The Press. — London, England, 1856-12-13 00:00:00

DECEMBER 13, 1856. , 7 ittrature. The Life and Correspondence of Major-General Sir John Malcolm, (1 C.B. By J. W. Kaye, Author of the " Life of Lord Metcalfe." Two Vols. London : Smith and Elder. M R . KAYE has produced a substantial life of Sir John Malcolm. Without any of the higher qualities of a biographer, and without ally pretension to character in style, Mr. Kaye treats the materials at his command in a good business-like manner. He neither illustrates nor digresses. He simply narrates, taking events iu the order of their occurrence. He does not often put forward opinions or views of his own . ; and when he does so, we commonly see occasion to regret his departure from his usual modesty. He is not one who can ven ture to indulge in the " ego " with success. His mind seems entirely deficient of origina tive faculties ; and his general notions on Indian politics correspond—perhaps fortu nately for himself—with those held by the Direction of the Honourable East India Com pany. Mr. Kaye is, we believe, in some way connected with the great house in Leadenhall street. Generally he appears to be a modest and temperate exponent of its views. The main fault of the book is that into which writers of moderate abilities are most apt to fall. As Sir John Malcolm is Mr. Kaye's sub ject, he conceives it to be his duty to magnify Sir John as much as possible. " Arma virtunque cano." Mr. Kave writes of Malcolm, " Nature made him for a hero." Nature did nothing of the kind. She made him for a good working man, with a clear head and an honest heart. He had very little that was heroic in his character. Heroes leave their impress on the transactions in which they have borne a part, and on the age in which they live. Malcolm did no more than other servants of the Company might have done as well. His ambition was of that well-regulated, sub ordinated character which is an admirable element in the constitution of public servants, but which has little in common with heroic aspirations. Malcolm had been treated with marked favour by Lord Wellesley during his administration, and was an ardent supporter of that nobleman's general scheme of policy. When Malcolm's opinion was taken, it was always favorable to a further extension of British conquests. He adopted Lord Clive's maxim, "To stop is dangerous—to recede " ruin." At this time Malcolm was compara tively a young man, and saw a distinguished career before him. He learnt the appoint ment of the Marquis Cornwallis, as successor to Lord Wellesley, with great concern. That Indian statesman came out expressly to give to India the peace and repose it needed. Lord Wellesley seems to have conceived that, as Malcolm was decidedly opposed to the contemplated change of system, he would gladly embrace an opportunity of returning to Enghtnd with him. When Lord Wellesley was on the eve of departure, " a letter," says Mr. Kaye, " arrived from Colonel Shawe, ex pressing a hope on the part of the retiring " Governor-General that Malcolm would ac "company him to England." Here was an opportunity for Malcolm to display, not heroism perhaps, but disinterestedness, and a grateful appreciation of the favour Lord Wellesley had shown him. Malcolm's own opinion of his duty was, however, that "he " could in no way prove his attachment to " Lord Wellesley so well as by remaining at " his post to assist in carrying out his lord "ship's policy." Mr. Kaye dwells on " the sore trial " to which Malcolm was ex • posed by Lord Wellesley's wish. "It "is hard to say what it cost him" to write a letter virtually declining Lord Welles ley's proposal. Malcolm professed his wil lingness to comply with any command of Lord Wellesley, but set forth such personal rea sons for remaining in India as made his de parture with Lord Welleslev out of the ques tion: The new Governor-General, Lord Corn wallis, had, it seems, from the first expressed a doubt whether Malcolm would cordially co operate with him. This doubt Malcolm him self soon set at rest. In answer to a column- THE PRESS. nication from Lord Cornwallis, Mr. Kaye's "hero" wrote:— feel infinitely obliged by your lordship's condescend• ing to explain to me the principles upon which it is your intention to entry on your adm'nistration ; and 1 hope your lordship will rest fully satisfied that the same sense of duty which has invariably led me to give my opinions when they were required with freedom and honesty, has also taught me to submit on every occasion with the most implicit respect and deference to the better judgment of my superiors; and I feel confident in assuring your lordship that however inferior I may be found to others in know. ledge and ability I shall be surpassed by none in zeal and obedience, and that it will add greatly to the happiness of my life if my exertions in the public service should ever be judged to merit the high distinction or your lordship's notice and approbation.—September The letter might, under the circumstances. be very proper, but assuredly there was nothing heroic in it. Mr. Kaye, in his summary of Malcolm's character, continues : I do not know an example out of the regions of ro• mance in which so man) remarkable qualities, generally supposed to be antagonistic, were combined in the same person. It is no small thing to cope with a tiger in the jungle ; it is no small thing to draw up an elaborate State paper; it is no small thing to write the history of a nation ; it is no small thing to conduct to a successful issue a difficult negotiation at a foreign Court; it is no small thing to lead an army to victory ; and I think it may with truth be said that he who could do all these things with such brilliant success as Sir John Malcolm was a very remarkable man in a very remarkable age. This attempt to make an Admirable Crichton of Sir John is absurd. The "no small things" were many of them common to the whole class of Indian politicians. In no case can it fairly be said that Malcolm achieved " brilliant success." He usually did his work well, but, whether from want of opportunity, or from lack of decided ability for any particular pur- suit, he never rose to a first place, either in arms, in diplomacy, in statesmanship, or in literature. With much more reason, Mr. Kaye speaks of his success in obtaining dominion over the minds of the natives of India, and justly as cribes it to the directness and manliness of his character. Everyone who has served in India knows that it is by such qualities that the na tives are most strongly impressed and most easily governed. They are masters them selves in deceit and finesse, and truth appears to impress them with greater reverence for being in some degree foreign to their character. They felt they could trust implicitly to Mal cohn's word, and his natural kindliness and generosity of disposition were constantly exercised to soften harsh conditions, and to improve their state. His freedom from mer cenary motive was, on the whole, the most striking and honourable feature in his cha racter. After spending neatly half a century in the Indian service he returned to England, possessed of only a moderate fortune. Often he sacrificed his pecuniary interest to what he conceived to be the public service ; and in this, not in his achievements, consists what ever of heroism there was in his character. The story of his lib is important, not only for its own sake, but for the circumstances with which it was surrounded. For example, the affairs of Persia are now prominently be fore the public, and Malcolm has left on record his opinion of the policy which this country should pursue towards Persia. Again, Mal colm had, at different periods of his career, to consider the wisdom of that policy of annexa tion which is always sure to find favour in India. Eager to pursue it under Wellesley, he saw occasion afterwards to greatly modify his views, and to positively fear that the growth of our dominion in Indio might proceed at too rapid a rate. From his early intimacy with the Duke of Wellington he was thrown much into his society during his visits to England, and became the depositary of his confidence. These and other points we can best bring out by a rapid glance at his career. He came from a respectable Scotch stock His father was a farmer in Dumfriesshire, and was unlucky in some speculations in which he engaged. He had a large family,—ten sons (of whom Mr. Kaye's hero was the fourth) and seven daughters. Malcolm was horn in 1769, and when twelve years old crossed the Scot tish border in company with his maternal uncle, Mr. John Pasley, who took charge of him. His spirit and confidence were notice able early. " sow joplf, my mon," said his old ~..:._ "Ir 1191 nurse, as she took leave of him, " be sure when "ye are awa' 3•e kaim your head, and keep " our face clean; if ye dinna, ye'll just be " sent hame agen." " Tut, woman," was the answer, " ye're aye se feard; ye'll see if I were " awa' amang strangers I'll just do weel " alleugh." Jock kept his word, and had soon an opportunity of showing his spirit. His uncle procured him a nomination to the mili tary service of the Company, but it was doubt ful whether such a mere boy would pass : Towards the end of the year 1781 John Malcolm was taken to the India•house, and was, as his uncle anticipated, in a fair way to be rejected, when one of the Directors said. to him, " Why, my little man, what would you do if you were to meet Hyder Ali ?" " Do, sir," said the young aspirant in prompt reply, " I would out with my sword and cut off his head." " You will do," was the rejoinder ; " let him pass." The lofty spirit of the boy atoned for his lowly stature, and that was granted to his big words which would have been denied to his few inches. John Malcolm's first commission was dated in October, 1781. Malcolm, however, did not sail for Tndia till some months later. He arrived at Madras in April, 1783, was employed in such services as his youth would allow, and in due time (January 1792) joined Lord Cornwallis's camp before Se ringapatam He had gained some knowledge of the Persian language, and was appointed to act as interpreter to some native troops. Thus, says Mr. Kaye, "John Malcolm had " planted his foot on the ladder of preferment, " and from this time to the close of his career " was uninterruptedly employed on the staff." We need not follow his career step by step. He was employed in various important ser vices—for in those days, when so much impor tant work was to be done, active, intelligent meu were certain of employment—and soon after the arrival of Lord IVellesley (1798) was appointed to proceed on a mission to Persia. 'IP The French, in the apprehension of Anglo. , Indians, were as dangerous in Central Asia then as the Russians are thought to be now. French invasion of India, from the side of Persia, and with the aid of that power, was thought far from improbable. Zemaun Shah, the ruler of Affghauistan, was our most dreaded enemy ; and it was.to relieve the Indian Go. vernment from the fear of his invasions, threatened annually, that Malcolm was sent to conclude an alliance with the Persian monarch. The account of this first mission of Malcolm to Persia is amusingly told. He succeeded in concluding two treaties with the King of Persia—one against Zemaun Shah, the other against the French. Should the A ffglian ruler ever invade, or contemplate an in vasion, of Hindostan, the King of Persia was to attack him, and the Indian Government, on its side, was to aid by all practicable means the Persian kingdom, should Zemaun Shah ever direct his arms against it. Further—and this point is rernarkahle,—the Indian Government was bound to aid the attempt of the King of Persia to recover Khorassan, by sending a supply of artillery with equipments. As against France, the treaty stipulated that the French should never be allowed to land, or settle, in any part of the Persian dominions. Eight years later (in 1808) Malcolm was sent on a second mission to Persia. A French invasion of India seemed then more immi nent. France and Russia had concluded a close alliance, and Malcolm was sent under the Indian Government of Lord Minto to counteract the intrigues of French and Rus sian agents. On his former mission he had been enabled to carry matters with a high hand, and to insist on privileges, trivial in themselves, but important in the eyes of the Court he visited. This time his high tone was objected to. Mr. Kaye thinks he erred in assuming! too dictatorial a policy ; Malcolm himself contended that his manner had no thing whatever to do with his ill success, hut that the foreign influences he had to contend with were too powerful for him to overcome. At the time of Malcolm's mission the English Government had determined on taking the re lations with Persia into its own hands, and Sir Harford Jones was despatched on a mission to the Court of Teheran. Sir Harford arrived at Bombay at the time that Malcolm was in Persia He waited till news arrived of his failure, and then sailed for the Persian Gulf. Whatever may be said disparagingly of Jones, the fact is that he aucceeded where Malcolm had,