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ADDRESS on the Tenth Anniversary of Patcheappah's Institution: 1853.

MR. SECRETARY AND GENTLEMEN,-It would be strange indeed, if, upon this the first occasion of my addressing you, as the Patron of this noble Institution, I were not somewhat overmastered by a variety of conflicting emotions; for the ceremonies we have this day witnessed, and the addresses we have heard, have made a deep impression upon my mind; and have convinced me, if indeed anything were wanting to convince me, of the wisdom and policy of devoting a considerable portion of the funds of this Charity to the erection of this spacious Hall in which we are this day assembled together for the Charity is peculiarly Native; it is derived from the munificence of one Native founder; it is administered solely by Natives; you have taken the initiative you have given, as it were, a local habitation and a name to the great cause of Native education; and you have reared, at once, a refuge, whither those less strong, less affluent, less able to go alone than yourselves, may periodically recur, as on this Anniversary, for advice and assistance; while at the same time it is a common centre, where you may meet to consult, and whence your efforts in the cause may radiate to the extremest circumference of your national wants. (a)

But, Sir, there are other causes for my feeling. I cannot have filled this chair, I cannot rise to address you, without recalling the thought and presence of one who will be present to all your minds also; who has so often addressed you from

(a) The policy of devoting a very large amount of the Charity funds to the erection of the Hall had been much questioned, and met with no little opposition among the Natives. On the occasion on which this address was delivered the Hall was formally opened.

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MR. GEORGE NORTON -DUTY OF A PATRON.

this spot, my predecessor and namesake, Mr. NORTON, the late Advocate General.

He was peculiarly connected with the early fortunes as well as the late success of this Institution; and I much doubt, if, without his advice and assistance, always cordially granted when they were required, you would ever have occupied the proud position which your Institution fills this day. Moreover, he was my most intimate friend, one with whom for many years I had enjoyed the most unreserved and confidential communication; with whom, too, I was long a fellow labourer in the great cause of national education; one with whom I was consentaneously agreed on all the great general principles on which we thought Native education ought to be carried out as a Government measure, although of course we had slight differences of opinion on matters of detail and minutiæ, as to the method of carrying out those measures.

He is not with us here; but I doubt whether even that is not as much a source of congratulation as regret; because he will be more able by his influence and his experience at this crisis) to benefit the people of India in England, than if he had remained among us; and sure I am that I may confidently promise on his part, that his efforts will not be diminished or relaxed in the good cause, wherever he may be.

I know that I can ill supply his place, either in point of ability or experience; but I can conscientiously assure you, that so far as my measure of ability extends, you may be certain of my cordial co-operation and assistance whenever you may require them; for I consider that the duties of a Patron of this Institution ought not to be exercised by any interference or busy meddling. This is purely a Native Institution; and it must be administered to solely by Native honesty and exertion in all their activity. The duties

(6) Strong efforts were being made to introduce the Bible as a Class Book in the Government Schools.

THE CORRECTNESS OF HIS PRINCIPLES.

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of a Patron are only passive. Such was the opinion and the practice of my predecessor; such will be mine; and I shall be always accessible whenever occasions may arise, as they must, on which you may think it desirable to have the opinion or advice of a European.

This is a consolation to me, that both you in proffering, and I in accepting the honour you have conferred upon me, are well aware that I come to the post of patron prepared to carry out in their integrity all the principles of my predecessor, not only with reference to this Institution, but the great general cause of education; and I am convinced of the soundness of those opinions, because I find that all the measures which the Government has at last sanctioned, and is in the progress of carrying out-all with the exception of two of minor importance :-the ingrafting of a Primary School on the High School, and the lowering of the School fee-which, though of more importance, was perhaps a question of time-all the rest, the institution of Collegiate classes, the erection of a test, the foundation of Provincial Schools,-are precisely the very measures which he so many years advocated through good report and through evil report, so often pressed upon the notice of Government without success: their adoption at last, is a tacit acknowledgment of their correctness, and that Education, as a Government measure, could be based upon no other principles. Others may reap the credit of those measures, but sure I am that the gratitude of the Natives is mainly due for them to him.

Sir, these are not all the circumstances which raise in me a conflict of emotion.

During the past year, this Institution has been deprived by death of two of its ablest supporters, your late President STREENEVASSA PILLAY, and one of your Trustees, RAMANJOOLOO NAIDOO.

4 STREENEVASSA PILLAY-FEMALE EDUCATION-MAR

RIAGE OF WIDOWS-RAMANJOOLOO NAIDOO.

You, Sir, have already spoken to-day of both of them in terms honorable alike to yourselves and them; and it would ill become me to pass over them in silence on this Anniversary of your foundation.

With the former I was intimately acquainted: for many years we had been associated as Governors of the High School; and I had ample occasion during that time, of learning, and learning to admire the many good qualities which he possessed, and of witnessing his undeviating interest in the cause of education. He dedicated no smaller a sum than 70,000 Rupees, as I understand, to charitable education. He liberally endeavoured to educate the Hindu female, and elevate her in the social scale, by cultivating her understanding; and at the time of his death, he had engaged in an undertaking which reflected the highest credit upon his understanding and his patriotism, the attempt to break through one of the most pernicious of the prejudices of Caste, and to introduce the marriage of widows; than which, in my opinion, no one thing will more tend to elevate the national character. All this was the more laudable in STREENEVASSA PILLAY, because he was not himself one of the present generation who had tasted the delights and benefits of education; and therefore it was purely attributable to his enlarged philanthrophy and foresight, which could see how great a boon such efforts would inevitably confer upon his countrymen.

With RAMANJOOLOO I became acquainted only shortly before his death, when he was admitted as a Governor of the Government School; but during that period I had several conversations with him on topics connected with Education; and this I will say of him, that I never met a Native of all whose acquaintance I have made, who equalled him in grasp of mind and in energy of purpose. He took to the cause late in life; but had he been spared, he would, I am

QUALITIES REQUIRED TO SECURE THE CAUSE OF EDUCATION. 5

These

sure, have been of the greatest service in the cause. losses, at this particular crisis too, are undoubtedly a heavy blow and great discouragement to the cause of Native Education, and especially to this Institution; but assuredly, gentlemen, they should be no cause of despair, or even of discouragement. So far from it, they should but prompt us to gird up our loins; to act with more energy in our endeavours to supply the void caused by our loss: a task all the easier, as it does not call for the exercise of those higher qualities of the mind required for laying down fundamental principles on which Education is to be based. The thought, the prudence, the experience, the judgment to plan, have already been exercised, and are comparatively not needed. All that is now required, is the exercise of those qualifications, lower perhaps, but not less estimable; and which we ought and may all hope that we possess; honesty, care, diligence, perseverance, to carry out to their fulness what others have already with such judgment laid down.

This Institution is, I consider, established upon a basis which cannot be shaken. Nay, the cause of Education in this Presidency is so established; and almost the last words of Mr. NORTON to me were expressive of his satisfaction at the conviction which he felt, that before he left these shores, he had seen National Education, as a Government measure, placed upon such a footing that it could not be shaken. It is the fashion, in some influential quarters, to express astonishment at the little that has been done. If by that is meant the little that the Government has done, I admit it; but my astonishment is, not at the little, but at the great deal which the Natives have done for themselves. It is a fact which cannot be too generally known, that almost all the Native seminaries which have shared your bounty this day, are either founded or presided over by proficients of the High School. Nay, I will go further. The cause is established throughout the length and breadth of India, so that it can

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