Page:Convocation Addresses of the Universities of Bombay and Madras.djvu/163

 ladies should, I trust, present themselves in no small numbers at first and show their capacity for these examinations. Gentlemen, for myself I can see no ground why women should be excluded from the educational advantages which are extended to men. I will not insult the female good sense by wishing that they should be placed in all respects on an equality with men. They have their career—and a very high career of duty it is—which must always be entirely distinct from ours, but their intellects are as acute, their power of assimilating knowledge as great, and means of usefulness open to them by the acquisition of knowledge not inferior to those of men. In all countries the education and development of the female character must rest with female teachers. It may be that instruction in arts and sciences can best be conferred by men, but the formation of character must always rest with female teachers. How can female teachers be qualified to a due extent if they have not educational advantages open to them? Therefore I cannot see myself why the whole benefit of an University should not be extended to women; but in this country, until society greatly changes, we cannot hope—we cannot expect if we do hope—that women expect in their young years, can be present at mixed places of education. The education which they must receive after years of childhood, and many of them who have not had any educational advantages in childhood at all, must be derived, if at all, from female instructors. Therefore, I say in this country it is peculiarly advantageous that female education should be encouraged to the utmost extent; and that no advantages which this society can offer, should be denied to women, I have sometimes thought that we may be rash in judging what may be best for races and people and religions so different from our own as are those in this country: but I cannot be wrong in thinking that as we in old time derived all our knowledge and civilization from the East, so we should bring to the East and offer as a debt of gratitude the fruits of that which we derived from them; The result must be in the hands of your own people; and we must look to the leaders of society that what we think reforms shall have their support to be judiciously carried out. No greater bond can exist between the Natives of this country and their foreign rulers than the common desire for their future advantage. Gentlemen, finally, the Supreme Government have empowered this University, with those of Calcutta and Madras, to confer honorary degrees. This power will enable the University to reward merit in many quarters in which at present no recognition is possible. It will, I doubt not, be exercised with discretion and reserve, for, as in the case of fellowship, the value of such