"deliverer from civil tyranny and religious persecution." He was looked upon in the same honorable garb as the champion of liberty and defender of constitutional rights, by the whole of Europe. His only fault was, that he tried to manage both parties of the State, (whig and tory,) and thus he failed in attaining the love of either. 4. Q. Improvements accomplished or projected by him in Great Britain?

A. He projected the union of England and Scotland; he thought the same about Ireland; the employment of the poor was taken into consideration; the coinage was exactly adjusted; the affairs of the East India Company were settled, and, above all, the Bank of England was established, in 1694, and the funded debt was also created.

VI.-1. Q. Mention some of the most famous French writers of the ages of Louis XIV. and the Orleans Regency whose names you have met with in your reading, and state in what branch of literature each was most celebrated.

A. The ages of Louis XIV. and of Philip of Orleans comprise a period of eighty years, during which time France occupied the first place in the State system of Europe, not only on account of her extensive political power and her great victories, but also on account of a great number of first-rate poets, profound philosophers, philosophic historians, and shrewd and eloquent divines. During this golden age there were three dramatic poets,-Moliere, Corneille, Racine; three other poets,—La Fontaine, Boileau, J. B. Rousseau : three divines,-Bossuet, Fenelon, Massillon; six historians,-Cardinal de Retz, Mézerai, P. D'Orleans, Daniel, Rapin, Saint Simon; two learned historians, Godefroi, Herbelot; eight writers on divers subjects,Balzac, Scarron, Fenelon, Dufresny, De Saci, Lafayette, La Sage, Fontenelle; six philosophers,-Descartes, Gassendi, Pascal, Rochefoucault, Bayle, Malebranche; two mathematicians,-Descartes, Pascal.

2. Q. Briefly characterize the genius and style of those English poets of whose works you have read portions during the term?

A. We have read during the term small portions of the works of the six following poets,-Addison, Prior, Gay, Swift, Pope, and Thomson; of these six, decidedly the man of original genius and by far, as I think, the best, is Pope. All these six are, in fact, imitators of the classical poets.

Addison's Letter to Halifax, who was for some time the minister of England and a patron of the poet, shows his great taste and his ardent admiration for everything in Italy that existed in ancient times; his letter to Kneller is nothing more than a wholesale flattery of the then king George I. His merit must not be based on his poems, but on his prose writing; by writing moral and humorous essays in The Spectator, he had in no small degree improved the licentious manners and customs then prevalent in England. The style of Addison is the perfection of the simplicity and purity of the English language. It is even to this day a model worthy of imitation. Upon the whole, then, the poetic attempts of Addison, like those of Macaulay, proved a failure.*

Prior was a successful writer of small lyric pieces, which do not exemplify any great fund of original genius in the author. Gay was a very successful and at the same time a humorous writer of fables ; his style is very popular; his fables are also fraught with morals of the highest order. Pope was a man of original genius, but he shows a good deal of pedantry; but, however, the strength and harmony of his diction are admired even to this day. Swift, in his poem on his own death, shows the passions and frailties of the human mind; he has the peculiar tact of penetrating to the very core of the human heart, and has, like Shakspeare, a fund of resources to express the frailties of human nature. Thomson has a purely English diction; his great merit is his peculiar talent for exemplifying the power of the great Creator, and of happily describing natural

scenes.

KAIKHUSHRU HORMASJI.

VII. 1. Q. Mention some of the most famous French writers of the of Louis XIV. and the Orleans Regency whose names you ages have met with in your reading; and state in what branch of literature each was most celebrated.

A. Dramatic poets :-Molière; Racine; Pierre Corneille. Other poets -Boileau; J. B. Rousseau; La Fontaine, the last of whom resembled Gay. Philosophers :-Descartes, Gassendi, Pascal, Bayle, Malebranche, the first and third of whom also great mathematicians. Historians :-Cardinal De Retz, Philip D'Orleans, Fleuri, St. Simon, Daniel. Herbelot and De Saci wrote on Zend

What would have been a success in men possessing talents above mediocrity is failure to men of genius.

Avestá. Le Sage gave out his novel called Gil Blas. Bossuet, Fenelon, and Massillon were great orators, the latter two, also, writers on divers subjects.

2. Q. Briefly characterize the genius and style of those English poets of whose works you have read portions during the term.

A. The poets are, Addison, Pope, Gay, Swift, and Thomson. Addison gave a tone to the English language; he wrote papers highly to be admired now-a-days; these papers show us the style and nature of the times in which he lived, and what influence these had on the morals and politics of the English nation; he contributed to the Spectator papers which may be read even now with advantage. Pope is chiefly admired for his Essay on Man, and that on Criticism, in the latter of which he tries to show what poets should do. He has ably criticised the manners of many persons who, though they would find the utmost difficulties in composing a line in verse yet have laid down rules for composing poetry. Gay resembles the French poet La Fontaine in his style. He wrote what were called "The Fables"; his language is highly polished. Thomson is much admired for his elegant style and fine manner of expression; his best poem is "The Seasons."

NUSHIRWANJI NAOROJI.

REPORT OF THE CLASSES IN CHEMISTRY

AND BOTANY.

Since the commencement of the session in June last, I have delivered to the Normal and West Scholars a chemical and a botanical lecture, and to the Clare Scholars a chemical lecture, weekly. In Chemistry, the Normal and West Scholars have studied the non-metallic elements and their compounds. In Botany, their attention has been directed to the structure and functions of plants, and to the artificial and natural systems of arrangement of the vegetable kingdom. They have studied the Linnæan system, and the natural arrangement of De Candolle, with illustrations taken from the Flora of Bombay, specimens of plants being laid before them in the lecture-room. They have also accompanied me to the Horticultural Garden, where they have had more ample means for prosecuting practical Botany.

The Clare Scholars have been instructed in the general properties of matter; the laws of chemical combination, with the atomic hypothesis; the laws of light and heat, with their relations to natural and chemical phenomena.

In conducting the Chemical Classes my object has been, first, to convey a knowledge of the principles of the science; then to explain such natural phenomena as are dependent upon these, and lastly, to point out some of the applications of Chemistry in the arts and manufactures.

In Botany, after explaining the structure and functions of plants, I have pointed out the various relations of the vegetable kingdom in the system of nature, and have endeavoured to render my Class familiar with the more important indigenous plants of this part of India.

At the late examinations the Scholars generally acquitted themselves very creditably, and, with but few exceptions, gave evidence of a good knowledge of these subjects of their studies.

Of the Normal Scholars superior excellence was shown by Vishwanáth Nárayan, and Nusherwánji Naoroji; of the West Scholars, by Govardhan Lakshuman and Edalji Nánábhái; and of the Clare Scholars, by Bálkrishna Sadáshiva and Talakchand Mánakchand. HERBERT GIRAUD,

Acting Professor of Chemistry and Natural History.

January 10th 1851.