aquiesce in and carry out the maxim that "the labourer is worthy of his hire," and attempt no longer to live upon the unrequited toil of the African. Never were better prospect for recovering from the disasters of a war before any people than those which now present themselves to the people of the cotton growing States. Eng- land, France, the Northern States, and Ca- nada, want their cotton; and they are wil- ling to pay liberally for it. If they would but cease their bickerings about caste, they would soon reap a rich reward. Vessels, flying the flags of all nations, would crowd their harbours to exchange commodities with them, giving occupation to flotillas of steamers and barges upon their rivers, and to railways yet unbuilt. And, in a very few years, they would find wealth pouring into their coffers, from all parts of the world under the free-labour system as it never could do under the blighting system to which they have been so long, so blindly, and so almost hopelessly wedded.

Don't write Poetry.

The following advice can be best appre- ciated by editors. We find it in an ex- change paper:-—"Don't write poetry. If you can not help it, if it sings in your head and will be heard, why then there is no other way but to put it upon paper, and send it to the printer. But try to help it if you can. There are only two or three poets alive at any one time. A great poet makes and marks an age; and poor poets, or those who think they are poets and are not, are plenty as blackberries. Every hamlet has its poetaster. O! how much valuable white paper is spoiled by those who think they can write poetry. You may make correct verse with faultless rhymes, and there is not a gleam of poetry in it. Poetry requires a peculiar faculty, the imagination; and you may have genius, sense, and learning, and the power of ex- pression so to write prose to rival Burke or Johnson, and after all may make yourself ridiculous by trying your hand at poetry. Write prose."

"Mr. Rassy, 482 New Oxford street, in- ventor of buttons for trowsers that never come off"-—are the words of an advertise- ment in a London paper.