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of this world's ambition； would have perpetuated his name in the first rank of philologists。
With the delicacy which always marked him Dr。 Marshman had himself gone down to Calcutta next morning to break the news to Carey； who received it with choking utterance。 The two then called on the friendly chaplain； Thomason； who burst into tears。 When the afternoon tide enabled the three to reach Serampore； after a two hours' hard pull at the flood； they found Ward rejoicing。 He had been all day clearing away the rubbish； and had just discovered the punches and matrices unharmed。 The five presses too were untouched。 He had already opened out a long warehouse nearer the river…shore； the lease of which had fallen in to them； and he had already planned the occupation of that uninviting place in which the famous press of Serampore and； at the last； the Friend of India weekly newspaper found a home till 1875。 The description of the scene and of its effect on Carey by an eye…witness like Thomason has a value of its own：
〃The year 1812 was ushered in by an earthquake which was preceded by a loud noise； the house shook； the oil in the lamps on the walls was thrown out； the birds made a frightful noise； the natives ran from their houses； calling on the names of their gods； the sensation is most awful； we read the forty…sixth Psalm。 This fearful prodigy was succeeded by that desolating disaster； the Serampore fire。 I could scarcely believe the report； it was like a blow on the head which stupefies。 I flew to Serampore to witness the desolation。 The scene was indeed affecting。 The immense printing…office； two hundred feet long and fifty broad； reduced to a mere shell。 The yard covered with burnt quires of paper； the loss in which article was immense。 Carey walked with me over the smoking ruins。 The tears stood in his eyes。 'In one short evening；' said he； 'the labours of years are consumed。 How unsearchable are the ways of God！ I had lately brought some things to the utmost perfection of which they seemed capable； and contemplated the missionary establishment with perhaps too much self…congratulation。 The Lord has laid me low； that I may look more simply to Him。' Who could stand in such a place； at such a time； with such a man； without feelings of sharp regret and solemn exercise of mind。 I saw the ground strewed with half…consumed paper； on which in the course of a very few months the words of life would have been printed。 The metal under our feet amidst the ruins was melted into misshapen lumpsthe sad remains of beautiful types consecrated to the service of the sanctuary。 All was smiling and promising a few hours beforenow all is vanished into smoke or converted into rubbish！ Return now to thy books； regard God in all thou doest。 Learn Arabic with humility。 Let God be exalted in all thy plans； and purposes； and labours； He can do without thee。〃
Carey himself thus wrote of the disaster to Dr。 Ryland：〃25th March 1812。The loss is very great； and will long be severely felt； yet I can think of a hundred circumstances which would have made it much more difficult to bear。 The Lord has smitten us； he had a right to do so； and we deserve his corrections。 I wish to submit to His sovereign will； nay； cordially to acquiesce therein； and to examine myself rigidly to see what in me has contributed to this evil。
〃I now； however； turn to the bright side； and here I might mention what still remains to us； and the merciful circumstances which attend even this stroke of God's rod； but I will principally notice what will tend to cheer the heart of every one who feels for the cause of God。 Our loss； so far as I can see； is reparable in a much shorter time than I should at first have supposed。 The Tamil fount of types was the first that we began to recast。 I expect it will be finished by the end of this week； just a fortnight after it was begun。 The next will be the small Devanagari； for the Hindostani Scriptures； and next the larger for the Sanskrit。 I hope this will be completed in another month。 The other founts； viz。； Bengali； Orissa； Sikh； Telinga； Singhalese； Mahratta； Burman； Kashmeerian； Arabic； Persian； and Chinese； will follow in order； and will probably be finished in six or seven months； except the Chinese； which will take more than a year to replace it。 I trust； therefore； that we shall not be greatly delayed。 Our English works will be delayed the longest； but in general they are of the least importance。 Of MSS。 burnt I have suffered the most； that is； what was actually prepared by me； and what owes its whole revision for the press to me； comprise the principal part of the MSS。 consumed。 The ground must be trodden over again； but no delay in printing need arise from that。 The translations are all written out first by pundits in the different languages； except the Sanskrit which is dictated by me to an amanuensis。 The Sikh； Mahratta； Hindostani； Orissa； Telinga； Assam； and Kurnata are re…translating in rough by pundits who have been long accustomed to their work； and have gone over the ground before。 I follow them in revise； the chief part of which is done as the sheets pass through the press； and is by far the heaviest part of the work。 Of the Sanskrit only the second book of Samuel and the first book of Kings were lost。 Scarcely any of the Orissa； and none of the Kashmeerian or of the Burman MSS。 were lostcopy for about thirty pages of my Bengali dictionary； the whole copy of a Telinga grammar； part of the copy of the grammar of Punjabi or Sikh language； and all the materials which I had been long collecting for a dictionary of all the languages derived from the Sanskrit。 I hope； however； to be enabled to repair the loss； and to complete my favourite scheme； if my life be prolonged。〃
Little did these simple scholars； all absorbed in their work； dream that this fire would prove to be the means of making them and their work famous all over Europe and America as well as India。 Men of every Christian school； and men interested only in the literary and secular side of their enterprise； had their active sympathy called out。 The mere money loss； at the exchange of the day； was not under ten thousand pounds。 In fifty days this was raised in England and Scotland alone； till Fuller； returning from his last campaign； entered the room of his committee； declaring 〃we must stop the contributions。〃 In Greenock； for instance； every place of worship on one Sunday collected money。 In the United States Mr。 Robert Ralston； a Presbyterian； a merchant of Philadelphia； who as Carey's correspondent had been the first American layman to help missions to India； and Dr。 Staughton； who had taken an interest in the formation of the Society in 1792 before he emigrated； had long assisted the translation work； and now that Judson was on his way out they redoubled their exertions。 In India Thomason's own congregation sent the missionaries ？00； and Brown wrote from his dying bed a message of loving help。 The newspapers of Calcutta caught the enthusiasm； one leading article concluded with the assurance that the Serampore press would； 〃like the phoenix of antiquity； rise from its ashes； winged with new strength； and destined； in a