20 Mr. Mayne on the Administration of Native Law 



lately the Indian legislature consisted, at first of three knots, 

 and afterwards of a single knot, of Europeans, all from 

 their antecedents highly conservative, and from their res- 

 ponsibility nervously anxious not to do anything which 

 might alarm Native prejudice. How deeply felt, and how 

 utterly ungrounded, such fears were, is shown by the long de- 

 lay which took place before widow-burning was abolished, and 

 by the perfect composure with which its abolition was accept- 

 ed by the Hindus. It is evident that such a body was very 

 unlikely to attempt to remodel a law, whose inconveniences 

 they did not feel, unless some strong cry was got up against 

 it. The Natives, however, are not a people to get up a 

 strong cry about anything, and certainly will not exert 

 themselves in favour of a reform. Besides, legislation aims at 

 sweeping measures and general uniformity. But improve- 

 ments in law are ever most salutary when they are most 

 gradual, and the differences of race and usage in India 

 render uniform legislation almost impossible. 



On the whole, then, it may be said, that while the growth 

 of the community rendered many changes in its laws most 

 advisable, those changes could only be made by the Judges 

 or the Legislators. Of these, the Judges who would make 

 reforms could not, and those who could make reforms would 

 not, while the Legislators neither could nor would. 



The recent subdivision of the Indian Legislature, and the 

 admission of Natives as Members of Council, and as Judges 

 of the High Court, will tend to remedy the evils at which 

 I have glanced. But I fear that it will be long before the 

 indolence and timidity which has marked our internal ad- 

 ministration, will give way to a bolder and wiser policy. 



There are, it is true, some circumstances which have coun- 

 teracted the obstacles to reform that I have just mentioned. 

 The influence of the Native Judges and Court officials has 



