Auld lang syne. Second series : $b My Indian friendsMüller, F. Max (Friedrich Max)
History
Auld lang syne. Second series : $b My Indian friends
Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max)
India; Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max), 1823-1900 -- Friends and associates
Altogether the experiment of sending young Hindus to prepare for the
Civil Service Examination in England has not, as far as I have been able
to judge, proved a great success. At Oxford they find it very hard to
make friends among the better class of undergraduates. Most of our
undergraduates come from public schools, and have plenty of friends of
their own. If they are asked to be kind to any of the Indian students,
all they can do, or really be expected to do, is to invite them once or
twice to a breakfast party. They have hardly any interests in common
with them, and anything like friendship is out of the question. If the
young students from India have money to spend, there is danger of their
falling into bad company, and even if they pass their examinations, I am
afraid that some of them return to India not much improved by their
English exile. The worst of it is that they often return
_désillusionné_. At first everything English is grand and perfect in
their eyes, an Oxford degree is the highest goal of their ambition. But
when they have obtained it, chiefly by learning by heart, they make very
light of it. And this making light of it is soon applied to other things
English also, which they hear constantly criticised or abused,
particularly in the newspapers and in Parliament, so that they often
leave England better informed, it may be, but hardly better affected
towards the Government which they are meant to serve. The present state
of things is certainly discouraging, particularly as it seems impossible
to suggest any real remedy. But here also there are bright exceptions,
and I have always held that we must judge of things by their bright
rather than by their dark sides. There are, and there always will be,
difficulties in the intercourse between Europeans and Orientals. It is
wonderful to see how well they have been overcome in the Government of
India. Natives in the Civil Service or at the Bar seem to work quite
harmoniously with their English colleagues, and even after they have
reached high employment, and have to exercise authority, little has been
heard of conflicts, whether caused by arrogance or subserviency. There
are Continental statesmen who, while they cannot help admiring the
English system of governing India, look upon it as suicidal in the end.
They consider the Russian system of complete repression as the only
right system of dealing with Orientals, and as far more merciful in the
end. Well, we must wait for the end; but, whatever it may be, it seems
right to treat the inhabitants of India as they have been hitherto
treated by the Government and by the wisest rulers of India, not as born
enemies or as conspirators to be kept under by force, but as loyal
subjects to be trusted. Of course, there sometimes will be troubles, for
how can it be expected that in two or three hundred millions of
conquered subjects there should be no grumbling, no disaffection, no
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account