Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/379

Rh The following signatures are attached to a third paper of precisely the same purport:—


 * PARMANANDA SARMANA,
 * KALANATHA SARMANA,
 * THAKUR DATTA SARMANA,
 * (Private Professors, Tirhoot District).

No effort has been used to obtain these signatures, and in every case they were received with such explanations as left the pundits perfectly free to give or withhold them. An unqualified concurrence of opinion was expressed by all those pundits to whom the subject was mentioned, with the exception of those in Tirhoot where, as the poor and ignorant are poorer and more ignorant, so the wealthy and the learned are more narrow and bigoted, than the corresponding classes in other districts. Even in Tirhoot, the three pundits who signed, expressed the opinion that, if any measure was adopted for the encouragement of learning, those who now appear most timid and suspicious would be most forward to participate in the advantage. Upon the whole, I entertain no doubt that the majority of the learned in Bengal and Behar will readily co-operate with Government, if they are allowed to receive a share of the general encouragement to be given to the teachers of sound and useful knowledge.

The only remaining questions are to what extent their co-operation may be required, and with what rewards it should be acknowledged and secured—

First.—The text-books employed should not be mere translations either from English or Bengali, but original works on the same subjects as the Bengali series, with such additions of matter and of illustration as will include the substance, both of European and of native knowledge, on the branches treated. The learned will thus be taught on the one hand to identify their feelings and interests with those of their countrymen in general, and encouraged on the other hand to employ their greater leisure in thoroughly studying the subjects on which the welfare of the people and the prosperity of the country depend. We may thus hope that the profound, acute, and vigorous intellects that are now laboriously employed on vicious fables and fruitless speculations will receive a practical bias from which the happiest results may be expected.

Second.—To every examiner a pundit should be attached to aid him in examining those pundits who may accept books for study and afterwards offer themselves for examination, in the same manner as has been described with respect to teachers of vernacular schools. The assistant-pundit should be the most distinguished and most highly respected in the district, that the weight of his talents and repute may conciliate public approbation to the measures of Government; but he should be made