his munificence, for his liberality amounts to this, I had heard much and knew some instances myself.

"With regard to the free press, I was curious to know the motives or apprehensions which induced Mr. Elphinstone to be so decidedly opposed to it in this country. In discussing the topic he was always open and candid, acknowledged that the dangers ascribed to a free press in India had been exaggerated,—but spoke of the exceeding inconvenience, and even danger, which arose from the disunion and dissension which political discussion produced among the European officers at the different stations, the embarrassment occasioned to government by the exposure and canvas of all their measures by the Lentuli and Gracchi of a newspaper; and his preference of decided and vigorous to half measures, where any restrictive measures at all were necessary. I confess that his opinion and experience are the strongest presumptions which I have yet met with in favour of the censorship.*

"A charge has been brought against Mr. Elphinstone by the indiscreet zeal of an amiable, but not well-judging man, the Field Officer of Cavalry,' who published his Indian travels, that he is devoid of religion and blinded to all spiritual truth.' I can only say that I saw no reason to think so. On the contrary, after this character which I had read of him, I was most agreeably surprised to find that his conduct and conversation, so far as I could learn, had been always moral and decorous; that he was regular in his attendance on public worship, and not only well-informed on religious topics, but well-pleased and forward to discuss them; that his views appeared to me, on all essential subjects, doctrinally correct, and his feelings serious and reverential; and that he was not only inclined to do, but actually did, more for the encouragement of Christianity and the suppression or diminution of Suttees, than any other Indian Governor has ventured on. That he may have differed in some respects from the peculiar views of the author in question, I can easily believe, though he could hardly know himself in what this

Compare with this the following extract of a letter of Mr. Elphinstone addressed to Sir Edward Colebrooke during the mutiny of 1857 :

"I am afraid it is too late to put any effectual restraint on the press in India, The press is a great system of circulation, of which the types and printing machines form only a part. When the art is once understood, a very small quantity of printing even in a language not more generally understood than English in India, is enough to furnish materials for a great quantity of manuscript, as well as of declamation, conversation, dissemination of rumours and alarms. This of itself would be more than a match for the Indian Government, and it would have an irresistible auxiliary in the press and public opinion of this country."

difference consisted, since I am assured that he had taken his opinion at second-hand, and not from anything which Mr. Elphinstone had either said or done. But I have been unable to refrain from giving this slight and imperfect account of the character of Mr. Elphinstone as it appeared to me, since I should be sorry to have it thought that one of the ablest and most amiable men ever met with was either a profligate or an unbeliever."

This tribute of admiration and gratitude, so creditable to Bishop Heber, is as truthful as it is beautiful and generous. Mr. Elphinstone, though the administration of supreme power of India was never in his hands (though it was pressed on his acceptance) was actually, in some important respects, the greatest of our Eastern statesmen. He excelled all our distinguished rulers in the knowledge of the country and people of India, and in the adaptation to them of public measures. In private intercommunion, both with natives and Europeans, he ever displayed a suavity, sincerity, dignity, and impartiality, which never failed to secure their respect and affection. His respect for religion was exactly as intimated by Bishop Heber. He was a regular attendant on divine ordinances; and he constantly expressed his regard, both by word and action, for the great principles and influences of our holy faith. He was not only tolerant of but friendly to the Mission cause, before it was duly appreciated by multitudes in authority in India. He was a regular and large contributor to the Bombay Bible Society, to the Scottish Mission (to the commencement of which he gave his decided countenance), and to other religious institutions, as shown in their annual reports. Under his government, allotments of two or three pieces of ground were made for schools to the American Mission, which were probably the first instances of "grants-in-aid" made in India.

To the "mixture of religion" with the Government plans of education, Mr. Elphinstone was decidedly opposed. The reasons of his opinion on this subject it is right to give in his own words :-"I am convinced," he wrote in his Minute on Education, "that the conversion of the natives must infallibly result from the diffusion of knowledge among them. Evidently they are not aware of the connection, or all attacks on their ignorance would be as vigorously resisted as if they were on their religion. The only effect of introducing Christianity into our schools would be to sound the alarm, and to warn the Brahmins of the approaching danger." It was only by degrees, indeed, that Mr. Elphinstone got to the position which he ultimately occupied with regard to native education. When he was Commissioner in the Dakhan,

as will have been already noticed, he was doubtful of the propriety of Government doing more than giving encouragement to the production of edifying works through the native press. In 1820 he took a decided step in advance: he presided over the meeting of the Bombay Education Society, at which the Native Education Society may be said to have originated. The primary object of that institution was the conveyance of knowledge through vernacular instruction. In 1823 he recorded his opinion that " without great assistance from Government, no progress can be made in that important undertaking." He proposed that Government should both encourage the existing society and add to its resources. "The following are the principal measures," he wrote, "required for the diffusion of knowledge among natives:-First, To improve the mode of teaching at the native schools, and to increase their number. Second, To supply them with school-books. Third, To hold out some encouragement to the lower orders of natives to avail themselves of the means of instruction thus afforded them. Fourth, To establish schools for teaching the European sciences and improvements in the higher branches of education. Fifth, To provide for the preparation and publication of books of moral and physical science in the native languages. Sixth, To establish schools for the purpose of teaching English to those disposed to pursue it as a classical language, and as a means of acquiring a knowledge of the European discoveries. Seventh, To hold forth encouragement to the natives in the pursuit of those last branches of knowledge." "The means by which the direct exertions of Government can be best applied to promote schools," he added, "is by endeavouring to increase their number, and on this I am of opinion that no pains should be spared." He was gratified beyond measure, when, on retiring from the Government of Bombay, he found the native princes, chiefs, and gentlemen of the Presidency, and its dependencies, determined to express their admiration of his character, and to perpetuate his name by the endowment of ELPHINSTONE PROFESSORSHIPS for teaching the literature and science of Europe, which they effected on a magnificent scale. This commemoration was even more gratifying to him than the determination to place his statue in the Town Hall, as was in due time done. "I am told," says Sir Edward Colebroke, "that when the proposal to raise the last-named tribute (that of the College) to his fame was announced to him, Hoc potius mille signis' was the eager reply." In the prosperity of the College he ever rejoiced. Its first Professor and Principal, our learned Vice-President, Dr. John Harkness, was his own selection, on the recommendation of the venerable Professor Pillans of Edinburgh.

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Mr. Elphinstone, as is well known, went into strict retirement soon after he reached the British shores; but his interest in India, in which he had spent the more active portion of his life, continued undiminished. His leisure he spent principally in researches connected with its most eventful though peculiarly obscure history. The fruit of his study in due time appeared. In 1841 he published his well-known "History of India, embracing the Hindu and Muhamadan Periods,” a work of so much value that it is not likely to be superseded, though it requires additions and annotations corresponding with the late progress of Oriental research, particularly as connected with the more ancient literature of the Hindus. It opens with a general description of India, in which the author's own intimate acquaintance with the country is very apparent. It reviews, under appropriate headings, the state of society at the time of Manu's Code, presenting the best analysis which has yet been made of the more important portions of that curious work; and it minutely and successfully contrasts that state of society with that of the Hindus in later times, in connexion with which it ably reviews the changes in caste, in government, in law, in religion, in philosophy, in science, in geography, in chronology, in language, in literature, in the fine and mechanical arts, in commerce, and in the manners and character of the people. It notices the prominent facts and traditions connected with the Hindu dynasties in the upper provinces of Hindustán, in Central India, in Gujarát, and in Southern India. It then takes up the earlier Muhammadan History of India. which it treats in a masterly manner,―commencing with the Arab conquests in Sindh; passing on to the dynasties formed after the breaking up of the empire of the Khalífs; presenting a graphic view of the different expeditions into this country of Mahmud, and his successors dominant at Ghazní and Lahor; and giving an interesting view of the kings of Delhi and of the Government of the houses of Toghlak, of the Sayyids, and of the house of Lodí to the commencement of the house of Taimur. Of the later Muhammadan history, commencing with the reign of Bábar,-embracing the great names of Humayun, Akbár, Jahángír, Sháh Jehan, Aurangzíb, and his successors, and including notices of the inferior kings of Hindustan, Gujarat, and the Dakhan-it presents us with a digested summary, in framing which, from a great variety of sources, the greatest patience, tact, and judgment are apparent. This part of the work has an interest to the general reader scarcely inferior to that of the most stirring portions of European history. Of the principal characters of which it treats, it furnishes most correct portraits, which can never fail to at

tract attention. Honesty, judgment, and simplicity of style (too much akin, however, to that of official correspondence), are the characteristics of the work from beginning to end. For educational purposes it is invaluable.

The History of the British Empire in India, it is to be regretted, Mr. Elphinstone did not find time to write. Few persons, however, had such qualifications for such a work as those he undoubtedly possessed. His acquaintance with the principles and proceedings of our great Indian statesmen was perfect; and no individual was better fitted than himself to trace and narrate their consequences. Even in his retirement,from which the repeated offers of the Governor-Generalship of India failed to withdraw him, he became the Nestor of Indian politicians, consulted by the Indian Government at home and by its servants abroad in all cases of importance and difficulty. To the unexpected and disastrous events which occurred in India in 1857-58, he directed much attention; and during this most trying period he was a constant counsellor and encourager of his highly-esteemed nephew, John, Lord Elphinstone, the distinguished Governor, and under God, in an important sense, the saviour of this Presidency. It is consistent with the knowledge of his friends that he was decidedly of opinion, after much inquiry and perusal of documents, public and private, that the lamentable rising of the Bengal Army had no connexion with any deep-laid political conspiracy throughout India.

Mr. Elphinstone's interest in all matters connected with our local Oriental research, I may add, continued undiminished to the last. Of this fact I may adduce a pleasing illustration, though it is of a personal character. On receiving a copy of my "Notes on the Constituent Elements, the Diffusion, and the Application of the Maráthí Language," prefixed to the last edition of Molesworth's Maráthí Dictionary, he thus wrote to me:* "I had yesterday the pleasure of receiving the copy of the Notes on the Maráthí Language, which you were so kind as to send to me, and for which I beg you to accept my best thanks. I read them with the greatest interest, and with proportionate satisfaction. The subject was one about which I had great curiosity, and very little knowledge, and on which I did not know where to look for information. The difference of the Scythian element in Maráthí from that of the other languages of the Deckan is quite new to me, and may perhaps lead to the discovery of a connection between the nation and some of those north of the Nerbudda, and so

* 21st November 1857.