PREFACE 
Tiie first year of our Editorial labours has closed, and we may- 
be allowed to congratulate those who have taken an interest in the 
success of our experiment, on the completion of one volume, at least, 
of our Scientific Gleanings in India. We have every reason to be 
satisfied with the encouragement we have received ; as our list of 
subscribers published herewith will fully prove. The work may now 
be considered to be fairly established, as it will involve no charge, or but 
a very small one, to the conductor, for the ensuing year. What has 
occurred in the past has been chiefly the effect of an over-estimate as 
to tilts number of copies likely to be required. This will of course 
be corrected. 
That there should be (at least for some time to come) a demand 
for such a work, sufficient to remunerate a competent Editor for his 
trouble, or enable him to purchase the assistance of able contributors, 
as was proposed at the outset of the present work, is perhaps scarcely 
to be expected. One of our brethren of the weekly press has observed, 
that till our system of education be improved. Science must continue 
at a low ebb; and we may add, not only in India, but in England. At 
present the object of education, as he has justly said, is to teach the 
knowledge of words, not things. The almost total ignorance in which 
men of excellent talents, and otherwise of the best education, are im- 
mersed, on subjects of the greatest curiosity and interest, is truly sur- 
prising ; nor can it be accounted for in any way, but by considering 
the strong bent given to the mind w hen young, by the undue import- 
ance attached to the study of a dead language. The folly' of suppos- 
ing all knowledge worth acquiring, to be confined to the classics, is 
fortunately', however, losing ground every day; and indeed, if nothing 
else should produce such a reform, the great progress of real know” 
ledge amongst the lower orders would compel it; otherwise, “ the pea- 
sant will be treading on the courtier’s kibe.” 
Comparing our encouragement with that given in England to simi- 
ar a ours, we have no reason to complain: nor does India suffer in 
comparison. The modem Babylon, with her countless multitudes. 
