جه

THE

From the PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS.

HE kingdom of Thibet, although known by name ever fince the days of Marco Pafle, and other travellers of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, had never been properly explored by any Europeans, till the period of which I am now to speak. It is true, fome fraggling Miffionaries of the begging Orders had, at different times, penetrated into dif ferent parts of the country: but their observations, directed by ignorance and fuperftition, placed in a narrow sphere, could give no ideas but what were falfe and imperfect. Since them, the Jefuits have given the world, in Duhalde's History of China, a fhort account of this country, collected, with their ufual pains and judgment, from Tartar relations, which, as far as it goes, feems to be pretty just.

This country commonly paffes in Bengal, under the name of Boutan. It lies to the northward of Hindoftan, and is all along feparated from it by a range of high and fteep mountains, properly a continuation of the great Caucafus, which ftretches from the ancient Medid, and the fhores of the Cafpian Sea, round the North-Eaft frontiers of Perfia, to Candahar and Caffamere: and thence, continuing its course more easterly, forms the great northern barrier to the various provinces of the Mogul empire, and ends, as we have reason to believe, in Affam, or China. This ftupendous Tartar bulwark had ever been held impaffable by the Moguls, and all other Muffulmen, conquerors of India: and, although in the vallies, lying between the mountains, which run out perpendicular to the main ridge, there refide various Indian people, whom they had occafionally made tributary's to their power, they never had attempted a folid or permanent dominion over them. It was on occafion of a difputed fucceffion between the heirs of one of the Rajahs or petty

Sovereigns

Sovereigns of those people, that the Boutaners were called down from their mountains to the affiftance of one of the parties; and our government engaged on the oppofite fide. The party affifted by us did not fail in the end to prevail; and, in the courfe of this little war, two people became acquainted, who although near neighbours, were equally ftrangers to each other. At the attack of a town, called Cooch Behar, our troop, and the Boutaners, first met; and nothing could exceed their mutual furprise in the encounter. The Boutaners, who had never met in the plains any other than the timid Hindoos, flying naked before them, faw, for the first time, a body of men, uniformly clothed and accoutred, moving in regular order, and led on by men of complexion, dress, and features, fuch as they had never beheld before: and then the management of the artillery, and inceffant fire of the mufketry, was beyond any idea which they could have conceived of it. On the other hand, our people found themselves on a fudden engaged with a race of men unlike all their former opponents in India, uncouth in their appearance, and fierce in their affault, wrapped up in furs, and armed with bows and arrows, and other weapons peculiar to them.

The place was carried by our troops, and a great many things taken in the spoil, fuch as arms, clothing, and utenfils of various forts. Images in clay, in gold, in filver, and in enamel, were fent down to Calcutta; all which appeared perfectly Tartar; as we have them reprefented in the relations and drawings of travellers; and there were befides, feveral pieces of Chinese paintings and manufactures. Whilft those things continued to be the fubject of much conversation and curiofity to us in Bengal, the fame of our exploits in the war had reached the Court of Thibet, and awakened the attention of Tayfhoo Lama, who (the Delia Lama, being a minor) was then at the head of the States. The Dah Terriah, or Deb Rajah, as he is called in Bengal (who rules immediately over the Boutaners, and has engaged them in the war) being a

fuditory

fuditory of Thibet, the Lama thought it proper to interpose his good offices; and in confequence fent a person of rank to Bengal, with a letter and prefents to the Governor, to folicit a peace for the Dah, as his vaffal and dependant. [To be continued.]

An Account of the Sunday-Charity Schools, lately begun in various Parts of England.

Gloucester, June 5, 1784.

Have not had leifure to give the public an earlier account of my plan for a reform of the rifing generation, by establishing Schools, where poor children may be received upon the Sunday, and there engaged in learning to read, and to repeat their Catechifm, or any thing else that may be deemed proper to open their minds to a knowledge of their duty to God, their neighbours and themselves.

The utility of an establishment of this fort was first suggefted by a groupe of little miferable wretches, whom I ob ferved one day in the ftreet, where many people, employed in the pin manufactory, refide. I was expreffing my concern to one, at their forlorn and neglected state;-and was told, that if I were to pass through that ftreet upon Sundays, it would shock me indeed to fee the crowds of children who were spending that facred day in noise and riot; to the extreme annoyance of all decent people.

I immediately determined to make fome little effort to remedy the evil.-Having found four perfons who had been accustomed to inftru&t children in reading, I engaged to pay the fum they required for receiving and inftructing fuch children as I fhould fend to them every Sunday. The children were to come foon after ten in the morning, and stay till twelve: they were then to go home and return at one; VOL. VIII.

F

and

and after reading a leffon they were to be conducted to church. After church they were to be employed in re, peating the Catechifm till half after five, and then to be difmiffed, with an injunction to go home without making a noise; and by no means to play in the ftreet. This was the general outline of the regulation.-With regard to the parents, I went round to remonftrate with them on the melancholy confequences that must ensue from fo fatal a neglect of their children's morals.-They alledged, that their poverty rendered them incapable of cleaning and clothing their children fit to appear either at school or at church; but this objection was obviated by a remark, that if they were clad in a garb fit to appear in the streets, I should not think it improper for a school calculated to admit the poorest and moft neglected; all that I required, were clean faces, clean hands, and the hair combed. In other respects they were to come as their circumftances would admit.

*

In a little time the people perceived the advantage. Many children began to fhew talents for learning, and a defire to be taught. Little rewards were diftributed among the most diligent. This excited an emulation.-One or two Clergymen gave their affiftance, by going round to the schools on the Sunday afternoon, to hear the children their Catechifm. This was of great confequence.

Another Clergyman hears them their Catechifm once a quarter publicly in the church, and rewards their good behaviour with fome little gratuity.

They are frequently admonished to refrain from swearing; and certain boys, who are diftinguished by their decent behaviour, are appointed to fuperintend the conduct of the rest, and make report of those that swear, call names, &c. When quarrels have arifen, the aggreffor is compelled to afk pardon, and the offended is enjoined to forgive.-The happiness that

The rewards are books, combs, fhoes, or fome articles of apparel,

muft

muft arife to all, from a kind, good-natured behaviour, is often inculcated.

This mode of treatment has produced a wonderful change in the manners of thefe little favages. I cannot give a more ftriking inftance than I received the other day from Mr. Church, a manufacturer of hemp and flax, who employs numbers of these children.-I asked him whether he perceived any alteration in them, fince they had been restrained from their former proftitution of the Lord's-day?" Sir, faid he, the change could not have been more extraordinary, had they been transformed from the fhape of wolves and tygers to that of men. In temper, difpofition, and manners, they could hardly be faid to differ from the Brute Creation.But fince the establishment of the Sundays' Schools, they have fhewn that they are not the ignorant creatures they were before. When they have seen a fuperior come, and kindly inftruct and admonish them, and fometimes reward their good behaviour, they are anxious to gain his friendship and good opinion. They are also become more tractable and obedient, and lefs quarrelfome and revengeful.”

From this little sketch of the reformation which has taken place, there is reafon to hope, that a general establishment of Sunday Schools, would in time make fome change in the morals of the lower clafs. At least it might in fome measure prevent them from growing worfe, which at prefent feems but too apparent.

R. RAIKES.

P. S. The parish of St. Nicholas has lately established two Schools; and fome Gentlemen of this city have alfo fet up others. To fome of the School-miftreffes I give two fhillings a week extra to take the children when they come from work, during the week days.