Page:The empire and the century.djvu/742

 mind by Western thoughts is manifesting itself in many diverse forms of activity. Religion, politics, and social customs are all being modified by it, out it would take too long to consider the many and subtle ways in which it is affecting Indian life. Personally, I am strongly of opinion that it is working for good, that all the most earnest, hopeful movements which are at work in Indian society are more or less directly inspired by this new spirit, but I cannot deny that while in the transitional state some of its manifestations are hard to bear with unless a man both knows and sympathizes with the ideas which prompt them. Take, for example, the familiar and trying case of bad manners. Some Indians who have revolted from the old attitude of reverent submissiveness, and have adopted the English standard of independence and private judgment, intentionally discard the ceremonious deference of Eastern courtesy, and assume the easy manners of Englishmen. This is not because they want to be impertinent or familiar, but because they have come to feel that Oriental politeness is too servile; the English element in their composition revolts against self-abasement, and carries them over the border-line between independence and insolence; but it would be narrow intolerance to allow our distaste for bad manners to blind us to the sterling worth of the many reforms which are re-creating Indian society.

Now, although this new spirit has been called into existence by the Indian Government, we have never, strange as such neglect may seem, attempted to direct or control it. We have thrown the pages of English literature open to the people of India, and left them to take from it what they pleased. English education, which was the direct creation of the Government, has not hitherto arrived at guiding the development of Indian thought, or at the training of character. Theoretically, that is left to the boys' guardians; in practice it is generally neglected altogether. The course of an Indian boy's education is generally something like this: