Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/510

Rh liberal grants by Government. Although the great bulk of the Hindu community, so far as I can perceive, will not avail themselves of such assistance, still there are particular individuals who seem to be very sanguine on this subject and if they are sincere and earnest they will at any rate, it may be hoped, come forward and with Government aid, begin the experiment.

"I am free to confess that I do not place much reliance in them; but they will have no right to complain under the rules announced by the Government of India.

"I need hardly assure you that I fully appreciate the importance and desirableness of having female teachers for female learners; but if the social prejudice of my countrymen did not offer an insuperable bar, I would have been the first to second the proposition and lend my hearty co-operation towards its furtherance. But when I see that success is by no means certain and that the Government is likely to place itself in a false and disagreeable position, I cannot persuade myself to support the experiment.

"As regards the Bethune School I entirely go with you that the results are not proportionate to the amount expended upon it, but at the same time I cannot recommend its abolition altogether. As a memento of the services to the cause of female enlightenment in India of the great philanthropist whose name the Institution bears, it has, I submit,