Page:On the education of the people of India (IA oneducationofpeo00trevrich).pdf/46

32 a better examination for the time they have attended lectures, nor, indeed, that an equal number of boys would be found so nearly on a par in their acquirements. The differences are those rather of different age, different natural ability, or retention of memory. The faults of explanation are trifling. Grammatical errors are more numerous, but allowance must be made for them in boys writing in a foreign tongue, in the rudiments of which they have been unequally instructed.

“Many of the papers show that, besides attending to the words of the lecturer, the writers have studied his manual, indeed some seem almost to use his very words; but I by no means regard this as a fault; on the contrary, it proves attention and interest in the subject of their studies. One or two go farther, and quote other authorities, to which they must have had recourse in their reading up; and as it could not be known what subject would be placed before them, this betokens a considerable acquaintance with chemical authors. One pupil, indeed, details the whole series of toxicological tests for discovering arsenical poisons; and I should be inclined to award the highest place to him, were there not some inaccuracies in his too brief notice of the general properties of the metal.” Mr. James Prinsep is secretary to