Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/49

 OF JAVA. 85 subjects which interest Mahomedans, law and re- ligion, and chiefly from the school of Shafihi, the orthodox doctor, whose peculiar tenets are profess- ed by the Javanese. In the Javanese schools a smattering of Arabic, with a religious view, is the only branch of in- struction. Javanese literature itself is no where taught as a branch of education, but left to be picked up as occasion offers. Its acquisition seems not to be considered as a thing of utility or neces- sity, but rather as an accomplishment which it may be agreeable to possess, but which it is no discre- dit to be ignorant of. Arithmetic, or other useful science, is unknown. I have seen many a chief of rank who could neither read nor write, and out of the whole population of an extensive village, you cannot always be sure that you will find an indi- vidual who can do so. A tolerable dexterity cal« culated for business is not to be met with in one among ten thousand. As far as concerns the wo- men, literary education may be said to be altoge- ther unknown. When one is seen who can read and write, she is looked upon as a wonder. I do not think that, during my extensive intercourse with the Javanese, I saw half a dozen who could do so. The palace of the Sultan of Java afforded but a single example. This want of education among the Javanese is the more remarkable, w^hen contrasted with the