_Our Right to Govern India._ We went as Traders, and were led by Circumstances to fight. The Conduct of the Native Powers. The Marquess of Hastings. Not allowed to remain at Peace. Our Comparative Faithfulness to Engagements. _The Condition in which we found India._ The Muhammadan Empire. Civil Wars. Invasions. _The Dissolution of the Empire._ Adventurers. No Elements of Stable Government. The Effect of British Rule. _The Greatness of the Work entrusted to us._ Character of our Administrators. Responsibility elicits Capacity. District Officers. Strict Supervision exercised over them. The Evils springing from the Institution of Courts. Runjeet Singh's Plan. The Evils Incident to Civilization. _Regulation and Non-Regulation Provinces. The Taxation Heavy._ Regular Payments. The Land-Tax is the Land-Rent. The Native Army. The European Army. Civil Officials in the Mutiny. Inadvisability of Bengalees holding the Highest Offices. _In India we have Different Nations._ Bengalees Strangers in the North-West. The Preference given to English as Rulers. Trust in our Justice. The Large Pay of High Officials cannot be justly or wisely reduced. Opinion of Natives as Litigants. _The People Mainly Agricultural._ Poverty. Increase of Population. Sturdy Beggars. Lending and Borrowing. Debt Hereditary. Marriage Expenses. _Incidence of Taxation._ Municipal Institutions and Local Government. Improvement of Cities during Late Years. _Our Government no Unmixed Blessing._ Unjust Charges and Incorrect Statements. _From whom is Improvement to be hoped?_ From no Class so much as from Indian Officials. The "Gazetteer" of India. Importance of Information being made Accessible to the English People. _The best Conceivable Government for India._ The best Practicable Government. _The Future of India._ Antagonistic Elements. The Order secured by the Army. The Greatness of our Responsibility. Good Government Favourable to Evangelization. 365 STATISTICS 391 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE UNION CHURCH, RANEE KHET. Frontispiece. BATHING GHAT, BENARES. 48 A JEWELLER AT WORK. 53 THE WELL AT CAWNPORE. 219 RUINS OF THE RESIDENCY, LUCKNOW. 223 THE LA MARTINIERE, LUCKNOW. 227 TEMPLE IN THE HIMALAYAS. 237 MISSION SCHOOL, ALMORA. 253 LEPER ASYLUM, ALMORA. 257 THE SNOWY RANGE FROM RANEE KHET. 263 LANDSLIP AT NYNEE TAL. 281 PREFATORY NOTE.