New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-01

SAYS BY the late Sir William Wilson Hunter
Lady Hunter with an Introductory essay by
Francis Henry Shrine. Indian Civil Service pe-
tired. svo, PIP xviii, 276. bongmans' Green *
Lady Hunter has collected some OF the essays
on Indian and other subjects which her husband
contributed from time TO time 10 various Eng
fish and Indian journals. in a volume which
viii ftly represent his ephemeral work among
the books OF serious scope which he contributed
TO the literature OF the great English domain
The first essay. "a which he describes the
changes and developments he had witnessed IN
India during the reign Of Victoria down to the
time OF his return to England in 1887. was con-
tributed to The Times" In the first Of its
1--WE divisions he sets forth the effect Of India
or England The British Islands had been con-
verted by the possession Of India from Euro
pean into an Asiatic power The first step in
the transformation was taken by way Of con-
quest. The Marquis Of Dalhousie conceived the
annexation OF the Punjab, Dude and the greater
part OF Burma compelled by the obligation OF
the foreign government TO free people from
whom It had taken the possibility Of freeing It
self The attempt to unite India under cen
fralized government before railroad and tele-
graph had made this possible resulted in the
Ilutiny, the loss of much territory and its ulti-
mate recovery. The following period was one
piled. the governmental hold strengthened and
the people placed under ordered codes. Follow
ang this came a period Of reconciliation,
greater interplay OF national interests and
steady assumption OF ali increasing share in
government by the native population Public
instruction has necessarily been remodelled on
q secular basis IN order 10 allow proper scope
20 the forces Of Islam and Hindooism, which
the author recognizes as entirely vital IN their
spheres and toward which the English admin
sstration has learned TO maintain attitude
dictated by rational eXpediency. The new dan
ger confronting English rule. the aspirations of
the educated class. is less ominous than the
ugly threats that lay before IN ignorance and
bgotry.
Another paper on Popular Movements in In
dia,- appeared in The Contemporary Review
IN 1891 II traces the rise of the local military
forces and the steps toward Indian representa-
ton THE Ruin of Aurangzeb," appearing in
the Nineteenth Century in 1887. is q vivid
and most interesting history of the rise and
fan OF the Nughal Empire under the extraordi-
nary conQueror and obstinate defeater of his
own ends the Puritan Muhammadan mon
arch" His dominion fell by alienation of the
Hindoo princes and people in the interest Of
orthodox faith. and the author draws moral
IN his picture. Two lectures delivered in Edin-
burgh IN 1S79-'S0 are reproduced in the paper
on 'England's Work in India" discussing in its
forecasts the adjustment of the food supply to
the population. and the relation Of the needs
Of government with European inspiration
10 the fiscal support customary 10 the East;
and in its retrospect defending Britain against
the charge OF spoliation and fraud in Indian
rule Under the title, a River of Ruined Capt.
tals.'' the Ganges Delta and the repeated de-
struction IT has worked on Calcutta and the
efforts Of scientific engineering TO defend il are
set forth: two papers deal with the English mis-
sionary endeayor in spirit of enthusiasm and
earnest conviction. unusual in the commonly
neutral attitude Of the Indian administrator,
and the concluding essay is a sympathetic ac-
count Of the struggles and ideals Of the Hun
garian scholar Csoma de Koros. The assem-
bling of the papers on India is more than Justi-
fed. They were written to afford a better
comprehension Of a national work which the
writer had set his heart and TO which he had
given his life, and they deserve permanent
form.