39

THE MOHAMMEDAN CONTROVERSY

made use of in this treatise towards the blessed Saviour, cannot but cut the Christian to the heart.

The reply take up the writer's positions in detail, but classes them under several heads. It is good as far as it goes; but the style is monotonous1 and meagre, and the author wants the vigorous, lucid, and attractive language of his opponent, to gain a favourable audience for his arguments. Nor does he sufficiently descend into particulars. However absurd many of these may be, it is proper that they should all have a reply:because the work is in the hands of so many, and the ignorance of the vast majority so great, that they will not perceive the fallacies until they are plainly pointed out. The frequent and copious extracts from the Bible which occur in almost every page of the Saulat, would have afforded Mr. Rankin by Mr. Rankin, of the American mission at Futtehgurh, is a creditable performance. It does not

1 The stops, commas, colons, and notes of interrogation must sadly puzzle the Mohammedan reader, and probably raise a contemptuous smile and what is the use of them? Good Urdoo is perfectly intelligible without stops, and if the style be bad and obscure, why, then, they only add to the reader's difficulty. The star as a stop is quite sufficient, and even that should be used sparingly. Let us consult the tastes and adapt our writings to the habits and ideas of our readers: if we do not, we only defeat our own object; for inconsiderable as such things may appear to us, the unfavourable effect upon their minds is immense., A late Review on "the French Lake," well described the feeling of repugnance entertained by Oriental nations towards foreign appearances; a smart Frenchman is there stated to be the very quintessence of aversion and contempt of the believer, who points to him in the streets, "Look, my child, to what you would come, if you were to deny the Prophet and become an infidel!" Adopt the native publications as your model: if you cannot afford to lithograph, at all events consult the habits of your readers, and keep as close to their favourite and long-rooted customs as possible; and above all, avoid with the utmost caution, every thing foreign either in style or appearance. If you require notes, throw them into the lateral margin, and not to the bottom of the page with distracting marks of reference as in the Dîn Haqq. Many excellent publications have issued from the Allahabad press, especially a series of valuable tracts by the Rev. Mr. Wilson, whose introduction to the Coran was noticed in a former number: but most of them labour under the disadvantages we have been noticing. If our adversaries can afford to lithograph, why cannot we? Pfander's publications are a model in their appearance, as well as their contents.