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13©S THE LEADER. [JSfo. 509. .Dec. 24, 1...
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to their own professors; Hence the indif...
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A DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY. By He...
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. ; . ^ DISTRICT DUTIES DUKINt;. TIIK KK...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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13©S The Leader. [Jsfo. 509. .Dec. 24, 1...
13 © S THE LEADER . [ JSfo . 509 . . Dec . 24 , 185 < -
To Their Own Professors; Hence The Indif...
to their own professors ; Hence the indifference of the Singhalese as to the comparative claims of Christianity and Buddhism , and the facility with which , both under the Portuguese , the Dutch , and the British , they have combined the secret worship of the one , with the ostensible profession of the other . In their eosmogany , they seemed to declare the eternity of matter , and its submission , atremote intervals , to decay and re-formation ; such changes , with the organisation of animal life , being the resu lts of spontaneity and procession , They believe in the state of pre-existence , and in the existence of heavens and hells , —in the
latter , the wicked undergo purgatorm imprisonment . Adverse events in this life are the general results of Akusala , or moral demerit in some previous stage of existence . The moral code of Buddha prohibits the taking of life under any circumstances , from even the humblest created animal ; together with intemperanceand incontinence , dishonesty and falsehood , hypocrisy and anger , unkindness and pride , ungenerous suspicion , covetousness , evil wishes to others , the betrayal of
secrets , and the propagation of slander . On the other hand , it enjoins the forgiveness of injuries , the practice of charity , a reverence for virtue , the cherishing of the learned , submission to discipline , veneration for parents , care for one ' s family , a sinless vocation , contentment , and gratitude , subjection to reproof , moderation in prosperity , submission under affliction , and cheerfulness at all times . It only remains , to be added , that demon-worship prevailed amongst the Sinsrhalese before the introduction of Buddhism
jungle , and which consisted of a repetition of the ejaculation—' Umph ! unaph ! ? —in a hoarse and dissatisfied tone . A turn in the forest explained the mystery , by bringing one face to face with a tame elephant , unaccompanied by any attendant . He was labouring painfully to carry a heavy beam of timber , which he balanced across his tusks , but , the pathway being narrow , he was forced to bend his head to one side to permit it to pass endways , and the exertion and inconvenience combined led him to utter the dissatisfied sounds which disturbed the composure of my horse . On seeing us halt , the elephant raised his head , reconnoitering us for a moment , then flung down the timber , and forced himself backwards among the brushwood , so as to leave a passage , of which he expected us to avail ourselves . My horse still hesitated : the elephant observed it , and impatiently thrust himself still deeper into the jungles , repeating his cry of ' umph ! ' but in a voice evidently meant to encourage us to come on . Still the horse trembled ; and , anxious to observe the instinct of the two sagacious creatures , I forebore any interference . Again the elephant wedged himself further in among the trees , and waited impatiently for us to pass him ; and after the horse had done so , tremblingly and timidly , I saw the wise creature stoop , and take up his heavy burden , trim and balance it on his tusks , and resume his route , hoarsely snorting as before his discontented remonstrance . " The habits of the wild elephant are dwelt on at great length by bur author . To these we direct the roader ' s especial attention . The illustrative engravings are admirably executed .
by Mahindo . One of the most original parts of this work is the portion devoted to the natural history of the elephant . It is extensively treated , correcting old fallacies , as well as adding new information . Elephants abound in Ceylon , frequenting both the open plains and the deep forests . Their numbers in recent times , however , have been considerably reduced ; the animals , in fact , have " "been forced to
retire to the low country ; but thither the hunter pursue them , either to capture or tp slaughter . The Ceylon Elephant is in general without tusks . Its life is harmless and peaceful , and nature appears to have left it almost unprovided with any weapon of offence . Their love of solitude and dislike of intrusion are extreme ; hence the shyness the elephant evinces towards man . He is not instinctively vicious , or even highly irritable .
" But" then continues , Sir Emerson the * elephant is said an extraordinary dislike to all quadrupeds ; that dogs running near him produce annoyance , that he is alarmed if a hare start from his form ; and from Pliny to Buffon every naturalist has recorded his supposed aversion to swine . These alleged antipathies are in a great degree , if not entirely , imaginary . The habits of the elephant are essentially harmless , his wants lead to no rivalry with other animals , and the food to which he is most attached is found in such abundance that he obtains it without an effort . In the quiet solitudes of Ceylpn elephants may constantly be seen browsing
peacefully in the immediate vicinity of and in close contact with others animals . I have seen groups of deer and wild buffaloes reclining in the eandy bed of a river in the dry season , and elephants plucking the branches close beside them . They show no impatience in the company of the elk , the bear , and the wild hog ; and on the other hand , I have never discoyei'ed an instance in which these animals have evinced any apprehension of them . The elephant ' s natural timiduy , however , is such that he becomes alarmed on the appearance in the
jungle of any animal with which he is not familiar ; he is ssid to be afraid of the horse , but from my own experience , I should say it . is the horse that is alarmed at the aspect of the elephant , in the same vmy , from some unaccountable impulse , the horse bus an antipathp to the came ) , and evinces extreme impatience , both of the sight and smell of that animal . When enraged , an elephant will not hesitate to charge a rider on horseback ; but it is against the man not against the horse that his fury is directed , and no instance has been over known of his wantonly assailing a horse .
The following story is ft gem : — " It is true that in captivity , and after a duo course of ^ training , the elephant discovers a new use for his tunics when employed in moving' -stone and piling timber \ bo muuh so , that a powerful one will raise aria , carry , / on thorn a log of half a ton weight , or more * Ona evening , whilst riding in the vicinity of Kftn & vytQwards t )» e scene of the massacre of Major . Uanps , party , in 1803 , my horse ovlncod some excitement at a noise which approached , us in the thick
A Dictionary Of English Etymology. By He...
A DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY . By Henaleigh "Wedgwood , M . A . Vol . 1 . —Triibrier and Co . That there are fountains in the world as well as cisterns is too frequently overlooked in critical inquiry . It has been the custom , for instance , to trace the words o ** a language to their roots , and where these have been the same or similar to refer them to a common origin . The iearned author before us is at pains , on the contrary ^ to show that the roots in question arise from the instinctive imitation made , by the human organs of speech , of natural sounds , and that therefore they may be found originally produced among distant peoples
present sounds characteristic of the objects in tended to be designated . Such , for instance as bang , craoh , purr , whizz , hum . Too frequently such words have been received by etymologists as exceptional cases—nay , there is a ccmsta-nt ten dency , says Mr . Wedgwood , - in the process of civili s ation , tb regard the words , whoso imitative , character is most clearly marked , as a sort of illegitimate pretenders to the dignity of language . " We are apt to look upon words likey ^ , whack bump , hang , clearly representing different kinds of sound , or the actions which they accompany , as make-shifts of modern invention , not entitled to take place in sustained composition with elements which appear to derive their significance from the of universal
mysterious source speech . The discredit , however , into which words of this description have fallen , is a prejudice resting on no solid foundation . There is no reason for suj ^ osing shern less ancient than the most time-worn particle , of whos e origin in a sensible iiiiage we cannot form a guess . " To slam the door is a colloquial expression in which * the verb seems as if it might have been suggested yesterday by its appropriateness to express that kind of noise , but the word is used in a much wider sense by the Laplanders , with a special application to this very instance of slamming the door ; and ¦ what countless ages must have elapsed since their ancestors and ours parted from a common stock . ' " A little examination shows that the principle of imitation has a wider range than w-e are at first inclined to suppose . In some words tlio imitative character is so strongly marked , that it will be admitted by every one as soon as the question is raised . In others , though not consciously recognised , it heightens the power of expression , and .. gives much of that vividness of imagery which , we . admire in the poetry of Spenser and GawaineL ) ou : 'l : is . In others , again , the power of direct representation is wholly gone , and . ¦ ¦ the imitative origin can ; y . uly be shown by a detailed examination of a moiiv in winch the meaning of the word htls been developed . ' ' Such is a plain , straightforward expression of the idea that pervades this work , which it is supposed two more volumes will complete . Its merit cannot be too highly appreciated .
that were never related to each other . His argument on this point forms the introduction to the present work , It is lucidly stated and lavishly illustrated . That the instances will not appear as convincing as they are numerous , to all readers , may be expected . Etymological theories presuppose an acquaintance with the subject , and much is sometimes required before the value of a particular instance can be appreciated . The study is a wide one , and involves the labour of years—perhaps of lives . At any rate we have the names of Todd , Richardson , and Webster , as labourers in this field of inquiry ; and we find that it is not yet exhausted .
Mr . Wedgwood speaks , therefore , with some contempt of those who too readily adopt an arbitrary theory , and too easily satisfy themselves that they have solved the difficulty when they have traced a word to a Sanscrit l'oot . He somewhat indignantly demands , " In what condition is it possible that roots could have existed , before they were actually used in speech P" Nor will he admit the answer , that they were implanted by Nature in the mind of man—such a suggestion being opposed to daily observation in regard to infants . But he is disposed to accept them as fictions of the grammarians , to indicate the core of a group of related words having similar significations . "If , " he adds , " we arc to regard them as the remains of some former condition of language , then they cease to afford a solid rosting-place ; and the origin of the roots themselves becomes as fit an object of inquiry as of the words in actual use at the present day . " The origin of language , then , in to bo recognised in the tendency to imitation which Aristotle long ago remarked in the child , and to which ho attributes the production of tho drama . Still , as of old— ,, ^ , . " with now Joy imuprldo Tho little A . otor conn another part » Filling from timo to tJmo Iuh humorous atago With all tho l ' orflona , down to palaJort Afro , That Llfo brings with hor In hor oqulpntfo « An If hid wholo vooatlon Were oncUoae Imitation . " In manhood , as in childhood , the instinct is manifested ; and human speech is subject to the universal influence . "Words , then , according to the book before us . are made to imitate or re-
. ; . ^ District Duties Dukint;. Tiik Kk...
. ; . ^ DISTRICT DUTIES DUKINt ; . TIIK KKVOLTINTHB NOKTH-WEST riSOVlNLKCJ OF . LNJ . UA , IN 1 S 57 : With ltem & rks on Subsequent Iiivesstkrations during 1853-0 . By II . Duudas Kubcrtsou . — Smith , Elder and Co . The writer of this book is in the Bengal Civil Service , and being detained in the capital of XJritish India , employed his enforced leisure in making a memorial of the scenes through which he had passed during , the Revolt , in 1857 . It relates , in part , to a town and station under the Government of the North-west Provinces , whore the author was frequently left alone . lie was a joint-magistrate in the Saharunpore district , and afterwards became officiating collector of it . Towards the close of 1857 , hp was , in conjunction ¦ with Messrs . J . C . Wilson , and T . D . L- ' owyth , placed on a commission for the investigation ami trial , of cases connected with the mutiny ami robullion , being vested with jurisdiction extending over the Northwest Provinces , Oudu , Ucngul . Proper , and Central India . Such are the author ' s claims to notice . ' Saharunpore , about eighty miles from Delhi , is , fortunately for the victims of revolt * , un isolated place ; for its isolation during the revolt , of 1857 was an important feature o ^ strength : ia long us Mr tornal mutiny and insurrection could In .-repressed . Tho eastern and western boundaries of tho <« s " trict , are protected by tho ( Junyorf nnd tho Jumna ; the north is screened by n , range of uninhnbitnblo mountains . TJie inhabitants present a mongrel mixture of races—Moghuls , Puthiins , IJrabmuns , Goojurs , Rajpoots , ltnnghurts , GIiAjms , & c . As in India , persons of different races and creeds never intermarry , they remained aa distinct nnd Hopnrato from each other , as if they had all inhabited difl ' orent countrios , pertinaciously retaining the notional peculiarities , and tho characteristic virtues and vices of their anoostors . Thoro are was to lands , on which " the promoters of Christianity inigM , with advantage , plant Christian villages . There is Bttlo of personal ndvonturo in our author ' s descriptions , oontonting < himself , na ao does , with suoh as illustrate tho general character of the times rather than as referring to himscU . Caste , according to him , is tho only religion of the East . The cause of the massacro lit FufcteugurU was tho presence of women and children , whiou paralyaoa tho action of the men . Amongst tUO
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 24, 1859, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_24121859/page/18/
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