The Bengalee is a study by himself. He has the reputation of being the monumental liar of the world, and those who know him best, his own race, say that truth is an absolute impossibility to him. This may be slightly exaggerated, as I met some fine honest fellows among them, very few and far between, as I wish to be truthful. One of his features attracted my attention, and that was his stare, impudent enough to make a brass mule hang its head. In this I think he takes the lead of all the world. Always going bareheaded, he has become so accustomed to looking the sun out of countenance that nothing on earth fazes him. It is said that as each new statue was put upon the maidan the Bengalees stared so at it that the image blushed all over with a blueish tinge. I have not the least doubt of this, as I myself saw the cerulean color on all the images. It is this arrogant stare that is so offensive to European ladies, and characteristic of the educated babus, for it is said that they are taught everything in the schools except manners and morality. A writer in an English paper says of them, “They are a soft, supple, quick-witted youth; utterly destitute of manly qualities, largely without the Englishman’s truthfulness, equity and resource, good subordinates but abominably bad superiors, and everywhere hated and despised by their countrymen.” Another says of him, “Though he may be dressed in the finest European clothes, speak English fluently in the well finished style of Addison and Macaulay, and have the superficial manners of a gentleman, yet scratch him, as you would a Russian to find a Tatar, and in this native of India you will always find the heathen.” As to their religion, Macaulay says of it: “All is hideous and grotesque and ignoble.” De Tocqueville: “Hinduism is perhaps the only system of belief that is worse than having no religion at all.”