Star.
London, England, 1831-06-14 00:00:00

RAM MOHUN ROY.

Ram Mohun Roy, whose arrival in this country
has excited so much interest, is a native of Ben-
gal. He was born a Bramin, which is the first and
principal caste of the four grand divisions of the
Gentoos, who are by reason of their birth of the
sacerdotal order.

In the year 1812 he became the friend and
companion of the late John Digby, Esq. of the
Civil Service, who was at that period Collector
at Rungpoor. Mr. Digby was a considerable pro-
ficient in classical literature, and prosecuted his
studies during his leisure hours, in which he
prevailed on Ram Mohun Roy to join him.
Their intimacy subsisted for a period of nearly
five years, when circumstances led Ram
Mohun Roy to resort to Calcutta. In the course
of his sojourn, at the Presidency, he became ac-
quainted with Bishop Middleton, and ninny of the
leading characters of the day ; and invariably lis-
tened with the most earnest attention to all the dis-
cussions which were of a theological nature. He
became so deeply interested in the questions which
frequently arose, and observed, that so much dif-
ference of opinion existed between Christians them-
selves, that he was determined to study the Scrip-
tures in the original ; and for this purpose he de-
voted himself to the Hebrew and Greek languages,
is which he acquired very great proficiency. The
result of contemplating the divine records led to
his abandonment of the idolatrous faith he had pre-
viously held, and to his taking up what may in
some measure be viewed as a species of Unitarian-
ism ; but he by no means denies the divinity of
our Saviour, though he withholds his assent to the
doctrine of the Trinity, as propounded by the church
of England in the Athanasian Creed.
It is impossible to contemplate without feelings
of the deepest interest, the residence in this coun-
try of an individual who is the first of the many
millions of his countrymen, who has shaken off the
trammels of the superstitious faith under which he
was brought up, and has burst those shackles which
would have chained bim to his native land. They
never embark on shipboard ! His arrival is to be
hailed as a harbinger of those fruits which must re-
sult from the dissemination of European knowledge
and literature, and of those sound principles of rule
and government, which it is the solemn obligation
of Great Britain, to extend to her vast and
interesting empire in the east. In Rain Mohun
Roy is an example of what we may expect
from such an enlightened course of policy. He is
understood to be decidedly in favour of the present
system of government, as administered through the
East India Company, and is not backward in ac-
knowledging the benefits which India has derived
under it. He is no friend to colonization, in the
broad acceptation of the term, as nothing but the.
most serious evils can be anticipated from the
promiscuous and unlimited resort of those, who
form the redundant and unprovided portion of the
population of the mother country ; but he advo-1
cates the expediency of allowing, under proper
restrictions, the resort of men of capital and sub-
: stance, through whose energies the capabilities of
India may be developed.
He is decidedly in favour of the great question
of reform which engrosses the public mind at the
present moment, and enters with the greatest in-
terest into the various points which arise in the
course of discussions on a matter so materially
connected with our constitution, with the principles
of which he is fully conversant. He has received
marked attention from many of the leading branches
of the nobility ; and particularly from the Directors
of the East India Company, whom he accompanied
on their lute half-yearly examinations at the East
India College, and at the Military Seminary of Ad-
discombe. With the latter establishment, and with
the proficiency exhibited by some of the Cadets in
the Hindoostane, he was peculiarly gratified. It is
to be hoped that his longer residence may tend to
strengthen him in the conviction, with which he
appears already to be impressed, that whilst Eng-
land herself enjoys privileges and blessings which
have been well described as the envy of surround-
ing nations, she feels it to be one of he paramount
duties to extend the same to those realms, which
it has pleased Providence to bring under her sway,
and in favour of none is she called upon to exert
herself more, than in behalf of our Indian empire,
of which the interesting subject of this brief notice
is so distinguished a member.—Morning Paper.

A sagacious Editor last week stated that the
Polish occupation of Lomza cut off the Russians
from their supplies in Prussia, the Russian army
being midway between Lomza and Prussia. The
God of Day was under an eclipse, and Stars ap-
peared to enlighten his benighted readers. Well
may his provincial reflections be in similar dark-
ness. We have had no officials lately from the
would-be official Journalist, who, we in the Cabinet
know, has for some time been obliged to satisfy his
curiosity in the outer lobby.