Page:On the education of the people of India (IA oneducationofpeo00trevrich).pdf/78

64 years before by Professor, who went on deputation to Benares on purpose. But a reform conducted on oriental principles, means exactly the reverse of what is usually understood by a reform. In this case, correctness can be obtained only at the expense of increased absurdity; and the nearer we approach to the standard, the further we must depart from truth and reason.

In the passage first quoted, Bishop Heber calls attention to a paper sent to him by Ram Mohun Roy to be put into Lord Amherst’s hands, “which for its good English, good sense, and forcible arguments, is a real curiosity as coming from an Asiatic.” This paper was a remonstrance against the establishment of the Sanskrit college at Calcutta, which was founded by Lord Amherst, in imitation of the older institution at Benares, long after the natives had become awakened to the value of European instruction, and had instituted from their own funds, without any assistance from the government, the Hindu college at Calcutta and the English school at Benares described by Bishop Heber, for the purpose of securing for their children the benefit of such instruction. Ram Mohun Roy had the improvement of his countrymen sincerely at heart, and he was sufficiently