Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-20
The Burmese.

You will find very few Engllshmen who have
not got an instructive aversion for the ordinary
native of India, the Madrasi or Bengali. They
nave sneaking, faWntng way about them
which almost fnvoluntarily excites contempt
and disgust, and their talk is ever of rupees,
annas and pie. The Burman, on the other
equally by the freshest grin, ten days landed
and by the Oldest Anglo Burman. who has spent
the best years OF his life In the country. And
yet, If you want clerk to do your work, or
is the last man you would engage You
would axe ON sopanoceous Bengah Ba-
boo. or a servlle, abJect Madrasi Rama
humans. and the failing which will prevent
them nom ever taking prominent place even
among eastern nations. They have no capacity
they are probably superior to the plodding
Madrasi, but they entirely lack perseverance,
In the schools OF Burmah, where the two races
mingle together, the Burman usually beats his
more swarthy competitor, and even gets the
better OF the half. breeds, but when it comes to
the real work of life he drops behind, pumped
Celestial, All Gwan gets to be head of the clerks
in the Office, while Moung Hpo is thinking of
applying for new situation on the same terms
as he got when he first LETT school. This want of
stamina II may call 1t SO, is fatal, and seems
ineradicable. 1t is the more to be regretted
because most Englishmen can, and DO make
companions Of the Burmese, which is possible
with but very few natives of India. II you
swear at Burman or speak harshly to him, he
win listen perfectly respectfully TO you and
make no answer, but he will pick UP his things
and be Off forthwith, while his pride will
hinder him from demanding any back pay
that may be due to him. A Madrasi. even
II wroDgfully abused, would simply call you
his father, and his mother ana his aunt,
defender OF the poor and epitome Of wisdom,
and would take his change out Of you In the
bazaar accounts. a Burlnan will very rarely
serve a. a body servant, and when he does
must be trested more as friend han any
thing else. II he likes you, he will do all your
work and stick to you through thick and thin,
but he viii not endure being treated as SIM
pie "boy." In these respects the Burman COM
pares unfaVorabiy With the black Aryan; In all
else he Is his superior. Some one with taste
for comparison has called the Burmese 1.-THE
Irish OF the east" In their love OF fun and rol-
licking they certainly resemble the finest peas
antry In the world. A Burman is always ready
TO welcome joke, and not seldom is able to
cap ii, while nothing is so remarkable about the
natives OF India as their utter incapacity
to appreciate wit or to recognize humor that is
not OF the broadcast. The great similarities of
sound In tonic language like the Burmese give
abundant opportunity for plays on words, and
they are, therefore, very free In the use OF the
basis OF all wit, and every dramatic piece
aboundS IN punS and plays on words. A native
OF India, 1t has often been noticed, cannot rec
ognNe the photographs or engravings OF places
or people he knows well, ana the more litter
ate will turn picture upside down, and look at
IL Sideways, and examine the back, In vain at
tempts to find out what 1t means. A Burman,
ON The contrary, not only delights In pictures
and quickly recognizes nkenesses, but has ordt-
nar1iy himself very fair power OF drawing
Shtrdy zoe, the COf7oItfU Magazine.