may be termed a practical education, for that profession which he is to follow; nor is he employed in any office of responsibility until he is in some measure fitted for a discharge of its duties. He is not entrusted with money and power until his judgment and discretion are matured, and until habits of business and application are become familiar to him. But the Company's Servants are sent to the enjoyment of wealth and power while they are yet boys. On their arrival they are, indeed, sent to a College; but let it be remembered, that the one half, or more than the one half, consider this college as a second school, revolt against it, and learn nothing; the other half learn only the native languages,―a very necessary requisite to the due discharge of their duty, but still only one out of many requisites. Relieved from the trammels of college, no inconsiderable portion of the young men lead a life of comparative indolence and extravagance, as assistants to Collectors Collectors and Commercial Residents. The vita the rest, entering the judicial line, are burdened with the cares, and invested with power attending the office of a Judge, while, as yet, they have scarcely one qualification for the situation excepting a knowledge of the languages. The duties they have to perform will not admit of study. Their leisure hours, (which are few in number now-a-days) they must employ in exercisé, or within a few years their constitution is ruined. But, even allowing that some few of them find opportunity to study, and wish to direct their attention to the history of the country, the manners of the natives, their habits, religion, revenue, and land-tenures, which are the most interesting objects of inquiry; still, one great means of information, namely, an actual intercourse with the natives, is denied them, from the false idea, that it is inconsistent with the dignity of their station, station, and attainable only by a private individual residing among the natives, and familiarly conversing with them, and not by a public servant. From these causes it arises, that we are not possessed of a single work of a nature to instruct, or even to point out the means of instruction to the young Civilian. In the following Essay, one of their own number, who has laboured under all the disadvantages above stated, has attempted to supply this defect. He has endeavoured to furnish them with a few rules for their conduct at their first outset in the Indian world. has, in the next place, turned his attention to the actual state of the country and character of the natives, under which subject the landed tenures of India, and the condition of the Ryots, or labourers of the soil, are more particularly considered. He The The work is concluded by some considerations on the Police of India, and the Means for its Improvement,-a subject of the most vital importance, as it deeply involves the happiness of our Indian subjects. The Author submits his attempts to his fellow Civilians, and to his employers, the East India Company, earnestly hoping, that they will bestow some reflection on the situation of the Junior Members of their service, who are destined one day to govern their Eastern Empire. He shall only add, that his efforts will be far from lost, should they in any degree induce a more attentive consideration of these subjects than they have hitherto received; still less will they be in vain, if, by any of those hints which are suggested on the subject of the lower classes in India, their present unhappy condition should be in any degree ameliorated. JUNE, 1813. CONTENTS VOLUME FIRST. The Situation of the Young Writers.-Their pre- vious Education.-Their Debts contracted at College. Their Studies there.-Of the Colleges Description of the Country, and its Population, with some account of the different Races of its Page |