Indian Public Works and Cognate Indian Topics (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1875. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. NATIONAL EDUCATION. Of the many important points connected with this great subject, not more than one or two will here be touched upon. The number of educational institutions in British India, governmentally maintained or aided, is understood to be about 40,000, at which instruction is given to about 1,300,000 pupils, at an expense to the State of between 700,000/. and 800,000/. What is here proposed to be shown is, first, how little good is done by so much--by far the larger portion--of this outlay as is absorbed by vernacular instruction; and, secondly, how very much more good might be done by applying it to the teaching of English. There is no great use in a key without some lock which it will fit, nor in being able to construe a language in which there are no books. Now, although in every hundred of Indian National Schools there may, perhaps, be one with an English class, in the remaining ninety-nine vernacular dialects alone are employed; and in no living Indian vernacular are there any books. This assertion will be no sooner heard than contradicted; but even though it be forthwith confronted by an Oordoo Bible, or a Teloogoo or Tamil primer, it need not on that account be withdrawn. If, as Johnson once remarked to his biographical satellite, I complain that there is no fruit in an orchard, what does it matter that some one comes presently, exclaiming, 'Sir, you are mistaken; you said there was no fruit, and see, here are two apples and three pears?' When saying that there are no Indo-vemacular books, of course I mean none to speak of; and certainly of most of such as there are, the less said the better. In the first place, with the exception of some half-dozen classics of the Bagh-o-Bahar type, they are all translations; and in the secon...