goats for market, and he requires the boys to gather leaves and grass for them; also to cut his wood, draw his water, and cook his dinner. Besides which, every boy is expected, when he has finished his education, to make presents to the master; so that, taking into consideration 'the meritorious action,' they seem, first and last, to be well paid.

You perceive that education is almost a nominal thing among the Malays and Chinese, and in an imperfect state among the Dutch. Although the schools are so abundant, they are much like the Pharisees of our Saviour's time-neither admitting their pupils to the light of science, nor permitting others to admit them. True, it is not a small thing that these people are enabled even to read; but yet their minds are left in a contracted, uninformed, bigoted state. Many of them are not able to read at all. The great obstacles to the education of children are, a want of paper manufactories, printing-presses, book-makers, and good teachers. A great facility is a willingness of the children to attend school.

The Parapattau, school-Mr. Medhurst's-contains about forty children, but as Mr. Keasbury, who has been a teacher in that school, will visit Boston before May, probably having already embarked-I refer you to him; he has letters to the Missionary Rooms and Maynard and Noyes. Sure I am the school labors under a want of the best books. We should like, above all things, to present Mr. Medhurst with a complete set of apparatus, if it could be sent out. We have already given him some of the duplicates you gave us, as also one of the sets of the Lyceum. I am sorry to send you so meager an account, but perhaps another opportunity would not soon occur, and I thought it best to communicate what I could.

Ought not the Lyceum to be sent regularly (perhaps it is already) to every Missionary under the care of the American churches, of whatever denomination?

That the Lord would crown with abundant success all your efforts for the improvement of the rising generation, is the prayer of

Truly yours, in the great work of benefitting the world,

H. LYMAN.

COLONIZATION SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS.

HAVING been repeatedly asked the question,' What is this Society doing?' we deem it proper to answer the interrogatory by presenting a general scheme of its transactions, and leave it to the good sense of the community to say whether the intelligent members of this Association are philanthropists or not.

SINCE the organization of the Massachusetts Colonization Society, which is comparatively of recent origin, its transactions have not been distinguished by any very bold or active measures. Situated as its members are, at the northern extremity of the United States, where the evils of Slavery are not exhibited, and where the influence of this foul blot on the escutcheon of this land of boasted freedom are only remotely felt, it would have been the height of indiscretion, at least, to have joined in violent declarations against a system of oppression, of which they knew nothing by practical experience; and any attempt to enlist the sympathies of the people towards the real or supposed sufferings of a degraded portion of our race, held in bondage by our Southern Brethren, without carefully weighing the consequences reasonably to be expected, both to the master and the slave, would have been no less indiscreet, than subversive of the first principles of good order.

An investigation of the plans which have been proposed by the Parent Institution at Washington, or by philanthropic individuals, whose exertions in behalf of the moral condition of the Ethiopian, have been from time to time proposed to the people, has constituted the principal business of this Society.

The Society has, at no period since its formation, manifested a very ardent disposition to exert its influence, in transporting free people of color to the colony in Liberia. Though it has invariably been disposed to look favorably on the projects of the Parent Institution for shipping from the Southern States those who particularly desired to be planted on the soil of Africa-the home of their ancestors,-they have contemplated with deep

solicitude, the waste of human life in their early operations, resulting from a change of climate, which no constitution could withstand, without undergoing a series of bodily sufferings. But, notwithstanding those early discouragements, through the persevering industry of the Society's agents, the colony has become a flourishing one; and this Society anticipates with delight the mighty changes which a little band of freemen may be enabled to effect, directly or indirectly, on the benighted regions of that country to which they have gone. Already we see the merchant penetrating rivers that were never before explored by civilized man. Tribes have been discovered that were never before known, and kingdoms will unquestionably be brought to light, by the sure and steady advances of the Liberian colonists, that were never yet registered in the catalogue of nations. This association feels, too, that while the spirit of adventure, or a love of traffic is thus continually developing the concealed resources and internal condition of a great continent, that from remote antiquity, has been beset with barriers which no traveller has passed, the pure doctrines of the christian religion may be widely and beneficially disseminated. Without this guiding star, all effort would be vain, and all attempts to ameliorate or soften the characters of barbarian infidels would be abortive and hopeless.

The Massachusetts Society, in reality, has been viewing the present condition, and looking forward to the future prospects and probable destiny of the people of Liberia. It desires to show that it is not an inattentive spectator of the interesting scene, which a moral, religious, well-regulated government presents, where slavery, bloodshed, and the lowest species of idolatry, have characterised the land from immemorial time.

With reference to the well-being of future generations, it has been thought by this Society that it was indispensably necessary, to the perpetuity of the colony, that permanent provision should be made, for sustaining a FREE SCHOOL, of an elevated character, in which the youth might be taught those fundamental branches of knowledge

which are absolutely requisite for conducting the common affairs of life.

A sum of money, the last season, was appropriated from the limited funds at the Society's disposal, for the maintenance of two public instructors in Africa; but owing to the sudden death of one of them, soon after his arrival, the contemplated course of instruction, which had been designated by a committee of the Society, was never commenced, nor were the funds ever transmitted which were assigned for their compensation.

At a recent meeting of the board of managers, it was proposed to erect, at the expense of the Society, a spacious and convenient stone edifice in Monrovia, to be denominated, the Massachusetts Free School,' which shall forever remain a monument in the eyes of the parent, of the solicitude which this particular branch of the National Society has felt for the moral elevation of his children. To accomplish the proposed undertaking will require far greater means than are at the control of the treasurer, yet the Society entertain no fears for the result of an appeal to the liberality of the citizens of New Enggland, which promises so much for the present happiness and future character of any portion of regenerated Africa. Indeed, it may with truth be said that this one subject engrosses the undivided attention of the Society, at the present moment, nor would the members relinquish a scheme which promises such a decidedly important influence, as a well-regulated, well-endowed ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL, without the most positively determined opposition, or unwillingness on the part of those, who have thus far been almoners, under Providence, in the blessed cause of christianity and civilization. To this end, unless some unforeseen circumstance interrupt the intended operations of this Society, will its whole force, for the present, be directed. It is not covetous of the honor arising from a design so noble and exalted, as that of laying an abiding foundation for civil liberty, piety and moral excellence, where only treachery, human butchery, and untold pollutions have awakened a spirit of inquiry in the world, that we trust will never be allayed, till the rights of