LUKE.

CHAP. I.

The dayspring from on high hath visited us.-Verse 78.

A KING'S minister once remarked concerning the daughter of Pandeyan, after she had been in great trouble on account of the danger in which her husband had been placed: "She had seen the great ocean of darkness, but now she saw the rising sun, the dayspring appeared."

CHAP. II.

They, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey.-Verse 44.

We are assisted in our views on this subject by the large companies of people here in their progress to the Heathen festivals, and on their return. Ten or twenty thousand sometimes come together to one ceremony; and it is almost impossible for friends and relations to keep together. In proceeding homeward, therefore, though they cannot find each other in the way, they do not give themselves any trouble, as they consider it to be a matter of course to be thus separated.

CHAP. IV.

Physician, heal thyself.-Verse 23.

In the same way do the people here recriminate on each other. "You teach me to reform my life! go, reform your own." "Doctor, go, heal yourself, and you shall then heal me." "Yes, yes, the fellow can cure all but his own wife and himself."

CHAP. V.

We have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing.-Verse 5. In general, the fishermen of the East prefer the night to any other time for fishing. Before the sun has gone down, they push off their canoes or catamarans,* each carrying a lighted torch; and, in the course of a few hours, multitudes of them may be seen out at sea, or on the rivers, rendering all round like an illuminated city. They swing the lights about over the sides of the boat; which the fish no sooner see than they come to the place, and then the men cast in the hook or the spear, as circumstances may require. They have many amusing sayings about the folly of the fish, in being thus attracted by the glare of a torch.

CHAP. VII.

He sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.-Verse 3. "John calling unto him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come?" (Verse 19.)

This is the Oriental way of making an inquiry or a propitiation. Does a man wish to know something about another? he will not go himself, because that might injure him in his future operations; but he calls for two or three confidential friends, states what he wants to ascertain, and tells them how to proceed. They perhaps first resort to some neighbour, to gain all the information they can; and then go to the man himself. But they do not at once tell him their errand: no, no! they try the ground, and make sure of their object, before they disclose their purposes. Should they, however, be in doubt, they have the adroitness to conceal their plans; and if asked what they want, they simply reply: Chuma, that is, "Nothing;" they only came to say salam, had not seen the honoured individual for a long time, and therefore wished to set their eyes on him. When a person desires to gain a favour, as did the centurion, he sends an elder, a respectable person, to state his case; and there is generally an understanding that the messenger, if he succeed, shall share in the benefit. If • Three trees lashed together.

flattery, humiliations, and importunities can at all avail, he is sure to gain the point.

This woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Verse 45.

See that poor woman whose husband has committed some crime, for which he is to be taken to the magistrate: she rushes to the injured individual, she casts herself down, and begins to kiss his feet; she touches them with her nose, her eyes, her cars, and forehead: her long hair is dishevelled, and she beseeches the feet of the offended man to forgive her husband. "Ah my lord! the gods will then forgive you." "My husband will in future be your slave, my children will love you, the people will praise you; forgive, forgive, my lord!" See the remarks on John xii. 3.*

CHAP. IX.

Suffer me first to go and bury my father.-Verse 59.

It is considered exceedingly desirable for children to be with their parents when they die; they then hear their last requests and commands, and also can perform the funeral rites, in such a way as none but themselves are capable of doing. It is just before death, also, that the father mentions his property; especially that part which he has concealed in his house, gardens, or fields. It is, therefore, a very common saying: "When I have buried my father, I will do this or that." Should a young man be requested at any time to do that which is not

The noble Roman Signior Pietro della Valle, who travelled through India in 1623, says, "As I was going along the streets to behold the pomp, I saw many persons come with much devotion to kiss the feet of all those Giangamoes, who on foot followed the principal Giangamo, who was in the palankeen; and because they were many, and it took up much time to kiss the feet of them all, therefore when any one came to do it, they stood still all in a rank to give him time; and whilst such persons were kissing them and for more reverence touching their feet with their foreheads, these Giangamoes stood firm with a seeming severity and without taking notice of it, as if they had been abstracted from the things of the world; just as our Fryers used to do when any devout persons come, out of reverence, to kiss their habit: but with hypocrisie, conformable to their superstitious religion.-London, 1665; Sold at the Blew Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New Exchange,"

agreeable to his father, he says, "Let me first perform the funeral rites, and then I will do it."

СНАР. Х.

I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.-Verse 18. Very sublime allusions are often made in Tamul poetry to the velocity and power of lightning. The bow with which Indran, the king of heaven, fought his enemies, had lightning for its string. Of the movements of the gods it is said, “They sprang, they darted like lightning." Those who are struck by lightning are believed to be favoured of the gods.

CHAP. XII.

There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.-Verse 2.

"The goddess of the earth will only conceal things for a season; the time will come when she will make all things known." "Your secrets must all come out: is there any thing large enough to cover the mouth of the world?" "True, true, that which is known to one person only is a secret; but that which is known to two is not so." "All thy secrets are known to another!"

CHAP. XIV.

I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them.-Verse 19. This was not such a trifling affair as some have supposed; for it should be remembered, it is with oxen only that the Orientals perform all agricultural labour. Such a thing as a horse attached to a plough or cart, amongst the natives, I never saw. A bullock unaccustomed to the yoke is of no use; they therefore take the greatest precaution in making purchases of this kind, and will never close the bargain till they have proved the cattle in the field.* Nor will the good man • The bargain to which allusion is made in the verse, was probably not closed.

trust to his own judgment, he will have his neighbours and friends to assist him. The animals will be tried in ploughing softly, deeply, strongly, and they will be put on all the required paces, and then sent home. When he who wishes to purchase is fully satisfied, he will fix a day for settling the amount and for fetching the animals away. Five good yoke of oxen from the opposite coast cost from £60 to £70.

CHAP. XVI.

And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.-Verses 1-8.

Abraham is the first man mentioned in the scriptures, who had a steward in his house. (Gen. xv. 2.) Joseph also had a ruler of his house, who in another place is called a "steward," and he "that was over his house." It was to him that the order was given to prepare a feast for the brethren; and to him they related their troubles in reference to the money being found in their sacks. He endeavoured to calm their minds, and said, "Peace be to you, fear not." And he brought Simeon to them, to show that he was alive; and "gave them water to wash their feet." One of the monarchs of Israel was "drinking himself drunk" as a guest in the house of his "steward," when slain by Zimri, the captain of half of his chariots. (1 Kings xvi. 9.) David also had "stewards" over his "treasures" and "store-houses." And a similar officer