Perhaps to no class in India are entrusted duties so onerous, and so difficult as to our Missionaries of whatever persuasion. Theirs is the task to revive a dying civilization, to set together the pieces of a mind all but broken asunder by centuries of illusage. It is no unworthy element of their high aims that with them the cause of Education is identical with the cause of Christ's religion. The intelligence that springs from knowledge will, it may be hoped, be eventually an important channel for the introduction of religious truth. This intelligence is requisite, not only for the apprehension of the lofty morality of the Gospel, but also for the repudiation in the first instance, of the detestable impurities of Paganism. Before men will consent to believe a new truth, they must be dispossessed of what they already believe in opposition to it. Before they accept your premises you must convince them of the falseness of theirs. Ignorance is ever the ally of presumptuous confidence. And until its clouds are dispersed, the rays of truth will strike but feebly and fitfully. . The immediate effects of many great improvements and reforms have often the appearance of vices. The curse of evil is so comprehensive in its subtle bitterness, that it seems, as if no good may result without some attendant calamity. It is so with Education. Like other reformations, the reformation of the intellect must be gradual and progressive. Again, as happens to other reformations many are found who take it up as a false cry, many who regard it as a mere sentiment, many who repress it be-cause of their conversative tendencies, and many upon ultraradical principles clothe its progress with a temporary madness, deforming its natural beauty. It is not likely that Native Edu-cation in India will suffer from haste, for this requires resources, and resources come in tardily. But it is equally true that the natural progress of the native mind, in awaking from its sleep of ages to some consciousness of better aims and higher duties, has, not from haste to develope it, but because it was natural that it should be so, produced, in one province of India, results that are in a certain sense unjustly deplored. We are told, that in Bengal, Education has taken a capricious direction, and reduced the people, that have first come in contact with it, into little better than impious deists and worthless profligates. It may be so. It may be that the consciousness of unusual liberty, with an unusual absence of restraint, has brought with it an era of reckless extravagance and profusion in the use of the thinking powers. Yet we see no cause for discouragement in this. For to us the conclusion of the drama, of such momentous human interest, is not and will not be visible. There must inevitably be a long period of convalescence before the moral health of the people is re-instated. The longer the native mind has been in a state of thraldom, the worse will be its conduct when its freedom is once assured. But we must not lose sight of the reaction that must sooner or later come. It is surely an advance not be despised that the awaking mind looks back with some scorn on her past bondage, that the follies and the superstitions of the past are crumbling out of the memory. Whatever, the progress of education may have been elsewhere, in the Punjab it is in its very infancy. Before we go any further, it will be satisfactory to our readers to lay before them a brief account of the manner in which the department of Public Instruction is administered in the Punjab. The immediate head is, as in the other provinces, a director of Public Instruction, who, until the late centralization of accounts in his office, had little enough on his hands. The work of inspection and examination of schools, and the apportioning of patronage in the appointment of schoolmasters, rests chiefly with the Inspectors, three in number. The Director enjoys a substantive salary of 1200 rupees per mensem; the Inspectors draw between them 1800 rupees. This, it will be seen, is immensely below the average expenditure in Bengal or elsewhere. But the present state of education in the provinces does not permit of increased expenditure on this score. The Divisions appertaining to each Inspectorship are styled respectively the Amballah circle, the Lahore circle and the Rawul Pindee circle. The Amballah circle comprehends the country lying between Delhi and North West towards Ferozepore. The central portion of the Punjab is comprehended in the second or Lahore circle. The Rawul Pindee circle stretches away towards the frontier. There was not, until the last few months, any native supervising agency. The work of inspection and examination of schools, of all grades and of all descriptions whatsoever, rests almost entirely with Inspectors and with District officers whose connection with the Department will be explained further on. The Inspector is completely severed from office work and the burden of accounts, and is thus quite free to devote his energies to his more legitimate duties. The general direction of schemes of Instruction and control of the Department, together with the entire management of accounts, appertains to the Director. Schools are of three kinds. Zillah or Country Schools, Tehseeli or City Schools, and Village Schools. The control of the Zillah Schools is in the hands of Inspectors. The control over the rest, comprehended under the general name of Vernacular Schools, is entirely in the hands of district officers, who are expected themselves, as well as are their assistants, European and Native, to inspect and examine the schools, the appointment of teachers resting with Deputy Commissioners. The Inspector's connection with the Vernacular Schools consists in an annual visitation of as many as he can reach, and in the submission of periodical reports on their condition, and suggestions for their better management. The study of the English language is compulsory in every Zillah School. As yet of course this study is in its infancy. But, as a principle, the chief stress is laid upon proficiency in it. Miscellaneous knowledge is conveyed through the medium of Urdu and Hindi. These Schools are thus known as Anglo-Vernacular. The study of English has lately been conceded to Tehseeli Schools but conditionally; Government contributing a grant-in-aid equivalent to the amount raised by public subscriptions, assignable to this special purpose. The expenditure on account of Zillah Schools is drawn from the Imperial Revenues. The expenditure on account of Vernacular Schools is derived from a Fund created by the levy of a cess of one per cent on the net land revenue of the province. In addition to the expenditure on account of Zillah Schools with which the Imperial Revenues are burdened, these have to sustain the expenditure incurred on account of Normal Schools. These are institutions for training teachers destined to preside over the Vernacular Schools of the country. Lastly, in the matter of grant-in-aid schools the principle is to withdraw a Government School where a non- -Government School is being prosperously conducted; and for Government to contribute an amount equal to that assigned from the Mission Funds for educational purposes. The principle adopted by the local Government in relation to these schools is eminently liberal, and might with advantage be copied by the Government of the North West Provinces. The education officers simply inspect and examine the schools, reporting on them specially once a year. No further interference is permitted. The scheme of studies rests with the managers of such schools, who are simply required to keep the school in a state of efficiency, in return for the aid rendered by Government. The above will, we trust, convey to the reader some notion of the principles on which public instruction is carried on in the Punjab. For further information we must refer to the report for the year 1860-61. It is a bulky volume containing a mass of valuable information and statistics. Valuable, however, as the information is, it is too ill put together to arrest the attention of the ordinary reader. The style is scarcely above that of a juvenile prize-essay, and often detracts from the merit of matter that is really sound and substantial. The total number of pupils under instruction during the past year was 37,280. The population being rated at 14,794,611, it is at once evident, as Mr. Secretary Davies says, how inadequate are the means of instruction, and of the people how few make a use of them. In England and Wales in 1859 the number of children under instruction was, according to official reports, as high as 2,535,462. The number in some of the leading continental countries, compared with the numbers in England and in the Punjab, may be thus stated: the number of persons receiving instruction in Prussia (where it is compulsory) is 1 in 6.27; in England and Wales 1 in 7.7; in Holland 1 in 8·11; in France 1 in 9; and in the Punjab, about 1 in 396!* Quoting 'from Mr. Davies' letter-of the pupils 3,912 attend superior 'schools both Government and Private, and as a rule acquire a 'knowledge of English; and 33,368 attend inferior schools, in 'which the vernacular is the medium of tuition.' By Private' are of course meant supported or grant-in-aid (mostly Mission) schools. The total expenditure for the year was Rs. 418,510, of which Rs. 229,101 were derived from the one per cent cess paid by the agriculturists, and only Rs. 148,510, from the general revenues of Government.' It is useless perhaps at a time of financial pressure like the present to point out the discreditable smallness of the sum expended on education by Government. Yet even as a financial measure it were surely worth while taking some effective measures to reach those classes of the population who, when enlightened, always add to the strength of the state, but who, when uncivilized and uneducated, are invariably the dangerous classes. Further on we read: The Superior Schools have increased during the year from '6 to 20. There are 2,066 names, on the rolls. The preponder'ance of Hindoo students is remarkable, there being 1572 of 'that denomination to 377 Mahomedans, and 117 others; in 'all 2,066. The charge for these schools amounts to Rs. 55,305; 'Rs. 3930 are paid in fees. The Delhi School is the only one containing more than 300 pupils. There is no other school containing more than 200'. If we accept the number of scholars attending private schools as being equal to the number attending in Government institutions, the total average would be still enormous, about 1 in 200! "The Inferior Zillah Schools contain 243 scholars, of whom 169 are Hindoos, and 71 learn English. The charges amount 'to 2,610 rupees, of which 90 rupees are contributed by fees. "It is satisfactory to observe that the average attendance at the "Zillah Schools has during the last five years increased from 1,443 'to 2,018; and that the character of the education afforded has 'improved in a much greater proportion.' The Tehseeli Schools, from the conversion of some into Zillah Schools, fell from 140 to 123. The scholars have decreased from 10,353 in the preceeding year to 6,437, and the daily attendance from 7,636 to 4,564. Here again the Hindoos preponderate, the proportion being as follows: Hindoos, 4,282, Mahomedans 1,741, other races 413. Of the pupils 2,934 were studying Persian, 5127 Urdu, 1229 Nagri, and 161 other dialects. Village schools have been reduced in number from 1,704 to 1,686, the scholars from 37,000 to 32,165, and the daily attendance from upwards of 30,000 to 26,867.' There were studying, Hindoos 15,876, Mahomedans 13,390, others 2,899. The numbers studying each vernacular dialect were, Persian 14,237, Urdu 27,442, and Hindi 4,518. The cost of educating each pupil during the year has been, in the superior Zillah schools, 31-5-0; in the inferior Zillah schools 10-5-9; in the Tehseeli schools 6-7-10; and in the Village schools 4,10-3. The average cost for each scholar in England was during 1859, 30s. ; in Ireland it is stated to be only 19s. Considering the circumstances under which the Department of Public Instruction in India is placed, the charge for education in the Punjab seems moderate enough. Of Female schools there are 38 under Government supervi'sion, supported like other vernacular schools from the one per cent fund.' Of the whole number 29 were organized in the Jullundhur district, under the personal direction of Captain Elphinstone, the Deputy Commissioner. There were altogether 812 scholars at the close of the year, and the average number attending daily throughout the year was 671. In another portion of his report Captain Fuller says 'Mr. Spencer (one of 'the Inspectors) suggests the expediency of providing industrial occupation for the pupils in Female schools. This might be 'found practicable and useful in the case of the poorer clas'ses.' The proposal is, at all events, worth consideration, there is an excellent orphanage at Loodianah under the charge of the American Mission, for the support of Native Christian Girls, in which the principle of industrial occupation is advantageously carried out. The girls are not over educated. And those of the |