Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LETTER OF INTRODUCTION
- LETTER I THE TWO SYSTEMS
- LETTER II AN INDIAN RAILWAY
- LETTER III A GOVERNMENT SCHOOL AND AN OPIUM FACTORY
- LETTER IV A STORY OF THE GREAT MUTINY
- LETTER V A JOURNEY, A GRAND TUMASHA, AND THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CIVIL SERVICE CAREER
- LETTER VI A TIGER-PARTY IN NEPAUL
- LETTER VII ABOUT CALCUTTA AND ITS CLIMATE; WITH SERIOUS INFERENCES
- LETTER VIII ABOUT THE HINDOO CHARACTER; WITH DIGRESSIONS HOME
- LETTER IX BRITISH TEMPER TOWARDS INDIA, BEFORE, DURING, AND SINCE THE MUTINY
- LETTER X THE “ANGLO-SAXON” PARTY IN INDIA
- LETTER XI CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA
- LETTER XII EDUCATION IN INDIA SINCE 1835 ; WITH A MINUTE OF LORD MACAULAY
LETTER I - THE TWO SYSTEMS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 April 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- LETTER OF INTRODUCTION
- LETTER I THE TWO SYSTEMS
- LETTER II AN INDIAN RAILWAY
- LETTER III A GOVERNMENT SCHOOL AND AN OPIUM FACTORY
- LETTER IV A STORY OF THE GREAT MUTINY
- LETTER V A JOURNEY, A GRAND TUMASHA, AND THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CIVIL SERVICE CAREER
- LETTER VI A TIGER-PARTY IN NEPAUL
- LETTER VII ABOUT CALCUTTA AND ITS CLIMATE; WITH SERIOUS INFERENCES
- LETTER VIII ABOUT THE HINDOO CHARACTER; WITH DIGRESSIONS HOME
- LETTER IX BRITISH TEMPER TOWARDS INDIA, BEFORE, DURING, AND SINCE THE MUTINY
- LETTER X THE “ANGLO-SAXON” PARTY IN INDIA
- LETTER XI CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA
- LETTER XII EDUCATION IN INDIA SINCE 1835 ; WITH A MINUTE OF LORD MACAULAY
Summary
Calcutta, Jan. 24, 1863.
Dear Simkins,–Indian travellers usually commence their first letter by describing their earliest impression upon landing in Calcutta. With some it is musquitoes; with others, Warren Hastings; while others, again, seem divided between an oppressive consciousness of heathendom and hot tiffins. My prevailing feeling was negative: it was the absence of Dundreary. The sense of relief at being able to ask a question without being told that it was “one of those things that no fellah could understand,” was at first delightfully soothing. On the whole, the current English slang is at a discount in the market here.
I did not write during the first fortnight, as I was in very low spirits, and nothing encourages that state of mind so much as trying to communicate it to others. There is no doubt that the situation of a young civilian has much in it that is very trying. His position is precisely that of a new boy at school. I was continually expecting to hear the familiar question, “What's your name, you fellow?” Nobody, however, seemed to care enough about me to ask. There are so many young civilians that older residents cannot afford to show them attentions until they have earned themselves an individuality. Every one has been a “student” in his day, with the same hopes, the same aspirations, the same anxiety about passing in Persian.
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- The Competition Wallah , pp. 6 - 20Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1864