Page:Reports on the State of Education in Bengal (1835 & 1838).djvu/532

Rh mation of these infant profligates appear to be particularly needed.”

The Court of Directors in a revenue letter to Bengal, dated 15th January 1812, makes the following remarks on the means of improving the system of Indian agriculture:—“To a Government taking an interest in the improvement of the country with a view to the increase of its own revenue, it might be a farther subject of consideration whether more could not be done than has hitherto been attempted towards bettering the system of Indian agriculture. The rural economy of the Hindus we understand, generally speaking, to be wretched in the extreme. The rudeness of their implements, the slovenliness of their practice, and their total ignorance of the most simple principles of science, are said to be equally remarkable. It has, however, been stated in a late publication that the agriculture of some parts of Mysore constitutes an exception to this remark; while it shows the Hindoo farmer in certain situations to be neither stupid nor indocile. Whether the general system of cultivation be susceptible of improvement, and whether Government can successfully contribute to the accomplishment of so desirable an object, are questions, though of high moment, perhaps not easy of solution. But if an attempt at improvement is at all to be hazarded under the auspices of Government, it surely cannot be made in any way with such prospect of success as when coupled with a plan for rendering it subservient to the increase of the Government revenue as well as to the prosperity of its subjects. The nature of this attempt and the mode in which it ought to be directed would rest with those to point out whom residence in the country and an intimate acquaintance with the characters and manners of the natives may have qualified for giving advice upon such topics. It is of all things desirable to ascertain whether the rude implements and accustomed processes of the Indian peasant could be advantageously supplanted by those of Europe, and whether the establishment of experimental farms in various parts of the country hinder the superintendence of proper persons selected by Government for the purpose might not be useful, in the way of example, as a corrective of some of the vices and defects of the prevailing system. We are fully sensible that the poverty, prejudices, and indolence of the natives of India strongly operate against improvement. These