THE COLONIES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 281 



850 miles; Krishna ditto, 700; Nerbudda, 700; Mahanundee ditto, 550 ; 

 Tuptee ditto, 460 ; Cavery ditto, 400." 



That a country so varied and extensive should possess a great va- 

 riety in its population of one hundred million mouths may be readily 

 conceived ; there is indeed a more marked distinction of character 

 among the inhabitants of British India, than in the whole continent 

 of Europe ; the reasons for which we will let Mr. Martin explain in 

 his own words 



" Have we not endless variety in climates, in soils, in waters, in mine- 

 rals, in vegetables, in fish, in insects, birds and quadrupeds, subject to certain 

 defined laws of the Creator, and influenced by natural causes ? why should 

 it be otherwise with the human race, who in colour, physiognomy, stature, 

 speech, gesture, habits, and mental as well as physical peculiarities present 

 such an extraordinary diversity that no two persons were ever found alike. 

 "Even in the same family, we see no two individuals having similar 

 characteristics : notwithstanding all the efforts of education, we find a dif- 

 ference in moral qualities as well as in mental capabilities ; in hand- 

 writing even, in the intonation of the voice, in gait, in animal propensities; 

 and this distinction, becomes the more marked, if we compare two brothers 

 with the nation of which they form a part, while a wider line of demar- 

 cation is seen on comparing the people of a province with those of 

 other and distant climes. That I may the better exemplify my assertion 

 as to the variety of British subjects in India, I request a moments attention 

 to Italy, where the climate and soil is so varied. In that classic land, we 

 have the descendants of a race of men as ancient in record as the Hindoos ; 

 but (as in Hindostan) the inhabitants of the north are essentially different 

 from those of the south ; the one produces the best soldiers (Rajpoots) the 

 other the keenest politicians, (Bengallees) ; the people of the low lands are 

 industrious, peacefnl, of tamer manners, or if I may so express my mean- 

 ing domesticated ; those of the high lands, of a wild and stormy temper, 

 generous but revengful, capable of the most heroic as well as the basest 

 deeds, of an uncultivated genius, and impatient of discipline; whence 

 then this marked contrast in Italy ? (a country so small compared with 

 Hindostan); the political institutes, the religion, the language is common to 

 all, but the climate and soil are essentially different. 



" The north of Italy is a fertile, champagne country, intersected by nu- 

 merous rivers, cultivated to an astonishing degree, covered with wide and 

 level roads, never ending avenues, and thickly-populated towns and villages, 

 with a highly luxuriant but dull and sleepy landscape; (this description 

 might serve for Lower Bengal) ; the south is crowned with purple tinged 

 mountained and golden edged clouds, diversified with stupendous and 

 sometimes inaccessible crags, foaming torrents, cashmerian vales, wild 

 but beautiful forests, and a scenery which presents the most splendid pic- 

 tures at every step ; (those who have visited many parts of the highlands of 

 India will recognize the same feature as in southern Italy.) Is it to be 

 wondered that the character of men inhabiting such different countries 

 should be dissimilar? Hence in the low, hot, and damp, swampy regions 

 of India, we have a timid, pacific, commercial, phlegmatic, and servile 

 race ; educated but prone to superstition, tyrants over females, yet addicted 

 to compliments, and extravagant in all the littleness attending on the cere- 

 monials of behaviour ; while in the elevated, dry and cool regions of our 

 possessions in Asia the inhabitants are fearlessly brave, filled with martial 

 ardour, chivalrous to women, courteous to strangers, glorying in deeds of 

 heroism, sanguine in their achievements, desperate enemies and warm 

 Mends, as individuals, serfs, yet proud, in the aggregate of national in- 

 M.M. No. 99. 20 



