II
W. ADAM ON INDIGENOUS SCHOOLS OF LEARNINGGENERAL: (pp.16-23)
Ward in his work on the Hindoos has given, on the whole, a cor-
rect account of the state of indigenous learning and of the
institutions by which it is preserved among the Hindoos. The
principle which secures the perpetuation of these institutions, as
long as the Hindoo religion subsists and is professed by the
mass of the people and by a majority of the wealthy and
powerful, is that it is deemed an act of religious merit to acquire
a knowledge of the Hindoo shastras, or to extend the knowledge
of them either by direct instruction or by pecuniary support or
assistance given either to scholars or teachers. Hence the priva-
tions to which the students submit in the prosecution of the
prescribed course of study; the disinterestedness of the teachers
in bestowing their instructions gratuitously with the addition,
always of shelter, often of food, and sometimes of clothing; and
the liberality of landholders and others shown by occasional
endowments of land and frequent gifts of money both to teachers
and scholars on the occasion of funeral feasts, weddings, dedica-
tions, etc. The number of such institutions throughout the
country is unknown nor are sufficient data possessed on which
to rest a probable conjecture. In the district of Dinajpur, Dr
Buchanan found only 16, and in that of Purniya not less than
119—a difference between two neighbouring districts in which
some mistake may be suspected. The estimates of the number in
other districts, besides those reported on by Dr Buchanan, are
not the results of personal inquiries, and less dependence is,
therefore, to be placed on them. If I were to hazard a conjecture
founded on all the facts and statements I have met with, I
should say that there are on an average probably 100 such
institutions in each district of Bengal, which would give 1,800
for the whole province. An estimate of the total number of
students must depend upon the approach to correctness of the
conjecture respecting the total number of schools; but the
following facts may help towards the formation of a correct
opinion respecting the average number of students in each
school. In 1818, Mr Ward enumerated 28 schools of Hindoo
learning in Calcutta, in which 173 scholars received
instructions, averaging upwards of six scholars to each school.
He also enumerated 31 schools of Hindoo learning at Nuddea, in