faith of Persia. To M. du Perron is due the honour of first drawing out from its obscurity, and giving to the world a translation of the Zendavista, a work that had been carefully concealed by the Parsees. It consists, as their traditions assert, of twenty-one nosks or books, of which only one, the Vendidad, is preserved entire. The Abbe Foucher remarks, that the Zendavista "bears exactly the same reference to the books of Zoroaster, that the Romish missals and breviaries do to the Bible."

Having said thus much about the Fire-worshippers in general, we will now turn our attention to Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, the patriotic and charitable Parsee, who, by his liberal contributions, has done so much for the improvement of the Island of Bombay; and, whose munificent gift of £500 towards the Bombay subscription for the relief of the suffering Irish in Ireland, during the potatoe famine of 1847, has, no doubt, made his name familiar in England. This striking instance. of Oriental liberality is well worthy of being recorded, and requires no comment from me; the noble action speaks for itself. A few months ago, at the opening of the Grand College in Bombay, Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy intimated, that he had lodged with government, the sum of £1000, on which, interest at six per cent. would be allowed, or about £60 per annum, for assisting, in the purchase of books and instruments, the Alumni, who had distinguished themselves; and £500 beside, which, at a like interest, would afford £30 per annum, for the

purchase of prizes for the pupils while in college. "These stimulants," remarks the Editor of the Bombay paper, from which I have extracted the above, "to intellectual exertion, and this culture of general knowledge, are the best auxiliaries in liberating the mind from the bondage of superstition, and in establishing, by the greatest, but most irresistible means, the truths of a Christian and rational religion."

I think it was in the year 1844, that her present Majesty conferred the honour of knighthood upon Sir Jamsetjee, after he had founded the college that bears his name, in Bombay. This was a peculiar mark of the high estimation in which he was held in England; and there were few in Bombay, who, when the news arrived, did not rejoice, and compliment Sir Jamsetjee in no measured terms. It is true, that his Parsee brethren on the island, were a little at a loss to understand what the addition of Sir, before their kinsman's name, had to do with his elevation; and they were naturally very curious to know how much money a "Sir" would receive from the kind and good Queen of England; but they had it all explained to them in time, and Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy is said to wear his honours as a fine old Parsee gentleman should do. Sir Jamsetjee and his son Cursetjee are rich merchants and shipowners in Bombay. From what I could learn during my residence on that island, the bulk of the father's immense wealth had been made in the opium-trade with China, before the "celestial ports" were so effectually opened by the English. Sir Jam

setjee has a prepossessing and benevolent countenance. He is of moderate stature, and a little inclined to corpulency. He dresses in the simple costume of his people, and carefully preserves in its exact shape, the high card-board turban that so distinguishes the Parsees from any other race in India, while it adds so much to their height. Of an evening, Sir Jamsetjee may be seen with his family driving about the fashionable esplanade, in a handsome carriage built in London, after the model of one said to be a favourite with Her Majesty. His splendid horses quite attract attention, for the Parsees pride themselves on being the best judges on the island, of this noble animal, and on their skill in horsemanship.

In 1840, General Sir John Keane, after blowing up the Cabul gate of Ghuznee, and planting the British colours on the battlements of that citadel, returned from Affghanistan by Bombay, on his road to England, to be raised to the peerage, by the title of Baron Keane of Ghuznee and Cappoquin, with a pension of £2,000 a-year. Every one at this time was speaking of the glorious successes of our army in the East, little dreaming of the fearful tragedy that was shortly to be enacted, when thousands of our brave troops were, with their famished and frozen leaders, to perish horribly in the Bolan Pass, mown down like grass before the scythe of the frantic Affghans.

It may appear a little foreign to the subject before us, but I cannot refrain from quoting a passage from

Sir Robert Peel's speech in the House of Commons touching this deplorable event. "When had you before," asked the right honourable baronet, "in the whole cycle of your history, any disaster like that which has befallen you in Affghanistan? a disaster which I admit is not irreparable-a disaster which I trust will be speedily repaired by the spirit and vigour of your councils, and by the gallant exertions of your armies; but when did you ever read in the History of England of such a wholesale slaughter as that which has befallen your forces, and which a private individual reports in every newspaper? Here is what that individual writes: My life has been spared in a most wonderful manner, and I am the only European who has escaped from the Cabul army. Two natives only have reached this place, (Jellalabad) making with myself three persons out of an army of thirteen thousand.'"

Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, thinking that he must show his satisfaction at our apparent conquests, took advantage of Sir John Keane's temporary sojourn in Bombay, to issue cards of invitation to that officer, his staff, and numbers of the English resident on the island, to a splendid ball which he intended giving in honour of our great victory. The invitation was accepted, and a magnificent entertainment was the consequence. Every luxury that wealth could purchase, loaded the tables on this occasion. A gentleman in Bombay told me, that in course of this evening's festivities, a great bustle and stir was observed among

the Parsees, friends of the family, who had assembled to witness the ceremonies. There was much whispering and laughing going on, and they had grouped themselves together in little companies near the principal entrance to the ball-room, as if expecting to see something very droll or very curious make its entrance. These circumstances, of course, attracted the attention of the English, and one of the officers jokingly hinted, that perhaps a tame tiger was to be introduced for their amusement. My friend thought, that perhaps Sir John Keane was about to be presented with some substantial remembrance of the worthy Parsee Knight's approval of his late gallant conduct as an officer. The company, however, was not long kept in a state of suspense. Sir Jamsetjee had left the room with his sons, but to re-enter it with his wife leaning upon his arm, and followed by his sons, and their wives and daughters. The surprise of those present can be more easily conceived than described. It was the first occasion on which a Parsee lady had ever been seen in public. Sir Jamsetjee had long had his doubts respecting the justice of the selfish custom which deprived the ladies of his, and other Parsee establishments, from enjoying themselves like rational creatures. He had gone to a great expense in giving his daughters a good English education, and he determined upon this occasion, and thenceforward, to show his contempt for such absurd nonsense as the supposed losing of caste or rank, by allowing Parsee ladies to associate