Setting whatever relates to religion apart, and viewing our intercourse with India as a matter merely of _meum_ and _tuum_, it is self-evident, that to whatever extent we may instruct the natives to analyze the produce of their soil, and to present it to us in a marketable shape, so much must Britain be benefitted by the extension of her commerce, and by the possession of a territory whose value would be thereby proportionally raised. This is said with the view to encourage the researches of our medical men; who, from their general knowledge of chemistry, and perhaps of botany, are certainly best qualified to pursue them with national effect. Under the present very limitted establishment of physicians and surgeons, as well as from the _præter nihil_ benefits derived from the Botanical Garden, when seen in this point of view, we are not authorized to be very sanguine in our hopes that any important advantages will result in that direction. While the Company can barely afford a surgeon and two assistants to a regiment of 2000 men, it is not to be supposed they could form such establishments of the above description, as might give us a thorough command over the mineral and vegetable productions of their territory, or tend to create a spirit of enquiry among the natives.
The want of printed books is, in every country, a great evil; but, in India, is a drawback of great moment. There, all books, all proclamations, (except such as we print at Calcutta, &c.,) all newspapers, &c., &c., are manuscripts. It is not to be imagined how few volumes are to be seen even of this kind. We should suppose that, where provisions, lodging, cloathing, fuel, &c., are so remarkably cheap, learning would become general: the reverse is, however, the case; not one in five hundred can read, or write, even indifferently. There are abundance of little day-schools to which children may be sent at a very trifling expence; but there they learn very little. Generally, a bed of sand serves for paper, and a finger, or a piece of stick, for pen and ink; consequently, no traces of any instruction remain for the future consideration of the pupil. The more affluent, and the more zealous, ordinarily provide their children with a board, about a foot long, and nine or ten inches wide, which, being painted black, and varnished, becomes an admirable tablet, whereon the young folks are enabled to write their lessons with a reed pen; the ink being generally chalk and water. To these, though certainly more perfect than the former mode, the same objection exists; namely, that they want stability, and that the lesson is no sooner repeated by rote, and written much in the same manner, than it is forgotten, at least it never again obtrudes on the eye; since, in order to make way for further instruction, it is necessarily expunged.
