Page:Littell's Living Age - Volume 125.djvu/251

Rh and caused an immense deal of oppression and irritation: and I should doubt the legislative capacity and higher statesmanship of any one who upheld the income-tax in India, and do not think Sir Richard Temple showed to advantage as a financier and member of council; but the Bengal famine has happily served to display his great powers. One of his invaluable qualities as an administrator is his extraordinary and almost instinctive knowledge of character. He is said — and I can well believe it — never to make a mistake in choosing his agents, almost never to overlook a man of ability who comes within his Sphere, or to set men to unsuitable work. One of the correspondents of the home press, seeing Sir Richard at work in the famine-districts, well remarked that nature seemed to have intended him for the command of a great army. His reticence and almost taciturnity struck me as a very agreeable variety from the pomposity of certain Bombay officials, who turned up the whites of their eyes and really appeared to become ill when any one whom they imagined did not stand upon their own fancied level spoke to them consecutively for half a minute. Sir Richard does not imagine that wisdom of every kind, or even a knowledge of India, is confined to his own bosom, and is more anxious to learn the opinions of others than to volunteer his own. This is a very frequent characteristic of great men of action; and another impression which they leave, and one he conveys, is that of possessing a large fund of reserve power. I may add that, like Lord Northbrook, he practises as an amateur painter, besides having time to take his breakfast; and some of his sketches struck me as showing a very remarkable power of understanding and artistically reproducing the life of trees. He has also done much to promote archæological research in India, and almost every kind of intellectual development.

The new financial member of council is Sir William Muir, whom I have already alluded to in his position as governor of the North-West Provinces. No member of the Civil Service is more generally respected, or could be more valuable in the consultative department of the Indian government. An accomplished oriental scholar, especially in Mohammedan literature and history, he is equally distinguished as an administrator. Though Sir William is cautious, and what is called "a safe man," yet as a lieutenant-governor he showed that, when his ripe judgment was convinced, he could take a course of his own in direct opposition to the strong tendencies of the supreme government. Notably this was the case in regard to the income-tax, to the oppressive working of which he called attention in the most effective manner, at a time when the higher powers were determined that it should appear only in a roseate light. In the North-West Provinces, however, while personally liked, much animosity was excited, especially among non-official Englishmen, by what was considered to be his undue favouritism towards what are called the educated natives. I was somewhat surprised at the depth and fierceness of the resentment which had thus been excited. One man, in a responsible position, went so far as to say that the next rebellion in India would be on the part of the Europeans and Eurasians, and that when such a movement arose, every English soldier who had been six months in the country would be on their side. This may appear very absurd to Indian officials, who know little of the passions raging in the hearts of the people round them, whether natives or Europeans; but I think there is something in it, and that it correctly enough indicates the existence of feelings which are not without some ground. Another remark of this man, who was educated, shrewd, and had a wide and varied experience of the world, is worth noting, without attaching to it more importance than it deserves. He said: "The civilians think that India was made for themselves and the natives alone, and it is becoming every day more impossible for non-official Englishmen to live in the country; but the natives are discovering that the civilians are quite unnecessary also, and it will end in our all having to go together — the Englishmen to England, and the natives to massacre, famine, and pestilence."

Of the commander-in-chief in India, Lord Napier of Magdála, it would be difficult to write in terms of too high praise. His capacities as a soldier are well known, having been abundantly proved in India, Abyssinia, and China; and his thoughtful care for the wellbeing of the troops under his command, and great consideration for the most of those with whom he comes in contact, have made him hosts of friends. I say "the most" advisedly; for Lord Napier has the character of being a good hater. As Lord Northbrook, also, be has a very 