311 



in a manner not very very dissimilar to that in which 

 other people, similarly situated and in a similar 

 stage of social, moral, and intellectual progress, would 

 act. Before the powerful influence of self-interest 

 was allowed to form so fundamental a portion of 

 our Eropean systems of Economy, the contrast 

 between the English and the Bengali landlord was 

 not so great as it is now ; and if we excuse the 

 Government on the ground of its being precluded 

 from deriving any profit from the outlay of its 

 capital, we must assuredly make some allowance for 

 the Zemindar, who, though deeply interested, is at 

 least two centuries behind the Englishman in educa- 

 tion and social progress. My intention, then, is not 

 to bespatter the Bengali with dirt; but simply to 

 point out to those who know less of the people of 

 India than those on the spot, that before plunging 

 irrevocably into a policy which, if mistaken, will 

 inevitably prove disastrous, some more certain data 

 than ( anxious wishes ' and ' confident expectations/ 

 are necessary, if it be desired that its results should 

 be different to those which have attended other 

 measures introduced with similar intention. 



It is distinctly stated that the object aimed at 

 by a perpetual settlement in India, is to improve 

 the condition of the people, so as to enable them to 

 bear direct taxation. Now the people of all countries 

 living under anything approaching a constitutional 

 Government, have, undoubtedly, a right to pro- 



