CHAEACTEE SKETCHES 331 



in Calcutta, into which I should go unasked and be sure of 

 a hearty welcome ; indeed I may say I have been asked to 

 be the guest of more than that number of families. 



A few thumbnail sketches of character, mostly Indian, may 

 be added from the letters of these days ; the last, with its note 

 of self-reproach for too easy condemnation of unobservant 

 stupidity, is especially noteworthy. 



I see by the newspapers that was married. I 



sincerely congratulate his family upon it ; he is now provided 

 for, and he had not talents for a profession, interest for a 

 sinecure, nor industry enough for anything. I pitied him 

 for his circumstances as much as I liked his really amiable 

 disposition. 



Mr. X. was a civilian and known as * Jemmy Blague,' the 

 greatest liar in all India. His brother, Col. X., inherits the 

 title, and says of himself that he killed so many Beloochees 

 at Meanee, that Sir C. Napier had to stop him and took 

 away his sword, when the gallant Colonel doubled his heroic 

 exploits with the scabbard ! 



I have begun to like Capt. Y. in spite of his want of 

 sense. He is a truly kind-hearted fellow and neither captious 

 nor vain. When walking with me the other day, he men- 

 tioned that during three years of his childhood he had been 

 stone blind. I was very much struck with this, and I felt 

 ashamed of the harshness with which I had spoken of him. 

 True I never dreamed that what I said would ever come to 

 his ears ; perhaps, too, if he had enjoyed the use of four 

 eyes all that time he might not have profited by them ; 

 still, we really know very little of what we are doing when 

 we pass harsh judgments upon others and condemn their 

 conduct, and I felt tacitly rebuked for my want of charity. 



