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ohammedan cultivators as flowing from the relation of the people to the soil。 India was in truth a land of millions of peasant proprietors on five…acre farms； rack…rented or plundered by powerful middlemen； both squeezed or literally tortured by the Government of the day； and driven to depend on the usurer for even the seed for each crop。 War and famine had alternated in keeping down the population。 Ignorance and fear had blunted the natural shrewdness of the cultivator。 A foul mythology； a saddening demon…worship； and an exacting social system； covered the land as with a pall。 What even Christendom was fast becoming in the tenth century； India had been all through the eighteen Christian centuries。
The boy who from eight to fourteen 〃chose to read books of science； history； voyages； etc。； more than others〃； the youth whose gardener uncle would have had him follow that calling； but whose sensitive skin kept him within doors； where he fitted up a room with his botanical and zoological museum； the shoemaker…preacher who made a garden around every cottage…manse in which he lived； and was familiar with every beast； bird； insect； and tree in the Midlands of England； became a scientific observer from the day he landed at Calcutta； an agricultural reformer from the year he first built a wooden farmhouse in the jungle； as the Manitoba emigrant now does under very different skies； and then began to grow and make indigo amid the peasantry at Dinapoor。 He thus unconsciously reveals himself and his method of working in a letter to Morris of Clipstone：
〃MUDNABATI； 5th December 1797。To talk of continuance of friendship and warm affection to you would be folly。 I love you； and next to seeing your face； a letter from you is one of my greatest gratifications。 I see the handwriting； and read the heart of my friend； nor can the distance of one…fourth of the globe prevent a union of hearts。
〃Hitherto I have refrained from writing accounts of the country； because I concluded that those whose souls were panting after the conversion of the heathen would feel but little gratified in having an account of the natural productions of the country。 But as intelligence of this kind has been frequently solicited by several of my friends； I have accordingly opened books of observation； which I hope to communicate when they are sufficiently authenticated and matured。 I also intend to assign a peculiar share to each of my stated correspondents。 To you I shall write some accounts of the arts； utensils； and manufactures of the country； to Brother Sutcliff their mythology and religion； to Brother Ryland the manners and customs of the inhabitants； to Brother Fuller the productions of the country； to Brother Pearce the language； etc。； and to the Society a joint account of the mission。〃
He had 〃separate books for every distinct class； as birds； beasts； fishes； reptiles； etc。〃 Long before this； on 13th March 1795； he had written to the learned Ryland； his special correspondent on subjects of science and on Hebrew； his first impressions of the physiography of Bengal； adding： 〃The natural history of Bengal would furnish innumerable novelties to a curious inquirer。 I am making collections and minute descriptions of whatever I can obtain； and intend at some future time to transmit them to Europe。〃
〃MUDNABATI； 26th November 1796。I observed in a former letter that the beasts have been in general described； but that the undescribed birds were surprisingly numerous； and； in fact； new species are still frequently coming under my notice。 We have sparrows and water…wagtails； one species of crow； ducks； geese； and common fowls； pigeons； teal； ortolans； plovers； snipes like those in Europe； but others； entirely unlike European birds； would fill a volume。 Insects are very numerous。 I have seen about twelve sorts of grylli； or grasshoppers and crickets。 Ants are the most omnivorous of all insects； we have eight or ten sorts very numerous。 The termes； or white ants； destroy everything on which they fasten； they will eat through an oak chest in a day or two and devour all its contents。 Butterflies are not so numerous as in England； but I think all different。 Common flies and mosquitoes （or gnats） are abundant； and the latter so tormenting as to make one conclude that if the flies in Egypt were mosquitoes； the plague must be almost insupportable。 Here are beetles of many species； scorpions of two sorts； the sting of the smallest not mortal； land crabs in abundance； and an amazing number of other kinds of insects。 Fish is very plentiful； and the principal animal food of the inhabitants。 I find fewer varieties of vegetables than I could have conceived in so large a country。 Edible vegetables are scarce； and fruit far from plentiful。 You will perhaps wonder at our eating many things here which no one eats in England： as arum； three or four sorts； and poppy leaves （Papaver somniferum）。 We also cut up mallows by the bushes for our food （Job xxx。 4）。 Amaranths； of three sorts； we also eat； besides capsicums； pumpkins； gourds； calabashes； and the egg…plant fruit； yet we have no hardships in these respects。 Rice is the staple article of food。。。
〃My love to the students。 God raise them up for great blessings。 Great things are certainly at hand。〃
But he was also an erudite botanist。 Had he arrived in Calcutta a few days earlier than he did； he would have been appointed to the place for which sheer poverty led him to apply； in the Company's Botanical Garden； established on the right bank of the Hoogli a few miles below Calcutta； by Colonel Alexander Kyd； for the collection of indigenous and acclimatisation of foreign plants。 There he at once made the acquaintance； and till 1815 retained the loving friendship； of its superintendent； Dr。 Roxburgh； the leader of a series of eminent men； Buchanan and Wallich； Griffith； Falconer； T。 Thomson； and Thomas Anderson； the last two cut off in the ripe promise of their manhood。 One of Carey's first requests was for seeds and instruments； not merely from scientific reasons； but that he might carry out his early plan of working with his hands as a farmer while he evangelised the people。 On 5th August 1794 he wrote to the Society：〃I wish you also to send me a few instruments of husbandry； viz。； scythes； sickles； plough…wheels； and such things； and a yearly assortment of all garden and flowering seeds； and seeds of fruit trees； that you can possibly procure； and let them be packed in papers； or bottles well stopped； which is the best method。 All these things； at whatever price you can procure them； and the seeds of all sorts of field and forest trees； etc。； I will regularly remit you the money for every year； and I hope that I may depend upon the exertions of my numerous friends to procure them。 Apply to London seedsmen and others； as it will be a lasting advantage to this country； and I shall have it in my power to do this for what I now call my own country。 Only take care that they are new and dry。〃 Again he addressed Fuller on 22nd June 1797：
〃MY VERY DEAR BROTHERI have yours of August 9； 16； which informs me that the seeds； etc。； were shipped。 I have received those seeds and other articles in tolerable pre