It appears then of importance, that just views should be communicated of Astronomy, from which science Astrology has sprung; of the nature and movements of the planets, that the inhabitants of India may judge for themselves how far the predictions of the ignorant astrologers entitle their divination to belief; how far, in the daily and most momentous events of life, the calm dictates of reason, feeling, and experience should be set aside, because Jupiter is in Leo, or the moon in Scorpio !

that the clothes could not even be commenced upon until within six days of the marriage. The young man proposed to his parents to set aside the astrologer's prediction, as six days was quite inadequate to prepare the dresses requisite; but the parents overruled the impatience of their son, and would allow of no deviation from the dictate of the astrologer; so that the young man was obliged to postpone the operations of the tailors, and actually to take a party of them with him on his journey, to fetch his bride, to have them ready with their needles, to begin with alacrity their work, the moment time had reached the predicted and propitious hour named by the astrologer, when the sewing might, with safety, commence! The young man has had the advantage of education, both in the Persian and English languages, with both of which he has a fair acquaintance, and he has had much association with Englishmen. If, notwithstanding these advantages of education, astrologers have had such power over him, what must be their influence over the people generally!

The more intelligent amongst the inhabitants now venture to question the learning of astrologers, and to scrutinize in some degree their divinations. Let such be encouraged to study the science on which astrology is pretended to be based, and they may then have the gratification of drawing just conclusions for themselves.

Astronomy, more than any other science, conveys to the mind just views of the power and glory of the Creator; for "the heavens declare the glory of GOD, and the firmament showeth the work of HIS hand." The study of the most stupendous works of the Creator must greatly tend to remove those mean and degrading ideas of HIS power and attributes which too generally prevail.

Especially in this land, therefore, no school surely should be without such instruction, as, without occupying the scholar's time, or impeding his more important studies, tends at once to create awe and reverence to the CREATOR, to rectify popular errors, to gratify the scholar, and enlarge whilst it corrects his mind for the mechanical art of reading must be taught by the perusal of some book or other, and how many of our Primers teach mere words with

out ideas, or if ideas, puerile, and not such as shall fortify the young mind against the influence of the ignorant, or the designs of the crafty.

Whilst books of instruction in the Indian languages are so few, the most humble contribution may be useful; this Primer has, therefore, been prepared, as a mite towards the instruction of the people.

It has been arranged as a class book for the use of schools, with the view of affording facility to the study of the English and Hindustáni languages, by giving the aid of a translation of both in the opposite pages, with a translated vocabulary of the chief words, so that the learner may instruct himself, with very little aid from the teacher, and that the drudgery of the native student, in his daily task, whilst acquiring a language, may be relieved by the interest and pleasure he may be supposed to experience, whilst his mind expands to grasp the glorious truths which ASTRONOMY reveals; and that whilst learning a language, he may then insensibly be acquiring ideas which shall, through after life, enable him in many important matters, to judge for himself, between truth and error.

It would be ungrateful not to mention here, that this little work has been printed at the expense of the King of Oude, and will, by the same liberality, be distributed gratuitously to seminaries of instruction, where it may be required.

WAJIB HAI MUSANNIF PAR,

BAYAN SHUKR GUZARI INAYAT BADSHAHI KI,

KI YIH KITAB,

a

JANAB ABUNNASR, QUTABUDDIN, SULEMANIJAH, SULTAN I ADIL, NAUSHIRWAN I ZAMAN, NASARUDDIN HAIDAR

BADSHAH I AUDH KP MARAHMAT

AUR IMDAD MASA'RIF SE CHHA'PA' KI GAI, AUR AB TAQSIM KI JAEGI MADRASON AUR MAKTAB KHA'NON MEN, JIS JAGAH ZARURAT KUTUB KI' HOGI'.