Page:Macaula yʼs minutes on education in India, written in the years 1835, 1836 and 1837 (IA dli.csl.7615).pdf/35

Rh the stipends, or to increase their number and diminish their vuluevalue [sic], would any student have dreamed of complaining that he was deprived of a vested interest? or suppose that it had been determined to fix on a higher standard of proficiency as necessary to entitle a student to an increase, would this have been spoliation? Suppose that it had been determined to make a law that no student who was not able to read a particular book, or who had not attended a certain number of days, should be entitled to promotion, would this have been spoliation? I cannot think that anybody would answer these questions in the affirmative; and if not, then, I say, there was no vested right. For if there were a vested right, that right is as much invaded when it is made by an ex post facto law dependent on a new contingency as when it is wholly abolished. I vote against the promotion.—[Book K. page 142.] 5th April, 1837.

Prizes at the Hindu College.—The report is on the whole satisfactory and the essays respectable. We ought to thank Dr. Mill for his valuable services on this occasion.

If I understand rightly, the old practice with respect to prizes will be followed at the approaching distribution. I must again repeat that in my opinion it is worse than useless to bestow honorary distinctions on more than the two or three highest in each department of study. I hope that we shall soon introduce into the Hindoo College the same system which we have established elsewhere. I shall be happy to attend, and still more happy if the Governor General would consent to be present. I am certain that he will be here, as he always was in England, a firm friend to education. But we must consider that his time is very much occupied and that he has already agreed to give a morning to the introductory lecture at the Medical College. Two mornings in a month are a good deal to ask from a Governor General.—[Book J. page 63.] 12th March, 1836.

Prizes at Benares (37 to 149 boys.)—Certainly too much. Our honorary rewards are quite depreciated by this sort of over-issue. The attention of the Local Committee must be called to the subject.—[Book K. page 84.] 28th July, 1836.

Good prizes for Essays.—I approve generally of Mr. Trevelyan's propositions. As the scholars in our Schools make advances in their studies, considerable modifications of these rules will become necessary. At present, I see no objection to adopting them as they stand.

I am not sure that it is desirable that one fixed sum of Rs. 50 should be the prize for the best Essay. Much must depend on the extent of the composition. At some Schools 20 Rs. would be enough. A hundred or two hundred would not be consi-