I have heard it said ‘the natives have no disposition for the sciences.’ This is imposing a cruel sentence on a hundred millions of people! Allow it to be true; and look back to the state of Britain while under the control, in a certain measure, of the Druids; who are now well ascertained to have been the same, in their days, as the Brahmans of Bengal, &c., are at this time. Who can fail to admire the change? Who could suppose it possible that such a change could have been effected among a people, who, if we are to give credit to Cæsar, and to other authorities, were completely barbarous, and ‘who shewed no disposition for the sciences?’ In opposition to so absurd, and so malicious an assertion, let me state a few facts. When Mr. Reuben Burrow was in India, as head of the mathematical department, he was solicited by several of the natives to instruct them in astronomy, algebra, &c. Unhappily, although possessing pre-eminent talents, Mr. Burrow was not exactly calculated to conciliate the good will, nor to excite the admiration, of persons who did not, like himself, blaze at the spark of science: in fact, he partook greatly of the character of the celebrated Doctor Samuel Johnson, and might be termed ‘a mathematical Hottentot!’
This important deficiency of suavity caused the natives to quit; indeed, it tended to disgust those of his countrymen who, being compelled by their avocations to attend his lectures, were subjected to his caprices and gross manners. However, one native, of mediocre opulence, was not to be scared by what appeared a trifle, when compared with the acquirements he hoped to possess: he bent to the storm, and, by unremitting application, speedily rendered himself competent to converse with Mr. Burrow on his usual topic. In time, the student became a favorite, and was allowed to attend his preceptor when the latter was deputed on a survey of considerable extent, and to measure a degree of latitude in the western districts. Such was the progress made by this native under the auspices of Mr. Burrow, that, in a few years, he qualified himself to instruct others in the ordinary courses of the higher mathematics. What became of him I know not; but apprehend that many others must have derived some little benefit from his learning: unless, indeed, his priests found a pretext for upholding him as unworthy of imitation, and threatened to place all who might consider him to be thus ‘_civilized_,’ or improved, under the bar of ecclesiastical censure. When I say ‘_civilized_,’ it is in deference to a British divine, who has been pleased to represent the people of Bengal in such terms as might lead persons who never visited India to set them down for a cruel, barbarous, ignorant, vindictive, senseless, and sanguinary race; whose _civilization_ is ‘devoutly to be wished.’ How far they merit such a character, may be understood from their forbearing to massacre all the Europeans in India; a work that might be effected by only one in thousands of their population striking the deadly blow!