broke over its bank, and deftroyed feveral hundreds of mud-houses. This unavoidably happens as often as even stagnated water reaches the walls, as from the nature of this fubftance they crumble down, and the roof falls in. The inhabitants remain fo long as with fafety they dare, and when that cannot longer be done, they refort to the nearest height and conftruct a temporary shed of the old roof and materials of their former dwelling.

I have seen them fitting fmoking their hookers, in a houfe three feet covered with water; the firewood of the family was piled up on the floor, and upon the top of it the members fat without any vifible fuffering or concern. The River is a munificent god; they repofe in its mercy ;-poffibly their faith and piety would be gratified by being carried down in its ftream.

ESTA

ESTABLISHMENTS FOR EDUCATION IN CALCUTTA.

Calcutta, Jan. 1797.

THE maintenance and education of the children belonging to Europeans in India, have on account of their increafing number, become objects of great im. portance. Nearly half a century has already elapfed fince the power of the British arms has been established in Bengal; and the influx of European inhabitants has ever fince kept pace with the increase of power, and the profpect of acquiring wealth. In the fervice of the Company, and in the profecution of private adventures, opportunity has been offered to-many of accumulating fortunes; but the country has been the grave of many more.

EUROPEANS in India, whether they live to become rich, or die poor, from their own diffolute habits, and the unhappy frailty of the Mahommedan women,

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generally leave a numerous progeny behind them. In every cafe where the parent is poor, the maintenance of his children becomes, whether they live or die, a public charge upon the community.

DID not the exercise of their benevolence in fome measure cover a multitude of faults, the Europeans of India must have long fince been condemned to behold fcenes of the utmoft diftrefs in the fituation of orphans, and the children of the poor; precluded from any rank and employment in European fociety, and abandoned by the natives, they feemed to be the most destitute of all beings.

In this light they were viewed by feveral persons, who have done honour to themselves and their country, by establishing schools for the maintenance and education of the orphan children of the military fervants of the Company. Two inftitutions have been formed for this purpose; one for the children of officers, and the other for those of private foldiers. Each is provided with teachers of both fexes; qualified to inftruct the children in fuch branches of knowledge and industry, as feem fitted for their rank and profpects in fociety. The fund for the fupport of these institutions, is fupplied by a fixed contribution raised from the military, and by the donations of such persons as wish to forward the aims of benevolence.

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THE children of fuch as have died, or of fuch as are evidently poor, are only admitted gratuitoufly into this school; but any officer may, for a reasonable fum, have his children educated there: and it is the most eligible place in India; for during a period of twenty years, the management and fuperintendance of this feminary of education have been as faithful and as diligent as its inftitution was benevolent. About fix or feven hundred children are maintained and educated by this ufeful charity. The only thing wanting to complete its purpose seems to be fuitable employment for the youth of both fexes, after they have finished their education. There has not hitherto been in India any middle clafs of fociety, between the Europeans and natives, and of confequence few employments open for them to occupy.

THIS want of employment for country-born children has already been feverely felt; and is every day becoming more urgent from the increafe of their number. Befides the two inftitutions already mentioned, there are feven or eight others for the education of boys; and nearly an equal number for girls. If, in the orphan fchools, all the intereft of the heads of the army and of the managers, is unable to procure employment for the youth educated there, the difficulty is much greater in private feminaries, where this can only devolve upon individuals. For the fettlement of their pupils in useful profeffions, neither parents nor mafters have yet been able to devife any adequate means..

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ACCORDINGLY almoft all the fchools in Calcutta for either fex, are continuing to increase in the number of pupils, and in the difficulty of providing for them. This difficulty is increafed by the manner in which female education is conducted in Calcutta. From a partiality as unaccountable as it is ill founded, the girls are fplendidly educated in boardinging schools, where they are taught to dance with ease, and to dress with some degree of elegance, but much more affectation. Thefe accomplishments, fuperficial as they are, contain nearly the whole amount of their attainments at the boarding-school.

ON their public nights, when they dance and fee company, none of the boys of their own rank, by birth and fortune, are admitted. Thefe are the only perfons, with whom nature feems to have intended they should unite, and live happily; but the prejudices of Calcutta counteract her purpose, and exclude them from their fociety as beings of an infe-" rior clafs. Young officers in the army, or civil fervants of the Company, are alone deemed fit companions; and from the contemptible ideas they in general entertain of the whole race of country-born women, they are the moft dangerous companions with whom they can affociate.

BUT female vanity bids defiance to all these confiderations; and many young men of rank, and high expectations, have been unable to refift its artifices, aided by the ftratagems of the mistress of the school.