ART. VIII. Statements respecting the East India College, with an Appeal to Facts, in Refutation of the Charges lately brought against it in the Court of Proprietors. By the Rev. T. R. MALTHUS, Professor of History and Political Economy. London. Murray. 18 17. 8vo. pp. 105. MANY of the objections of those who, on the first proposal to establish the College at Hertford, resisted the measure as impolitic, have been realized, and the late discussions at the India House have opened the eyes of the public to the abuses of that institution; even some of those who in the outset were the most zealous to support, in consequence of recent disclosures, have become the most forward to condemn.

In the debates among the proprietors, agitated by different interests and motives, it does not seem that much temper was exercised; exaggerated statements and unfounded assertions were made on both sides; between the two contending parties Mr. Malthus now steps in, as moderator, professing to give a calm and fair explanation of the case, and appealing to facts to contradict misrepresentation. That he has better means of knowledge than those whom he attempts to set right is certain, but it is not quite as clear that he makes the best use of them, for it is scarcely in human nature that the Professor of the East India College, deriving a large emolument from it, should be perfectly impartial, or at all concede to the opinion of those who argue for its abolition. Considering, however, that he is the advocate of the Institution, (the hired advocate we may say, though perhaps not hired for the express purpose), it will be asserted by some, that he displays in parts of his pamphlet, more candour than might have been expected: facts, however, have been promulgated through various channels which could not be easily controverted, and what, by too candid readers, may be thought fairness, by others will be considered prudence: this gentleman is too much practised in undertakings like the present, not to be aware that good use may be made even of the admission of known facts.

The subject discussed in this pamphlet is divided into the following seven parts.

"I. What are the qualifications at present necessary for the civil service of the East India Company, in the administration of their Indian territories?

"II. Has any deficiency in those qualifications been actually experienced in such a degree as to be injurious to the service in India? "III. In order to secure the qualifications required for the service of the Company, is an appropriate establishment necessary ? and should it be of the nature of a school, or a college?

"IV. Should such an establishment be in England or in India? or should it be an establishment in both countries?

"V. Does it appear that the college actually established in Hertfordshire is upon a plan calculated to supply that part of the appropriate education of the civil servants of the Company, which ought to be completed in Europe?

"VI. Are the disturbances which have taken place in the EastIndia College to be attributed to any radical and necessary evils inherent in its constitution and discipline; or to adventitious and temporary causes, which are likely to be removed?

VII. Are the more general charges which have lately been brought against the college in the Court of Proprietors founded in truth? or are they capable of a distinct refutation, by an appeal to facts? (p. 2-3.)

It will be observed that several of these divisions have little relation to the important subjects of recent discussion, and the author, in explanation, states in the preface that all but the last were written at a time when only rumours existed of charges being about to be brought forward in the Court of Proprietors. We may therefore, in our notice, reject the long preliminary disquisitions contained in the four first heads, which are very much made up from public documents, prepared by Marquis Wellesley at the time he was in office in India, in commendation of a system in India like that now adopted at Hertford. We shall omit also the arguments used to shew that a college is preferable to a school, observing, that if it be proper to form any institution of the kind, it is very little consequence whether it be the one or the other, excepting in point of discipline, which appears to have been most lamentably deficient, and principally because it was thought fit that the boys should wear caps and gowns instead of the ordinary dress suited to their age: Mr. Malthus himself admits (p. 65) that they are all too young to be allowed the privileges that are enjoyed by the students at our regular Universities. We shall select an extract or two from the last three divisions of this pamphlet. First our readers will be glad to learn a little what is done by the Professors and the Students at this New College, a subject that has been involved in some secrecy.

"The lectures of the different Professors in the college are given in a manner to make previous preparation necessary, and to encourage most effectually habits of industry and application. In their substance they embrace the important subjects of classical literature, the Oriental languages, the elements of mathematics and natural philosophy, the laws of England, general history, and political

economy.

"At the commencement of the institution it was feared by some persons that this variety would too much distract the attention of the students at the age of sixteen or seventeen, and prevent them from making a satisfactory progress in any department. But instances of distinguished success in many departments at the same time have proved that these fears were without fouudation; and that this variety has not only been useful to them in rendering a metho. dical arrangement of their hours of study more necessary, but has decidedly contributed to enlarge, invigorate, and mature their understandings.

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"On all the important subjects above enumerated, examinations take place twice in the year, at the end of each term. These examinations last above a fortnight. They are conducted upon the plan of the great public and collegiate examinations in the universities, particularly at Cambridge, with such further improvements as experience has suggested. The questions given are framed with a view to ascertain the degree of progress and actual proficiency in each particular department on the subjects studied during the preceding term; and the answers, in all cases which will admit of it, are given in writing, in the presence of the professors, and without the possibility of a reference to books. After the examination in any particular department is over, the Professor in that department reviews at his leisure all the papers that he has received, and places, as nearly as he can, each individual in the numerical order of his relative merit, and in certain divisions implying his degree, of posi tive merit. These arrangements are all subject to the controul of the whole collegiate body. They require considerable time and attention, and are executed with scrupulous care and strict impartiality.

"Besides the classifications above mentioned, medals, prizes of books, and honorary distinctions, are awarded to those who are the heads of classes, or as high as second, third, fourth, or fifth, in two, three, four, or five departments." (p. 47-49.)

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Many reasons must immediately occur to the reader, why this system should not be as successful at Hertford as at Oxford, independently of the youth of the students, which renders strong compulsion almost unavoidable; one chief opponent to it is, that the students know very well, in the first place, that the Principal Professors dare not exercise their

recently acquired power of expulsion; and it is not very likely, in the second place, that the boys should be willing to obey implicitly in this country, when the very reason for their education in this manner is-that they are to exercise such unlimited authority in India: the extent of their absolute powers civil, military, and judicial, often over a whole district, are disclosed in the early part of this pamphlet. In the seventh section, regarding the truth of the accusations against the College, Mr. Malthus is not so scrupulous as might be supposed in setting an example of temper: his language is sometimes very coarse, and he falls foul of Mr. Hume, Mr. Randle, Jackson, and others, in a way not the most conducive to his purpose, if it be that of convincing. He tells the former gentleman, that, until his speech at the India House, he (Mr. M.) thought him "a man of sense, a man of the world, and a friend to the good government of India." The inference therefore is, that since that time, he has changed his opinion, and now holds him to be a man of no sense, of no knowledge of the world, and an enemy to the good government of India. Mr. Jackson is treated soon more roughly, and the editor of one of our most respectable daily papers noticed in terms of gross scurrility. It is not a little amusing to see how Mr. Malthus shies all the main accusations of disturbances, riots, and disorganization of the worst kind; he does not deny it however, and that is sufficient. Our concluding extract shall be the winding up of the pamphlet, which the reader will perceive is a joint attack upon those who have comp laied of the College, and those who are educated in it-a charge of a sort of conspiracy between some Members of the Court of Proprietors, and all the Students at Hertford.

"How is it possible to answer for the conduct of young men, under such powerful excitements from without? For my own part, I am only astonished that the college has been able to get on at all, under these overwhelming obstacles; and that it has got on, and done great good too, (which I boldly assert it has,) is no common proof of its internal vigour, and its capacity to answer its object.

"The present virulent attack upon the college has been meditated some time; and it could hardly fail to be known to the students that a disturbance this autumn would have been hailed by many of the Court Proprietors as the happiest omen of success. Under these circumstances, the orderly conduct of the students for the last year does them the highest honour. And it is not a little discreditable to the character of the present attack, and the motives

which have dictated it, that it was brought forward, not at a time when an unhappy act of violence might have given some plausible ground for it, but after a period of great quiet and order, and at the conclusion of a term eminently distinguished for great industry, and successful literary exertion." (p. 104-105.)

THE DRAMA.

ART. IX.-An Impartial Review of the Stage from the days of Garrick and Rich to the present period: of the causes of its degenerated and declining state, and shewing the necessity of a Reform in the System as the only means of giving stability to the present property of the Winter Theatres. By DRAMATICUS. London, for C. Chapple, 1816. THE whole of the subjects enumerated above have been comprehended in twenty-six widely printed pages, so that he who looks no further than the title page, must feel pretty well assured, either that the author treats the topics in a very unsatisfactory and superficial manner, or that he pos sesses a considerable portion of that pithiness and brevity of style recommended by the writer who contended that all branches of human knowledge were included in the word have. After reading the first page or two, it will no longer remain a question which of the two suppositions is correct; and, on a further perusal, it will be found that the points on which the writer has most dwelt, are those of the least comparative importance.

For instance upon the great topic, the root indeed of nearly all the complaints lately made regarding our theatres, their enormous size, he has said little, and less directly to the point: on one account, perhaps he was in the right; because, though with a view to the success of the drama, it is a matter of the last importance, it is a defect least capable of a remedy in previous numbers, we have slightly and incidentally alluded to its inconvenience and impolicy, and we now propose entering a little more at large into the question.

We set out then with this proposition-that the present enormous size of our theatres is destructive of the English drama, and is injurious to the interests of authors, proprietors, auditors, and actors. We will not follow the example of the author of the pamphlet on our table, for we will endeavour to be methodical.

First, with respect to the threatened and partially effected destruction of the legitimate English drama. We appreCRIT. REV. VOL. V. Jan. 1817.

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