division of the Arian family; Pashto (the language of the Patáns or Afgháns) and Bilochi, belonging to the Iranic division of the same family, and the Tibetan of Láhul and Spiti, a Mongolian language.

Of these languages the Punjabi was the vernacular of upwards of 14,000,000 souls. It was closely akin to the Hindi, but sufficiently distinct in its phonetic system and vocabulary to admit of its being recognised as a separate tongue, as separate as Frisian from Flemish, or Catalan from Provençal. It had a written literature; but, owing to the fact that the language had been sneered at by Hindi scholars as a patois, its literature had been singularly neglected. Much of it was borrowed from Hindi, Urdú, and Sanskrit originals, and much was worthless; but some of it was interesting and characteristic, and it was certainly a mine worth working. Strange to say, the Granth, or sacred book of the Sikhs, was not written in Punjabi, but in an old form of Hindi; but the Janam Sakhi, or Life of Nának, was written in Punjabi; so was the Book of the Sayings of Nanak. There was also a remarkable religious poem, the Wárán Bhai Gurdás de, describing the conflict between good and evil in the human soul; the Páras Bhág, a collection of ethical precepts; the Rájníti, a poem on the duties of a prince; the Khair Manukh, a poetical treatise on medicine; several historical poems, and numerous imitations of Urdú poetry, some of which, especially the Songs of the Twelve Months, by Hashim, were very polished.

But side by side with the written literature there was in the Punjab, as elsewhere in India, a vast amount of Folklore in the shape of legends or folk-poems, folk-tales, ballads, songs, and swings or semi-religious mythical plays, partly acted and partly recited. Until very lately this most interesting field of literature had remained, in the Punjab, almost unexplored. But a good commencement had been made by Captain R. C. Temple, who was publishing a collection of Punjab legends, and editing with notes a series of Punjab tales, translated by Mrs. Steel and published in the Indian Antiquary, and he had also started a Punjab Notes and Queries.

Mr. Thornton proceeded to describe the different classes of bards, the principal subjects of their legends, their value to the historian and philologist, the general characteristics

of the folk-tale and the ballad, the fondness of all classes for songs and also for proverbs-a knowledge of which was of immense practical value to those engaged in administration, and brought into contact with the people.

With regard to the present condition and prospects of the Punjabi language and literature, it had been predicted by Mr. Beames, the learned author of the Comparative Grammar of the Seven Modern Arian Languages of India, that, with the extension of railways and the immense development and diffusion of printed Urdú literature, the Punjabi language would be ultimately extinguished by the Hindustáni; and Mr. Ibbetson, the able compiler of the Punjab Census Report, stated that the process was no doubt in progress; admitting the possible truth of this, Mr. Thornton was nevertheless of opinion that the process would be a slow one. There were upwards of 14,000,000 speakers of Punjábi, and of these, according to the Census returns, 937 in every thousand could neither read nor write, and only 15 in a thousand were being taught; so that the mass of the people would be little affected by the extension of Urdú literature. Moreover, of late years a new Punjabi literature was being developed. Four newspapers were published in that language, and from 100 to 200 books, including works on grammar, geography, and science, were issuing yearly from the Punjab presses; while two native societies had been established for the diffusion of useful knowledge through the medium of Punjabi.

Mr. Thornton then gave a brief account of Hindi and Urdú literature, based on the works of Garcin de Tassy and Beames, and of the style and contents of the Granth, and reviewed the literary position of the remaining languages, of which three only-viz., Pahári, Pashto, and Tibetan-had any written literature at all. He then proceeded to read translated specimens of the different classes of literature described, reading, in some cases, a few lines in the original to give an idea of the rhythm.

The list included:

(1) An extract from the Wárán Bhai Gurdás de, the great religious poem of the Sikhs;

(2) Part of a polished Ode by Hashim;

(3) Portion of a Legend;

(4) A Folk-tale;

(5) A Ballad describing the battles of the Satlaj;
(6) Extract from the Granth ;

(7) Specimen of a Bilochi Love Song ;

(8) Specimen of a Jatki Dorha (antiphonal song);
(9) Specimens of Proverbs and Riddles ;

(10) Two Songs of political interest; viz:

(a) The "Song of the Canal" (from Mrs. Steel's collection),

(b) The "Good Old Times," a song contrasting English with Native Rule.

Some statistics were then given showing the enormous development of vernacular literature and educational institutions in the Punjab since annexation. There were now 28 vernacular newspapers, 24 periodicals, and 26 societies. for the diffusion of knowledge and discussion of social questions; upwards of 800 vernacular books issued yearly from the press; and the Province contained a university, several colleges, 25 high schools, 2800 primary and indigenous schools, besides medical and art and industrial institutions. But, on the other hand, the Census statistics showed that, in the Punjab, out of every 1000 males 937 could neither read nor write; that, whereas, in England, out of every thousand persons of all ages 120 were under instruction, in all India, out of every thousand males only 28 were under instruction, and in the Punjab only 15.

What was the inevitable conclusion from these facts? That, though the efforts made were most praiseworthy, and the advance, from one point of view, prodigious, education had hardly touched the great mass of the population.

"In these circumstances," Mr. Thornton continued, "it will, perhaps, be not inappropriate to venture a suggestion based upon the subject we have been considering. In the imperfect sketch I have given of the past and present condition of the Punjab, one fact, at least, has been establishedthe ardent love of the Punjabi, whether from the hills or from the plains, whether Sikh, Hindu, or Mussulman, for poetry and tales. Would it not be possible to utilize this love in the cause of education? Would it not be possible for the Educational Department, in conjunction with the 26 literary societies of the establishment of which we have just heard, to prepare and diffuse through schools and zananas

and assemblies a better class of tale and poem and song, and thus develop in the early future, not for the few thousand of the better class alone, but for the entire population of a great Province, a more wholesome, a more refined, a more elevating 'Literature of the Punjab'?"

Sir Barrow Ellis expressed his great interest in the Paper, and said that he hoped what Mr. Thornton suggested would bear some fruit, in the cultivation of poetry and the use for educational purposes of amusing stories. The Education Department had devoted itself too much to dry school-books, and it had made little or no attempt to reach the heart of the people by literature of an interesting and amusing kind.

In the course of a brief discussion which followed, Mr. Thornton mentioned that he was assured by a Sikh gentleman that a tale known as the Bride's Mirror, which had been written for the use of the zanana, at the instance of Sir William Muir, was read with avidity by the ladies of his household, who would gladly welcome similar publications. Votes of thanks to Mr. Thornton and Sir Barrow Ellis closed the proceedings.

HOME TRAINING OF CHILDREN.

The deplorable condition of our women in India can be bettered in two ways: first, by imparting a sound and liberal education; and the second way, which follows the first as a sequel, is by raising them up and giving them their own rights, not only in the family, but also in society. Very little freedom is given to a Hindu woman now; and nothing is more tyrannical than the way she is involuntarily bound to a man for life. She ought to be the best judge for her own self, and ought to have the right to choose her own partner for life, and at the age she pleases. But great changes must needs take place before she reaches this stage of freedom-changes in her surroundings, changes in the way of her training, and, above all, thorough changes in herself. Old superstitions, manners, and customs would have to give way before intelligence, culture, and refinement. The woman of the present day, if only trained, is quite fit to take her place by the side of her intelligent

husband. The dust of ages must be swept away, the sleeping faculties awakened and cultivated by careful education, the mind enlarged, and everything must be done to develop her powers, and bring out and strengthen the very best qualities. in her. What our women lack most is that freedom of thought and action, that strength of character, that quiet determination of will, that vigour of thought and purpose, which will surmount all difficulties, and make them brave enough to overcome all foolish prejudices and break down all unwise barriers of caste, custom, and manners.

But let me confine my attention to education at home. The training of a child ought to commence early. The present social customs prevent the bringing in all the reforms that one would wish to introduce concerning education at home. Still, there are many things that can be attended to in spite of all these drawbacks. One of them is the regular healthy exercise of children in their early years: freedom to talk, play, and romp about as much as they like. Somehow or other our Hindu mothers have got an idea that the girls ought to be seen and never heard. If they are observed running about or jumping with their little brothers, they are checked and taunted as 'tomboys,' and made to sit in a corner, tending their little baby-sisters. Thus the healthful flow of spirits is checked; the girl is made to feel the difference between her and the boys; and, naturally shy, she grows more shy and reserved, and takes the air of an old woman, so that before they emerge into girlhood our girls become women. I would insist on our girls being taken out more in the open air, and made to observe birds, trees, and flowers, and to run about in the fields with companions of their own age. A kind of children's parties should be encouraged, and the children must be allowed to do whatever they like in the shape of games, plays, &c. There should be no old dames, with their distorted notions of girlish propriety, to check them. By this means their bodies will be developed and their minds strengthened. It is not necessary for me to point out the connection between mind and body.

The learning at home during the days of infancy ought to take more the character of play. Never let the child mope over her lessons, and let the task be as light as possible. The present infant-school teaching is very unsatisfactory. There is a mania in these days for opening of schools. Any person