country, been taught in Sanscrit; and it has ever in India, been
deemed below the dignity of science, for her professors to barter
it for hire. Lessons in Theology, Astronomy, Logic and Law,
continue to be given gratuitously as of old, by a few learned
Bramins, to some of their disciples. But learning, though, it may
proudly decline to sell its stores, has never flourished in any
country, except under the encouragement of the ruling power
and the countenance and support, once given to science in this
part of India, have long been withheld.
- Of the 533 institutions for education, now existing in
this district, I am ashamed to say not one now derives any
support from the state. I have therefore received, with peculiar
satisfaction, the inquiries instituted by the Honorable the
Governor-in-Council, on this interesting subject; and trust that
this part of India may benefit from the liberality which dictated
the record of his intention, to grant new funds where the same
may be deemed expedient, and to restore to their original
purpose, all funds diverted from this source. - There is no doubt that in former times, especially under
the Hindoo Governments very large grants, both in money, and
in land, were issued for the support of learning. Considerable
Yeomiahs, or grants of money, now paid to Bramins from my
treasury, and many of the numerous and valuable Shotrium
villages, now in the enjoyment of Bramins in this district, who
receive one-fourth, one-third, one-half, two-thirds, and
sometimes the whole, of their annual revenue, may, I think, be
traced to this source. Though it did not consist with the dignity
of learning to receive from her votaries hire; it has always in
India been deemed the duty of Government to evince to her the
highest respect, and to grant to her those emoluments which she
could not, consistently with her character receive from other
sources; the grants issued by former governments, on such
occasions, contained, therefore, no unbecoming stipulations on
conditions. They all purport to flow from the free bounty of the
ruling power, merely to aid the maintenance of some holy or
learned man, or to secure his prayers for the state. But they
were almost universally granted to learned or religious persons,
who maintained a school for one or more of the sciences, and
taught therein gratuitously; and though not expressed in the
deed itself, the duty of continuing such gratuitous instruction
was certainly implied in all such grants.