32 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
Madras into England, and from England into the rest 
of Europe. Every Hindoo parent looked upon the 
education of his child as a solemn duty, which he 
owed to his God and to his country, and placed him 
under the schoolmaster of his village as soon as he had 
attained his fifth year. The ceremony of introducing 
him for the first time to the schoolmaster and his 
scholars was publicly recorded, and was attended with 
all the solemnity of a religious observance ; a prayer 
being publicly offered up on the occasion to the figure of 
Ganesa, the Hindoo god of Wisdom, which was at the 
head of every Hindoo school, imploring him to aid the 
child in his endeavours to learn and become wise.” 
It is a singular fact that the system of national edu- 
cation, introduced by the late Mr. Bell into this coun- 
try, and by which his name will be immortalized in 
its annals, should have emanated from a people whom 
we have been but too much accustomed, under the er- 
roneous impression excited by the present low ebb of 
their literature, to look upon as little better than semi- 
barbarians. The more, however, the treasures of their 
forefathers’ wisdom is brought into view, the more 
certainly shall we find that in mental resources they 
were not at all behind the ancient Egyptians. 
During the time that the college of Madura flou- 
rished, all persons were admitted as members, without 
any reference to caste, provided they had made the 
necessary proficiency in those branches of learning 
required by the canons of the college, which were 
always most strictly enforced. At that period, as 
well as now, the Pariahs were a degraded tribe : none 
of their race had ever become in any degree eminent 
