be spent at school varies from four to eight years. The teachers
intellectually are of a higher grade than the teachers of Bengali
schools, although that grade is not high compared with what is
to be desired and is attainable. Morally, they appear to have as
little notion as Bengali teachers of the salutary influence they
might exercise on the dispositions and characters of their pupils.
They have no fees from the scholars and are paid in the form of
fixed monthly allowances with perquisites. The monthly
allowances vary from one rupee eight annas to four rupees, and
they are paid by one, two or three families, who are the principal
supporters of the school. The perquisites, which are estimated at
two rupees eight annas to six rupees a month, and consist of
food, washing, and other personal expenses, are provided either
by the same parties or by those parents who do not contribute to
the monthly allowance. The total remuneration of a teacher
varies from four to ten rupees per month, averaging about seven
rupees. The principal object of the patrons of these schools is the
instruction of their own children; but in one instance a worthy
old Mussalman, who has no children, contributes a small
monthly allowance, without which the teacher would not have
sufficient inducement to continue his labours; and in another
case besides two children of the family, ten other boys are
admitted, on whom instruction, food, and clothing, are
gratuitously bestowed. Two of the schools have separate school-
houses, which were built by the benevolent patrons who
principally support them. The scholars of the other two assemble
in out-buildings belonging to one or other of the families whose
children receive instruction.
Although in the Persian schools printed books are
unknown, yet manuscript works are in constant use. The
general course of instruction has no very marked stages or
gradations into which it is divided. Like the Hindus, however, the
Mussalmans formally initiate their children into the study of
letters. When a child, whether a boy or a girl, is four years, four
months, and four days old, the friends of the family assemble,
and the child is dressed in his best clothes, brought in to the
company, and seated on a cushion in the presence of all. The
alphabet, the form of letters used for computation, the
introduction to the Koran, some verses of Chapter LV, and the
whole of Chapter LXXXVII, are placed before him, and he is
taught to pronounce them in succession. If the child is self-
willed, and refuses to read, he is made to pronounce the
Bismillah, which answers every purpose, and from that day his
education is deemed to have commenced. At school he is taught
the alphabet, as with