I -0 Proceedings of tJie Asiatic Society. [JuNR, 



pose to those better qualified than themselves, viz. to this Society, 

 which has used it with that excellent effect which Major Lees has so 

 well described. I would have it then to be distinctly understood that 

 we neither take the part of the Orientalists against the Anglicists, nor 

 make the praise of one Governor the occasion of blaming any other 

 Governors living or dead. I think that we should confine ourselves 

 strictly to the compass of the resolution before us, viz. to express in 

 general terms our thanks to Mr. Macleod for promoting by his ad- 

 dress the study of Oriental Literature ; having regard not to parti- 

 cular expressions, but to the general tone and tenor of the address. 

 T have now carefully read it, and thinking that, particular phrases 

 apart, it is in the main admirable and excellent, I wish to give my 

 humble support to the motion before the meeting. For myself I 

 have no doubt that the Educational movement of 30 years ago has 

 resulted in great positive good. I think that the study of English, 

 and of all that English unlocks to the natives, has been attended witli 

 the greatest advantages both in an Educational and in a Political 

 point of view. I believe that if Education had been left to the San- 

 scrit and Arabic Colleges, we should have been worlds behind our 

 present point. No one in Calcutta can look round on the many edu- 

 cated and intelligent natives : no one can see the thorough, lively, 

 and healthy interest taken by the native youth in many discussions 

 in the English language, without being convinced that there has been 

 an enormous gain. At the same time I think it cannot be denied 

 that there are two sides to the picture — that there are certain draw- 

 backs to the English system of education. In the first place, it is 

 evident that the means available in Calcutta are not and probably for 

 generations will not be available in most parts of the country. For 

 many a long day, the Calcutta system cannot be general ; and it is 

 most undesirable that meantime the great body of the native youth 

 should be shut out from European learning. Again, nothing can be 

 more forcibly or better put, than the argument of the learned member 

 Babii Rajendra, in support of his own view of the case. It seems 

 clear that if a man must spend several years of his life in acquiring 

 a foreign language, as the mere vehicle of knowledge, the field must 

 be very much narrowed. So again as respects the Educational results 

 of the present system, there is, T think, a good deal of truth in these 



