Indian Influence on England.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 957, 4 July 1890, Page 9

Indian Influence on England.

Young men, well educated, and of high spirit are thrown on the life of India to —what? As a rule, to —what ? To pass over a certain number of years, at hard, incessant, grinding ■work, and then retire with a comfortable competence for life. The prizes are tempting, and the hard work is lightened by social intercourse, nowhere freer than in India. But the work, unaccompanied by other studies, merely sharpens and does not broaden the mind. A young magistrate sitting day after day, hearing cases without the remotest interest to him, because he despairs of arriving at the truth with respect to them, grows up to be a quicksighted and imperious man; but what in such a case—supposing the want of any deeper thought—does he carry back to England ? Money, probably an impaired constitution, a good detailed knowledge of Eastern life, and a wish to finish up the chanter in peace and comfort. His children are separatedfrom him. He loses the knowledge, ever precious to an Englishman, o! English life, and cannot easily again make his sympathies to chord with those of‘Home.’ Before the mind can be attuned ss it was years beiore s the end comes, and then

they put up a stone to his memory, and tell of how he fought and where and how he ruled In India, This, however, is not a necessity of the position, and that it may not he so everyone should hope in his own case. In many instances, our Indian administrators take the loftiest of all ground ; enter into the feelings of the poor and needy; preserve pure lives ; and know and show that wealth is not to them the end of all, but merely the means of present and future usefulness. Then there is something of high value added to England’s wealth. Nationally, we say, this is one of the most important subjects that can engage the attention of Englishmen. Conquering nations have generally received an adverse influence from their conquests. They conquer and they are conquered, even when their power is highest. Has the Anglo-Saxon race found out a new rule, or has it not? Of course the ‘proper’ answer is : ‘ Yes, it has Christianity at the basis of all.’ We would grant the argument if Christianity really was at the basis of all, but unfortunately it is not, though it is sufficiently so to have modified English life and saved India from many a woe. The worst passions of men are held in check when we have to speak only of dead men: a soldier like Havelock or Durand, or a teacher like Bishop Heber. And here the influence on India has a direct palpable reaction on England* In some respects then the influence of India certainly is injurious to England. The livea of our people have been spent in vast numbers in this land. But our work certainly is for civilisation. By the mighty grasping policy—very questionable at _ times —we certainly have given to India a peace she never before had since her history began. She is arriving at a state when all her best' energy may have free scope. England has the high honour of working out this problem, and holding for herself an Empire so vast that an Englishman may go the world round and still be among people who speak his own language. Other nations would have taken a different course. The English nation has taken its course, and the mighty deeds done in taking it have built up a noble history. Politically and religiously India is attacking us in return. She challenges our creeds with the sharpest criticism. If we denounce her id-'ls she denounces our faiths ; and we have tc learn to bear it and still work on. The sturdy lessons counter-balance the others. We are not decaying, as a nation, from contact with India. Individuals die ou, os retire to Bath chairs at Brighton, or to golf, and valetudinarianism at St. Andrews. But we are broader as a nation from the contact. We see more of mankind as a whole, and if we can bind India to us by a cord of high and honorable loyalty, the bond may endqre and add to the Imperial grandeur of England, and the well-being of India when many other landmarks are gone.—Madras Times.