able fact results from our researches, namely, that Yaou, Shun, and Yu, the three emperors spoken of, were of one and the same family, that of Hwang-te. Is not this an evidence that the election, though free and even a vital point in the constitution of the empire, was nevertheless confined to a particular family, that of Hwang-te? It appears to me so. The Shang dynasty, which followed that founded by Yu (the Hea), traces its origin to Hwang-te; and the Chow dynasty, which came after the Shang, considered the same Hwang-te as its progenitor.

Whether this genealogy be true or a fiction, M. Kurz considers that the prejudice in favour of the sanctity of the race of Hwang-te, is a proof that there was a necessity that the aspirer to the throne should belong to it: thus the founders of new dynasties felt the force of it so far as to make out a connexion with it, although by a collateral branch. The founder of the fourth dynasty, that of Tsin, was not a descendant of Hwang-te; but in order to reconcile the Chinese to his usurpation, he not only affected to revive all the institutions, laws, and usages of the age which M. Kurz calls that of "the yellow lord," but he adopted the title of te instead of wang, which the monarchs of the three preceding dynasties had borne. Kung-tsze (Confucius) wished to be considered as a descendant of Hwangte, to convince his countrymen of the legitimacy of his reforms; and even the votaries of the "School of Reason," or taou-sze, pretend that Hwangte was the founder of their religious philosophy, and Laou-tsze only the reformer.

Thus it appears that in ancient China, though the throne was not here ditary, and the emperor was elected by the grandees of the empire, this selection was confined to the family of Hwang-te.

M. Kurz next considers the grandees, both as a body, and as individuals appointed to the different branches of the government.

The first grandees mentioned in the Shoo-king are He and Ho, and farther on, He-chung and Ho-chung, Hi-shuh and Ho-shuh, who receive: the orders of Yaou concerning the observation of the stars. The commentator says that He and Ho-that is, He-ho-was the name of an office, the duty of which was to observe the motions of the stars, to regulate the calendar, and teach the science of the seasons. But it appears that a very serious controversy exists amongst the Chinese scholiasts on this point. Some affirm that He and Ho are the names of the four personages designated as He-chung, Ho-chung, He-shuh, and Ho-shuh. Others insist that He and Ho are distinct persons, whose names are properly Hepih and Ho-pih, and consequently that there are six personages in all.. Another class of commentators, by far the wisest in our estimation, con- ! fess, that they knew not what to think.

The opinion of M. Kurz, on this point, is, that He and Ho expressed the name of the office (which we find is Morrison's opinion), and that Hechung, He-shuh, Ho-chung, and Ho-shuh were the honorary titles of those who were invested with the office, of which each took a distinct department. "There was, then, a tribunal, a magistracy, which bore the name of He and Ho, or rather He-ho; it had four sections (or depart

ments), the presidents of which were called He chung and He-shuh; Hochung and Ho-shuh. Collectively, this tribunal had cognizance of celestial affairs, distributed amongst the four sections, for the four parts of the empire." The definition of the phrase "celestial affairs" M. Kurz for the present postpones.

The next knot which he attempts to untie is the meaning of the phrase sze-yo, “the four yo." We must cite his own language upon this curious archæological question.

When Yaou wished some person to be named to him who could remedy the evils caused by the inundation, and when he ordered some one to be named worthy of succeeding him; when Shun wished to establish different offices for the interior administration of the country, they addressed themselves to the Sze-yo, whom they recommended to propose fit persons for the emergencies. Sze signifies "four;" yo is the name of the five principal mountains on which sacrifices are made. The term sze-yo may be defined in two ways. Assuming its sense to be allegorical, it would signify persons who, firm and stable, will sustain the emperor, as lofty mountains seem to sustain the sky. But antiquity seems scarcely the epoch of allegory, and we must have recourse to another explanation. The four principal mountains, the four yŏ,* were situated in four parts of China, that is, as it were, the four corners of the empire; the four mountains were spoken of, as the four seas at the present day, to designate the empire. Those, therefore, who were appointed to the four parts were named "the four mountains," by a figure common in ancient times, that of naming the office or the residence from him who occupies it. The commentators confirm this when they say that the Sze-yo had the supervision of the provinces on the four sides of the empire.

After settling, at the expense of an investigation which occupies more than four pages, another desperate controversy amongst the Chinese commentators, as to whether the phrase Sze-yo was employed in the singular or plural, and implied one, four, or twenty-two individuals, M. Kurz proceeds:

There can be no doubt that the tribunal of celestial affairs was composed of four personages. If the Sze-yo were the same as the He and Ho, under different denominations, changing according to their occupations, there would be no longer any doubt that they were in number four. But there are other important considerations on this subject.

The He-ho tribunal was formed of four persons or sections; so was the Sze-yo. He-chung, Ho-chung, He-shuh and Ho-shuh, that is, the four members of the He-ho, were despatched by Yaou to the four parts of the world; they are invested with authority in celestial affairs, each in the part assigned him. It is precisely the same with the Sze-yo, as we have already seen, who had the political superintendence over the four parts of the empire. They received their name from the four principal mountains in the empire, which were designated by the denomination yo. We have also seen, from the Shunteen, in what quarter these four mountains were situated: "Shun went towards the east, to the mountain Tae-tsung,t to sacrifice there; and with the same view he visited the Yo, or mountains in the south, the west, and the north." The situation of these Yo is therefore indicated, at least loosely; • When the yo are spoken of collectively, they are called woo-yö, “the five yỗ.” †M. Kurz writes "tae-tsung;" but the Chinese word is yo.

and when the commentators, building upon these indications and on tradition, point out the mountains under Yaou and Shun, so named, we may give them credit. tal ad, ange; esus ab to go wi M. Kurz then identifies the mountains by their modern names, and shows that the sites of the four mountains approximated to the places whither the He and Ho proceeded to fulfil their functions. He adds other proofs of the identity of these two apparently distinct classes of functionaries, who, he remarks, are never mentioned in the Shoo-king at one and the same time. The most convincing of these proofs is a passage from a commentator named Kung-gan-kwo, who enjoys a high reputation in China, and was the first to give a critical edition of the classical books, especially t the Shoo-king. He says: "Sze-yo-tseih-shang-chung-shoo-sze-tsze" that is, "the sze-yo are the four persons mentioned before under the names of Chung and Shoo," ie. He and Ho. pund spraat 2 gut gripidow to arched must buat mend qlash [To be resumed.]ocit slyre a di ban 99 ja

poza te no (FAREWELL, my lovely native land! 2900208 01 70 ano ni think ago Where roses bloom in many a vale; how ein doidw no esit bad lean breWhere green-clad bills majestic stand,hat no 1291 vidus So, Where flowerets woo the scented gale wanist aucitiaroqu Where Surya, from his throne above, ent most daidw of 3rd With brightest colours paints the day no pismo be betin Where riplets rise to clasp their love,

.

The eluding beams that o'er them play;

Where when the Queen of silent night

Graces the star-illumined hall,

How on the heart her dewy light

100 In streams o'erpowering e'er doth fall;

WWhere mighty Ganga's billows flow,

And wander many a country by,

TIB Where, ocean smiles serene below,

C

Beneath thy blue and sunny sky; one kne
Where many sacred rivers lave..

Full many a wood or mountain green, siq & ef yatorid
Where pines and citrons towering wave

g

ave 138 zoiviainto In rural grandeur-stately scene, bns 891296 aid to treat Land of the gods and lofty

y name;

Land of the fair and beauty's spell;

Land of the bards of mighty fameunode vir so svo etary of Blood My native land! for e'er farewell piqoof, 1971 ad dot snt bas ; sovuried

*The author of the above song is a young Hindu, named Kasiprasad Gose, who was cantos, publish Anglo-Indian College at Calcutta. It forms part of a poem entitled The Shair, in three cantos,

ing

2

HISTORY OF ASSAM.

!

In one of the Calcutta papers (the India Gazette) we find a review by a Hindu, Tarachund Chukruvurttee, of a history of Assam, by an Assamese, written in Bengalee, and printed at the Calcutta native press. This review, as well as the work itself, of which it gives a digest in the European manner, constitutes such a novelty in the annals of Indian literature, that we insert it. "In the preface to the work bearing the above title* we are informed by the author, that he has divided his book into four parts. The first contains an account of the reigns of Assamese princes from the earliest to the latest period; the second details the mode of administering government and justice in Assam; the third gives the geography of Assam, with an account of its holy places; and the fourth enumerates the products of the country, and illustrates the division of castes, the manners of the people, and their mode of worshipping the Supreme Being. Of these four parts, the first only has lately been issued from the Calcutta native press, written in the Bengalee language, and in a style, though not very pure nor elegant, yet in general easy and clear.

"As publications of a historical nature are seldom known to emanate from the native press, a short account of this work may be read with interest by those liberal members of the European community, who sincerely desire and generously encourage the intellectual improvement of the natives. I will, therefore, attempt to give a brief sketch of this history, premising, that except in one or two instances, our author has not made any mention of the authorities on which his work is founded, and has, in more than one place, made its authenticity rest on tradition. He has, besides, interspersed real history with superstitious tales, with which the reader will excuse us for not amusing him, but to which, from the author's manner of relating them, he seems to have attached some importance, and perhaps some degree of credence. The consideration of these circumstances should make us pause a little before we take for granted every thing he has said by way of narrating facts, more especially those which relate to ancient times. Indeed, considering how little disposed the people of this country have been to preserve faithful records of events; particularly of profane history, it may be fairly asked, whence did our author gather the facts which he has given to the public? But we will leave the reader to judge for himself, and begin with our intended sketch.

"The author sets out with defining the limits of Assam, by quoting the words of Shivu in a dialogue between him and his consort Giuree.

"The ancient name of Assam was Kamroop, which extended from the river Kurotoya to a place called Sudeeya, not far from the river Dikrung. One performing a religious act in this country is supposed to obtain a speedy fulfilment of his desires, and hence its name Kamroop. It comprehended four teet'hs or holy places, the first, Rutnu Teet'h, extending from the river Kurutoya to the river Shonukohu; the second, Ram Teet'h, from Shonukohu to the river Roopika; the third, Swurnu Teet'h, from Roopika to the river Bheiruvee; and the fourth, Soumar Teet'h, from Bheiruvee to the river Dikrung.

"The first rajah who reigned in Kamroop was the son of Brahma, named Muheerung Danuv, the seat of whose government was on a mountain called Meiroka, about two cosh to the north-west of Gooyahatee. The last prince of • Assam Boorunjy, or the History of Assam, by Huliram Dhaikiyal Phoohkun, an inhabitant of Gooyahatee in Assam. Bengal era 1236, pp. 86.

Asiat. Jour. N.S. VOL. 2. No. 8.

2 Q

this line was the fourth in succession from the first raja. He was killed by Vishnoo, who placed Nurukasoor on the throne. A divine origin is ascribed to Nurukasoor; he was brought up in the house of Junuk Raja, and afterwards made king, as has been already mentioned; but proving a tyrant, he was killed by Shree Krishnu.

66

The next prince was the son of Nuruk, named Muheenupta Bhuguduttu, who came to the throne in the commencement of the Kali Yog. He is said to have reigned 100 years, and sacrificing his life in the battle of the Kooroos, left the throne to his son Dhurumpal, who governed the kingdom for 125 years. To him succeeded his son Rampal, who was succeeded by his son Prithweepal, and each of them reigned 105 years.

"Other princes of this line continued to fill the throne, but nothing further is known of them than that each of them reigned 105 years. The length of the reigns, and the equal duration of some of them in continued succession, may throw considerable doubt on the authenticity of the narration.

"One Madhub then came to the throne, and was succeeded by his son Lukshmeepal, who is said to have conquered a part of the country called Gour, to the west of the river Kurutoya, and to have come to the shores of the Ganges, where he got some brahmuns to repeat the Mantra of Sooryyu 100,000 times, with a view of obtaining a son. After a reign of seventy-four years, he left the kingdom to his son Soovahoo, and retired to a cave in the mountain, called Neelachul, to pass the remainder of his life in devotion. Such retirement is very common with Hindu princes. Soovahoo is said to have been cotemporary with Raja Vicrumadityu. While the former governed Kamroop, the latter was engaged in performance of the sacrifice called Ushwumedh, and let loose his horse, which travelled into the territories of Soovahoo, and was caught by him. This occasioned hostilities between the princes. Vierumadityu with a large force attacked the dominions of Soovahoo, defeated him, and recovered his horse. Soovahoo, after this defeat, retired with his family to the mountains of Himalaya, and with him terminated the Nurukasoor dynasty, he being the twenty-first prince of that line. During the short interregnum between the retirement of Soovahoo and the commencement of the next dynasty, one of his ministers, named Soomuti, administered the government.

The next dynasty was that of the Kshutriyus, of the country called Dravir. The name of the first prince was Jitari, who was surnamed Dhurumpal, from his great piety. He invited into his dominions a colony of brahmans and other castes from Gour; and an inscription on copper, in the Nagree character, has been discovered, recording his grant of land to certain brahmuns. He was succeeded by his son Shutaneek, surnamed Rutnupal, who made war with the rulers of Gour, and conquered a part of that country. To him succeeded his son Sompal, who made Kunyakagram, a place to the north of the river Brahmapootra, the capital of his dominions. After him eight other Kshutriyu princes came to the throne.

"The third race of princes were called the descendants of Brahmapootru. A fabulous account of their origin is given in the work before us, which we do not think worth taking notice of. The first prince of this dynasty was Shushanku, otherwise named Arimuttu, who is famous for having built a fortress in Kamroop, known by the name of Veidyugur. A prince of the race of Kumutaishwar, named Phaingooya, attacked him in his kingdom; but finding him an unequal match, he contrived to gain over the queen of Shushanku to his side, and by her means succeeded in stuffing the muskets of the enemy