The Education of the People of India; its political importance and advantages: pp. 26. Calcutta; published by Ostell and Lepage, 1845.

THIS small pamphlet has been published anonymously-why; we know not. For sure we are that there is nothing either in its style or substance of which the author need be ashamed. If it enounces no new, striking, or original views, it at least propounds some important old ones, in language that is lucid and for the most part elegant. Such seasonable reiteration of fundamental principles, neither generally acknowledged in theory, or energetically acted on in practice, is what the peculiarity of present circumstances urgently demands, and what must prove vastly more beneficial than any unverified speculations, however ingenious, or any novel suggestions, however brilliant or profound.

If our space admitted of it, we would gladly quote large passages from this sober, judicious, and will timed pamphlet. But we can only find room for the author's own summary of its contents :

"In these considerations, our object has been to point out, by investigation the state of society, its past history, and the character and condition of the population, the true nature of those obstacles, which must be overcome, ere justice can be properly administered, and the welfare of the community secured. Institutions and laws may bridle the outbreaks and disorders of society,-encourage and assist its progress in improvement, but they will not change the character of a nation, or give a stirring impulse to that improvement; they will not create it, where it does not already exist. Climate will invigorate the body and give tone to the mind, or impart weakness and listlessness; the nature of the country will materially affect the character of its inhabitants; war and oppression will disorganize society, and make the people abject slaves. But what except education, will give them a new character, new desires, new hopes, and new impulses ? What save education will awake among them a spirit of improvement?

Undoubtedly, a sound education, widely diffused throughout the native community of all classes and grades, must be regarded as one of the primary instruments of its effectual amelioration. Of the partial good which has already resulted, amid many disappointments and drawbacks, from the educational measures hitherto adopted, our own pages furnish demonstrative testimony; see vol. II. p. 31.

And when, in the spirit of the remarks there made, we simply state that the article in the present number, on Rammohun Roy, is the bona-fide production of an educated Hindu, we think we have furnished a fresh argument to the friends of sound education to persevere more earnestly than ever in their philanthrophic labours.

SANDERS AND CONES, TYPS., NO. 4, TANK-SQUARE, CALCUTTA,

NOTE TO THE MAHRATTA ARTICLE IN No. VII.

IT has been pointed out to us that in the following expression, used in No. VII. of this Review, we have done injustice to Colonel Wallace :-" He (Col. Outram,) arrived at Samangurh, the fortress was carried forthwith.” These words, taken by themselves, certainly are open to misapprehension; but we may refer to our other notices of Col. Outram to shew that we never supposed him to have been the Military Commander at Samangurh; that, previous to the 14th January, we referred to his official duties as purely political; and up to that date only gave him the credit due to a Diplomatic Agent and Military Volunteer, who had counselled wisely and had acted boldly. Our words, at page 227, were, "Col. Outram had joined General Delamotte's camp the day before the storm, in a political capacity, and henceforward, &c."

We willingly, however, allow that, when writing the Mahratta article, we were ignorant of the extent to which, as we are now informed, General Delamotte had devolved the conduct of operations at Samangurh on Col. Wallace; as also of the fact, that before Colonel Outram's arrival in camp, Colonel Wallace had made his arrangements for the storm. Nor were we aware that it was under Col. W.'s immediate orders that Capt. Græme of the 5th M. L. C., accompained by Mr. Reeves and Col. Outram, routed the covering party of the Kolapoor rebels.

Writers on contemporary history must reckon on being accused of malignity, one-sidedness, &c.: we may however, once for all, say that we are of no party, but, to the best of our ability, are the advocates of truth. We may err from deficient or wrong information, but hardly from either malevolence or partiality. In the present instance, our assertion may be the more readily credited, in that we have no personal acquaintance with any of the Officers, employed in the S. M. Country, on whose conduct we have remarked. By their official acts, and by these alone, we have judged them.