( 24 ) hirelings in a free and easy vernacular fashion-rise too vividly in my mind to enable me to contemplate without a shudder such a position for our decent if not yet venerable Alma Mater. 馨 For the present, therefore, I should be content with the recognition of * the vernacular language and literature as a compulsory additional subject in the F.A. Examination in the case of the Indian candidates whose vernaculars are in a suitable state of development. I suppose that Urdu and Hindi, besides Bengali, Maratti and Guzerati, may be safely recognised in this way. At any rate even if this be not so, the resulting want of uniformity does not appear to me to be a sufficient deterrent, when weighty considerations touching wide and important issues urge such a course. For, it would be absurd to suppose that, where the people is not homogeneous, and where the languages and literatures of the different communities are in different stages of development, the rule of uniformity can be rigidly observed in any matters so closely connected with their internal social life and condition as scheme or systems of education. The Sphere of "high politics-the scope and functions of Government-may in this country affect to stand aloof from the sentiment of nationality or the heterogeneous needs and instincts of a heterogeneous people; and the University as an institution wholly under Government control in the first stage was bound to show the same front of rigid uniformity and neutrality. But as the problems of national education are more and more taken in hand, and as the University gets a deeper national footing, it will begin to give free and healthy scope to the varying educational needs and requirements, of the various sections, interests and classes of the people. Hence it is that. the scheme of conducting the Entrance Examination of the University in subjects like Geography and Mathematics in the different vernaculars,-- though I do not countenance it in the present state of things--does not offend me by its violation of a fancied standard of absolute equality or rigid uniformity. I will now conclude with a brief reference to the history of the question in this country, for the question has had an interesting and instructive history. The pioneers of public education in India at the commencement of this century were much agitated by questions relating to the limes on which the system of public instruction for the natives of the country should be laid. In the course of the controversy three lines of policy shaped themselves. The "Orientalists," who were ultra-classicists, would found centres of Sanskrit, or Arabic learning, and did not think of introducing the natives of India to the advances of modern science for which they had a fine classical contempt. The vernacularists, among whom we find illustrious statesmen like Munro, Metcalfe and Elphinstone, would provide
