Star.
London, England, 1830-08-26 00:00:00

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

We have before expressed a very favourable opinion of the A.:.,t, •
Journal, and the August number is peculiarly rich in articles interest.
ing to those who wish to understand the situation of India, or who in-
dulge research almost into any department of Oriental Literature. Ti •
first paper is on the much-disputed question of the " Revenue Systen
of India," and is, in fact, an epitome of a work attributed to Mr. W. I:
Bruce, of Bombay, on the "Stationary Condition of the Minden*. a., d
on the two most approved Revenue Systems of British India." Mr.
Bruce rejects, as unsound, the opinion of Mr. Rickards and other•
that the check to improvement arose from the tyranny of their Govern-
ment ; and deduces the chief efficient cause of the stationary conditlo
in India, from " the mode, or rather the degree, in which the wants o
the State would seem to have been always supplied"—that is, to the bin..
thensome amount of public imposts. Now, really, it appeals to us that
the supposed conflicting theories here mentioned, are identical ; fo
if, as Mr. Bruce says, the evil arises front a grinding taxation, then, we
would ask, has not that arisen from tyranny and misgovernment ?
There appears here a distinction without a difference. We do net
think that the cause of the stagnation of liiiidoo improvement has
been yet sufficiently accounted for by any writer ; but believe the prin.
ciple of the Revenue System of India has been one cause of retardation.
Mr. Bruce next examines the merits of the permanent Zensinda.ee and
Ryotwar settlements of the Land Revenue in India. We have always
considered, that what was called the permanent settlement. was based in
injustice,and a disgraceful spoliation of the Hynes interests.—This Col
WUks has made evident. The only merit of Lord Cornwallis's measur.•
was—to inflict injustice, but render that injustice fixed and limited. I
we understand Mr. Bruce, by this brief analysis of his work, he object •
to it, not only on account of its improperly investing with property the
Zemindars, but because it fixes a certain revenue from land which is
necessarily always fluctuating in cultivation and produce. Therefore
are we to understand that he begrudges that the power of exaction is
checked—that the screw cannot be turned any farther ? This is a sub-
ject to which we have given some attention, and we wish we could fin I
space here for the developement of our opinion ; but at present we can-
not. To conclude, however, on the subject, we may say that our opi-
nion coincides with that of Mr. Wilks and the present writer—tha•
private properly in land existed always in India.
The long accounts of the present state of the Arabic and Persian
Press, and on the Pehlvi language, are no doubt valuable to the o.i i i 1
scholar. That on the Jews of Poland is generally interesting. Th..
" Review of a History of Assam" by a Minden, is certainly a curs.
osity. In fact. there is really nothing in the number, but what must
gratify every one to see,whether their acquirements enable th m t, rel t•li
them or not, who take an interest in the progress of Oriental biteras
cure in this country. The mass, too, of intelligence from all parts of
India, at the conclusion is No ample, as to find readers wherever ther.t

are found those who have relatives in India. To those who take an
interest in the progress of Ilindoo merit, we present she followinA
song, written by a Native Hindu°, namtd lla•iprasad Go9c, who was
educated at the Anglo-Indian College at Carona. It forms part of
Poem called the Shair, in three Cantos, publish:4l at Caletma by sub-
scription.

THE FAREirEL L.
WRITTEN IN ENGLISH DT A HINDU.•
Farewell, my lovely native land !
Where roses bloom in many a vale ;
Where green-clad hills majestic stand,
Where flowerets woo the scented gale;
Where Surya, from hie throne above,
With brightest colours paints the day,
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
In streams o'erpowering e'er doth fall;
Where mighty Ganges's billows now,
And wander many a country by,
'Where ocean smiles serene below,
Beneath thy blue and sunny sky;
Where many sacred rivers lave
Full many a wood or mountain green,
Where pines and citrons towering wave
In rural grandeur—stately seers.
Land of the gods and lofty name;
land of the fair and beauty's spell ;
Land of the bards of mighty fame ;
My native land ! for e'er farewell !
• The author of the above song is a young Hindu, named lasi.
prasad (lose, who was educated at the Anglo.lndian College at Calcutta.
It feline part of a poem entitled "Tire Shalt," in three cantos, publish-
ing by subscription at Calcutta