243e Substitution of the Roman [No. 8, new series* 



as necessary as ever for Europeans to learn the sounds of the 

 various vernaculars, and this could only be done by listening to and 

 imitating the pronunciation of Natives, but the trouble, perplexity, 

 and delay arising from the assumed necessity of learning intricate 

 native characters would be at an end. 



It is true that a man who is thoioughly determined to learn a 

 language will not allow himself to be baffied by any written cha- 

 racter, however difficult. An enthusiast will get over the difficul- 

 ties of the Chinese sjanbols themselves. But all men are not en- 

 thusiasts. It is desirable that all Europeans resident in India — 

 merchants and soldiers, as well as missionaries and civilians, 

 ladies as well as gentlemen — should learn one at least of the ver- 

 naculars ; but the necessity of overcoming at the outset so consi- 

 derable a difficulty deters the majority of non-official persons from 

 even making the attempt. Most East Indians also, though they 

 can talk the native languages fluently, are deterred by the diffi- 

 culty of the character from learning to read, and in consequence, 

 they exert much less influence in the country than they might 

 otherwise do. 



The necessity of using the Indian characters is found, however, 

 to retard the progress of even the earnest student. We are con- 

 stantly told that the native characters may be got up in a few days, 

 and that after that all difficulty is at an end. But is this really so ? 

 "Why is it then that so few Europeans can read any book or MS. 

 in any of the native languages fluently ? Why is it that you 

 might almost count on your little finger the number of Europeans 

 in the Madras Presidency who can ivrite with any degree of rapi- 

 dity in the native characters ? The explanation is, that the Indian 

 characters are so complicated and the modes in which the vowels 

 are denoted and affixed to the consonants are so numerous and 

 intricate, that fluent reading and ready writing are really very 

 difficult attainments. I never met with an European who could 

 read any vernacular book fluently at sight (leaving the meaning of 

 what was read out of account) under a couple of years' constant 

 labour and study, and there are some who never acquire this faci- 

 lity at all, but are always obliged to spell their way through a book 

 in private before they can venture to read it in public. 



