Adam's Reports on Vernacular Education in Bengal and Behar/Report 3/Chapter 1/Section 9

Section IX.

Persian and Arabic Schools.

The class of institutions next in importance to vernacular and Sanscrit schools consists of those in which the Persian and Arabic languages and the learning they contain are taught. Persian and Arabic schools are so intimately connected that they are regarded here as one class.

City and District of Moorshedabad.

In 20 thanas of this district there are 17 Persian and 2 Arabic schools; but it is to be understood in this and in similar cases that Persian is taught in the Arabic schools also, and that sometimes an Arabic is distinguishable from a Persian school only by the circumstance that one or two of the pupils have begun the study of one of the earliest and easiest works on the grammar of the Arabic language.

One village contains two Persian schools, and the remaining seventeen, Persian and Arabic, are contained in the same number of villages or mohallas.

There are nineteen teachers, all Musalmans, whose average age is 36.5 years.

The following are the modes and amount of the remuneration given to the teachers:—

Rs. As. P.
6 teachers receive monthly wages . . . 68 0 0
1 teacher receives fees and uncooked food . . . 3 8 0
3 teachers receive fees and subsistence-money . . . 17 8 0
1 teacher receives monthly wages and annual presents . . . 4 2 8
1 teacher receives monthly wages and annual allowance . . . 7 2 8
3 teachers receive monthly wages and perquisites . . . 38 0 0
2 teachers receive fees, subsistence-money, and annual presents . . . 21 2 8
1 teacher receives fees, subsistence-money, and uncooked food . . . 5 0 8
1 teacher receives fees, subsistence-money, and weekly and annual presents . . . 4 3 2

Nineteen teachers thus receive in all rupees 168-11-10, which averages to each rupeess 8-14-1 per month. There are no teachers who give all their instructions gratuitously, but in several of the scholars there are some schools who are taught without making any payment to the teachers. Those teachers who receive monthly wages or fixed salaries are generally dependent on the head or heads of one family; and of such families five are Hindu, whose allowances to the teachers are considerably in excess of the above average. In one of the Arabic schools instruction is given gratuitously to all the scholars, and the teacher receives his remuneration from Munshi Sharaf Khan. The institution has existed long, and has descended to the care of the Munshi its chief patron.

Fifteen of the schools have no other accommodations as school-houses than are afforded by the baithak-khanas and garden-houses of the principal supporters. Of the remaining two, one, a Persian school, has a school-house built by a respectable Hindu inhabitant at a cost of 40 rupees; and the other, an Arabic school, has a school-house built by the Musalman patrons at a cost of about 400 rupees. The latter is a brick building, and is used also as a dwelling-house by the maulavi and some of the scholars.

In 19 schools there are 109 scholars, averaging 5.7 to each school. Of the total number 102 are engaged in the study of Persian, and 7 in that of Arabic. Of the Persian scholars 61 are Hindus and 41 Musalmans, and of the Arabic scholars one is a Hindu of the brahman caste and six are Musalmans. The following are the castes of the Persian scholars who are Hindus and the number of each—

Brahman . . . 27
Kayastha . . . 15
Kurmi . . . 6
Kaivarta . . . 4
Aguri . . . 4
Suvarnabanik . . . 2
Napit . . . 1
Mali . . . 1
Sutar . . . 1

The following are the average ages of the Persian and Arabic scholars at the three periods formerly mentioned, viz., the age of admission to school, the age at the time the schools were visited, and the estimated age of leaving school :—

Persian scholars . . . . . . 9.5 . . . 13.5 . . . 20.8
Arabic scholars . . . . . . 11.0 . . . 17.4 . . . 21.1

The following works comprise the course of Persian reading, viz., the Pandnameh, Gulistan, Bostan, Payindeh Beg, embracing forms of epistolary correspondence; Insha-i-Matlub, containing forms of correspondence and contract; Joseph and Zuleikha, the history of Joseph; Asafi consisting of odes; Secandar Nameh, poetical history of Alexander the Great; Bahar-i-Danish, tales; and Allami, consisting of the correspondence of Shah Akber, Abulfazl, &c., &c. About one-half of the Persian teachers limit their instructions to the Bostan and Gulistan, and the other, works are more or less taught by the remaining number.

The only works read by the Arabic students are grammatical, viz., Mizan, Tasrif, and Zubda on the inflecsions, and Sharh-i-Miat Amil on the syntax of the Arabic language.

District of Beerbhoom.

This district contains 71 Persian and 2 Arabic schools; of which two villages contain four each, two contain three each, three contain two each, and fifty-three contain one each.

The number of teachers is the same as the number of schools. Of the teachers of the Persian schools, sixty-six are Musalmans and five Hindus; and of the latter three are Brahmans, one is a Kayastha, and one a Daivajna. The teachers of the Arabic schools are Musalmans. The average age of all the teachers is 36.3 years.

Six Persian teachers and one Arabic teacher instruct gratuitously. The following are the modes and rates of remuneration of the remaining number :—

Rs. As. P.
1 Arabic teacher receives monthly wages . . . 7 0 0
2 Persian teachers receive monthly wages . . . 15 0 0
23 Persian teachers receive fees . . . 135 4 0
3 Persian teachers receive monthly wages and perquisites . . . 21 12 0
37 Persian teachers receive fees and perquisites . . . 232 4 6
Thus 66 paid teachers receive in all rupees 411-4-6, averaging to each rupees 6-6-1 per month. Of the unpaid teachers, one not only instructs gratuitously, but also gives his scholars food and occasionally clothes; three support themselves by farming, of whom two are in possession of lakhiraj land, and of these one is a retired darogha, a fifth gains his livelihood as a mulla, a sixth instructs gratuitously from religious motives, and the object of the seventh was to keep in recollection his former acquirements. Of the paid teachers, a few only are dependent upon individual patrons, and those patrons are both Hindus and Musalmans; several of the scholars of these salaried teachers receive gratuitous instruction.

There are in all ten school-houses, of which one was built at the expense of the teacher, two by the subscriptions of the parents, and seven by private individuals, either from general motives of benevolence, or with a view to the advantage of their owa children. One teacher instructs his scholars from house to house, and the remainder find accommodation for their scholars in kachharis, mosques, and especially baithak-khanas.

In 73 schools there are 490 scholars, averaging 6.7 to each school. The number of Persian students is 485 and of Arabic 5. Of the Persian students 240 are Musalmans and 245 Hindus, and the Arabic students are all Musalmans. The average age of the Persian scholars at the time the schools were visited was 13.5 years, and of the Arabic scholars 18.4 years. The following are the castes of the Persian scholars who are Hindus and the number of each :—

Brahman . . . 111
Kayastha . . . 83
Kaivarta . . . 11
Vaidya . . . 10
Suvarnabanik . . . 8
Sadgop . . . 6
Gandhabanik . . . 4
Kamar . . . 4
Vaishnava . . . 2
Göala . . . 2
Sunri . . . 2
Aguri . . . 1
Swarnakar . . . 1

In addition to nearly all the works already enumerated, the following are included in the course of Persian reading in this district, viz., Amadnameh on the conjugation of verbs; the formal reading of the Koran; Tutinameh, or tales of a parrot; Ruqaädt-i-Alamgir, the correspondence of Alamgir; Insha-i-Yusafi, forms of epistolary correspondence; Mulatafa, a collection of letters exhibiting different styles of penmanship; Toghra, an account of Cashmir; and the poems of Zahir, of Nasir Ali, and of Sayib.

The only additional work in Arabic employed as a school-book in this district is the Munshdaäb on Arabic conjugations.

District of Burdwan

In this district there are 3 schools in which nothing more than the formal reading of the Koran is taught as described in the 2nd report, p. 27—29, 93 Persian schools and 8 Arabic schools.

Seven of these schools are found in one village and three in another, six villages contain two each and eighty-two villages contain one each.

There are three Musalman teachers to the three schools for the formal reading of the Koran, and twelve Musalman teachers to the eight schools of Arabic learning; two of these schools having each three teachers, of whom one teaches Arabic, the second Persian, and the third watches over the manners and general conduct of the pupils. The ninety-three Persian schools have the same number of teachers, of whom eighty-six are Musalmans and seven Hindus. Of the latter four are Kayasthas, two Brahmans, and one a Gandhabanik. The average age of all the teachers is 39.5 years.

Twenty-two teachers instruct gratuitously, and of that number six also support and clothe the whole or a part of their scholars. I have not found any instance in which Hindu students receive from a Musalman teacher or patron anything beyond gratuitous instruction. Thus in one instance a maulavi gratuitously instructs seven Hindu scholars, but in addition to gratuitous instruction he gives also food and clothing to eleven Musalman students; in another, a maulavi gratuitously instructs two Hindu and six Musalman students, and he gives also food and clothing to five other Musalman students; and in a third case, a maulavi has thirteen Musalman students, all of whom he both instructs and supports. The rule appears to be that those students, whether Hindus or Musalmans, who are natives of the village in which the school is situated, receive gratuitous instruction only, while those Musalman students who are natives of other villages, and have come from a distance for the sake of instruction, receive also food and clothing. On the other hand, when a Hindu is the patron, as in the case of the Rajah of Burdwan, who supports two Persian schools, Musalman and Hindu scholars enjoy equal advantages, although the number of the former is less. Thus in one of the Rajahs schools 13 Hindus and 2 Musalmans, and in the other 13 Hindus and 1 Musalman, receive instruction and food for four years, after which they may continue to study but without receiving food. Some of the patrons and gratuitous teachers are men of great wealth or high character, and others, without possessing either of these, are holders of land by the tenure of Ayma which was apparently regarded in several instances as involving an obligation to give gratuitous instruction. This is more apparent in one case from the fact that the holder of the land, after long neglecting this obligation, lately sent three or four scholars to the neighbouring schools whom he supports at his own expense. The remuneration of the paid teachers is as follows:—

Rs. As. P.
11 teachers receive monthly wages . . . 156 0 0
14 teachers receive fees . . . 70 8 0
1 teacher receives only his daily food . . . 2 0 0
10 teachers receive monthly wages and uncooked food . . . 61 11 0
1 teacher receives monthly wages and subsistence-money . . . 25 0 0
29 teachers receive fees and uncooked food . . . 151 3 0
2 teachers receive monthly wages and annual presents . . . 11 0 0
6 teachers receive fees and annual presents . . . 26 3 0
1 teacher receives weekly and annual presents . . . 2 14 0
11 teachers receive fees, uncooked food, and annual presents . . . 67 4 0

Thus 86 paid teachers receive in all rupees 573-11, averaging to each rupees 6-1.0-8 per month.

Out-houses, baithak-khanas, chandi-mandaps, and kachharis are employed as school-houses here as elsewhere, the place occupied generally belonging to the principal supporter of the school, and sometimes to the teacher himself. In one instance, one of the scholars in a Persian school, in payment of the instruction he receives, supplies the teacher with a school-house rent-free. Of the Persian schools, about a dozen have school-houses expressly built for that purpose, and varying in the estimated cost of erection from six rupees to two hundred. Three of the Arabic schools have buildings estimated to have cost 50, 200 and 250 rupees respectively. Another has a school-house with a dwelling-house attached, in the upper-story of which the teacher lives, while the scholars are lodged below. Two of them have large endowments, with buildings estimated to cost, in one instance 15,000, and in the other 50,000, rupees. Each endowment is applied to the support not only of a school, but of a hospital, a mosque, and a sacred relic.

In 104 schools there are 971 scholars, averaging 9.3 to each school. Of the total number 17 are engaged in the formal reading of the Koran, 899 in the perusal of Persian works, and 55 in the study of Arabic learning. All the Koran-readers are Musalmans; of the Persian scholars, 451 are Musalmans and 448 are Hindus; and of the Arabic students, 51 are Musalmans and 4 are Hindus. Of the four Hindu students of Arabic, two are of the Aguri caste, one is a Kayastha, and one a Teli. The following are the castes and numbers of the 448 Hindus who are Persian scholars :—

Kayastha . . . 172
Brahman . . . 153
Sadgop . . . 50
Aguri . . . 42
Suvarnabanik . . . 8
Vaidya . . . 4
Chhatri . . . 3
Sunri . . . 3
Kaivarta . . . 2
Gandhabanik . . . 2
Kumar . . . 2
Swarnakar . . . 2
Rajput . . . 1
Teli . . . 1
Napit . . . 1
Tanti . . . 1
Mayra . . . 1

The following are the average ages of the scholars at the three periods formerly mentioned :—

Koran scholars . . . . . . 8.70 . . . 10.4 . . . 13.2
Persian scholars . . . . . . 10.03 . . . 15.6 . . . 26.5
Arabic scholars . . . . . . 16.30 . . . 21.2 . . . 28.1

The following works, in addition to some mentioned under the preceding heads, are read in the schools of this district :—

In Persian, Tis Takhti, a spelling-book; Farsi-nameh or Sirab Dhoka, a vocabulary; Insha-i-Herkern, forms of correspondence; Nal Daman, translation from Sanscrit of a love-story; the poems of Urfi, of Hafiz, of Wahshati, of Ghani, of Badr, and of Khakani, the last including both the Tahfut-ul-Irakin and Kasaid-i-Khakani; Waqaia Nyamat Khan Ali, an account of the campaigns of Aurungzebe; Hadikat-ul-Balaghat, a grammar of rhetoric; Shah Nameh, Firdusi’s national poem; and Kuliyat-i-Khosro, the works of Khosro.

In Arabic, Saraf Mir and Hidayat-us-Sarf on the etymology of the Arabic; Miat Amil, Jummul, Tatamma, Hidayat-un-Nahv, Misba, Zawa, Kafia, and Sharh-i-Mulla on syntax, Zawa being a commentary on Misba, and Shar-i-Mulla on Kafia; Mizan-i-Mantih, Tahzib, Mir Zahid, Kutbi, Mir, and Mulla Jalal on logic, Kutbi and Mulla Jalal being commentaries on Mir Zahid, and Mir a glossary to Kutbi; Sharh-i-Waqaia, on the circumstantials of Islam, as the ceremonies of religion and the law of inheritance; Nurulanwar, on the fundamentals of Islam, as the unity of God and the mission of Mahomed; Sirajiya, compendium of Mahomedan law; Hidaya, on the law of inheritance; Miscat-ul-Misabih, on Mahomedan observances; Shams-i-Bazigha and Sadra, treatises on natural philosophy; Sharh-i-Chagimani, a treatise on astronomy according to the Ptolemaic system; and Tauji, Talbi, and Faragh, treatises on metaphysics.

District of South Behar.

This district contains 291 schools, of which 279 are Persian and 12 Arabic.

One town contains ninteen, another eleven, a third seven, a fourth six, and a fifth five schools. Five villages contain three each; twenty-four, two each; and a hundred and eighty, one each.

The number of teachers is the same as the number of schools, and their average age is 34.2 years.

One of the Persian teachers is a Hindu of the writer-caste, and all the other teachers, both Persian and Arabic, are Musalmans.

Two of the teachers instruct gratuitously, and two others give both food and instruction to their pupils. The remaining teachers are remunerated as follows: —

Rs. As. P.
1 teacher receives monthly wages and clothes and food for himself and scholars . . . 46 8 0
1 teacher receives monthly wages, food for himself and scholars, and the proceeds of an endowment of land . . . 165 5 4
2 teachers receive monthly wages . . . 3 0 0
2 teachers receive fees . . . 7 7 0
5 teachers receive monthly wages and uncooked food . . . 16 8 0
14 teachers receive fees and uncooked food . . . 49 6 0
2 teachers receive monthly wages and subsistence-money . . . 8 8 0
22 teachers receive fees and subsistence-money . . . 75 11 0
2 teachers receive fees and weekly presents . . . 8 10 0
3 teachers receive monthly wages and annual presents . . . 5 10 0
10 teachers receive fees and annual presents . . . 27 3 9
6 teachers receive monthly wages, uncooked food, and annual presents . . . 80 15 3
57 teachers receive fees, uncooked food, and annual presents . . . 243 11 3
29 teachers receive monthly wages, subsistence-money, and annual presents . . . 101 8 9
95 teachers receive fees, subsistence-money, and annual presents . . . 454 7 3
1 teacher receives fees, subsistence-money, and weekly presents . . . 7 0 0
1 teacher receives monthly wages, weekly presents, and annual presents . . . 3 2 3
1 teacher receives fees, uncooked food, weekly presents, and annual presents . . . 4 6 0
10 teachers receive monthly wages, subsistence-money, weekly presents, and annual presents . . . 47 5 0
22 teachers receive fees, subsistence-money, weekly presents, and annual presents . . . 110 8 0
1 teacher receives fees, uncooked food, subsistence-money, weekly presents, and annual presents . . . 5 6 9

Thus 287 teachers receive in all rupees 1,472-3-7, averaging to each rupees 5-2 per month.

There is another source of gain to the teachers of Persian schools in this district called Shuruäti, or a payment made by every scholar at the commencement of a new book. This is so uncertain that it cannot strictly be regarded either as a monthly or an annual gain. In 579 instances in which I ascertained that this payment had been made, the total amount was rupees 138-9-6, which averages only three annas and about ten pie in each case; and as it is seldom that a school-book is changed oftener than once a year, and the average number of scholars to each school is about five, this will give each teacher an additional sum of rupee 1-3-2 per annum, or about an anna and a half monthly.

Two maulavis in this district are highly distinguished for learning, and they are both authors.

Maulavi Gholam Hossein, dwelling at Sahebgunge in the thana of that name, has written in Persian a compilation called Jam-i-Bahadur Khani, from various Arabic works on arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and the natural sciences, with additions of his own. This work has heen printed, and contains 720 pages. He is now engaged in the preparation of astronomical tables to be entitled Zij Bahadur Khani. The names of both works are intended as a compliment to his patron Bahadur Khan, one of the sons of Mitrajit Singh, the Rajah of Tikari.

Maulavi Mohiyuddin, dwelling at Erki in the thana of Jehanabad, has composed in Persian Sharh-i-Abdul Rasul, a commentary on the work of Abdul Rasul on Arabic syntax, consisting of 288 pages in manuscript; and Jawab Chabbis Musäir, a treatise on Mahomedan observances, containing 12 pages, also in manuscript. In Arabic he has written Majmua Taqrir Mantiq Amani, explanatory of Majmua, a work on logic, and consisting of 32 pages in manuscript.

Rajah Mitrajit Singh also put into my hands a pamphlet on the agriculture of the district, written in Persian and printed, of which he stated himself to be the author. On examination I have found it to be the same in substance as the Short Essay on Husbandry translated by Mr. Lewis Dacosta and appended to his translation of the Dewan Pusund.

There are only two Persian and two Arabic schools that have appropriate buildings or school-houses, the pupils of the remaining schools finding or making accommodations for themselves, chiefly in the thresholds or verandas of the private dwelling-houses occupied by the patrons or teachers.

In 291 schools there are 1,486 scholars, averaging 5.1 to each school. There are 1,424 Persian scholars and 62 Arabic students. Of the Arabic students two are Hindus of the writer-caste and sixty are Musalmans, and of the Persian scholars 865 are Hindus and 559 are Musalmans. The following are the sub-divisions of the Hindus who are Persian scholars :—

Kayastha . . . 711
Magadha . . . 55
Rajput . . . 30
Kshatriya . . . 13
Brahman . . . 11
Gandhabanik . . . 11
Kairi . . . 90
Teli . . . 4
Swarnakar . . . 4
Bundela . . . 3
Mahuri . . . 3
Vaishnava . . . 2
Sunri . . . 2
Kamar . . . 1
Luniar . . . 1
Napit . . . 1
Kurmi . . . 1
Mayra . . . 1
Aguri . . . 1

Of the total number of Hindu scholars eight were absent and of the Musalman scholars three were absent at the time the schools were visited, the remaining number of each class being present. The average ages of the Persian and Arabic scholars at the three periods formerly mentioned are as follow:—

Persian scholars . . . . . . 7.8 . . . 11.1 . . . 21.5
Arabic students . . . . . . 12.3 . . . 16.0 . . . 24.2

The following works were found in use in the Persian schools:— Mamaqima, an elementary work; Nisah-us-Subyan, a vocabulary; Sawal Jawab, dialogues: Bhagawan Das, a grammar; Insha-i-Madho Ram, Insha-i-Mussallas, Mukhtasar-ul-Ibarat, Inshai-Khurd, Mufid-ul-Insha, Insha-i-Munir, Insha-i-Brahmun, and Muradi-i-Hasil, forms of correspondence; Alqab Nameh, on modes of address; the poems of Hilali and Kalim; Zahuri, an account of one of the kings of the Deccan; Kushaish Nameh and Kisseh Sultan, tales; Nam-i-Haq, names and attributes of God; Gauhar-i-Murad, on the doctrines of Islam; Kiranus Säadin, a poem by Khosro; and Mizan-ut-Tib and Tiba-i-Ahkber, on medicine.

In the Arabic schools the following text-books were employed:—Fasul Akberi, on inflection; Nahv-i-Mir and Zariri, on syntax; Sharh-i-Tahzib, commentary on Tahzib, a treatise on logic; Mukhtasar-ul-Mani, a treatise on rhetoric; Maibadi, on natural philosophy; the elements of Euclid; Sharh-i-Tazkira, on astronomy; Sharafiya, on the law of inheritance; Däir on the doctrines of Islam; and Almijasti, astronomy of Ptolemy (Συνταξις Μεγιση).

District of Tirhoot

This district contains 238 schools, of which 234 are Persian and 4 Arabic.

Of these one town contains twenty-seven, another twelve, and a third eleven. Two villages contains four each, six three each, twenty-three two each, and one hundred and sixteen one each.

The number of Persian teachers is the same as the number of Persian schools. The number of Arabic teachers is six, one of the Arabic schools having three teachers. The average age of all the teachers is 33.9 years.

One of the Persian teachers is a Hindu of the writer-caste; and all the other teachers, both of Persian and Arabic schools, are Musalmans.

One teacher instructs gratuitously, and five teachers give gratuitous instruction to all their scholars, and food to twenty-two of them. The others are remunerated as follows :—

Rs. As. P.
1 teacher gives subsistence-money to 14 scholars and receives monthly wages from a patron . . . 8 5 3
11 teachers receive monthly wages . . . 27 2 0
1 teacher receives fees . . . 1 6 0
4 teachers receive subsistence-money . . . 7 8 0
14 teachers receive monthly wages and subsistence-money . . . 42 4 0
8 teachers receive fees and subsistence-money . . . 11 14 0
4 teachers receive monthly wages and annual presents . . . 17 3 6
4 teachers receive fees and annual presents . . . 19 6 9
1 teacher receives fees, uncooked food, and annual presents . . . 5 3 3
2 teachers receive monthly wages, subsistence-money and weekly presents . . . 3 12 0
74 teachers receive monthly wages, subsistence-money, and annual presents . . . 221 9 9
37 teachers receive fees, subsistence-money, and annual presents . . . 95 8 3
3 teachers receive fees, subsistence-money, and weekly presents . . . 11 12 0
1 teacher receives fees and weekly and annual presents . . . 4 4 9
3 teachers receive monthly wages, subsistence-money, uncooked food, and annual presents . . . 9 11 0
54 teachers receive monthly wages, subsistence-money, and weekly and annual presents . . . 183 14 3
12 teachers receive fees, subsistence-money, and weekly and annual presents . . . 31 8 9

Thus 234 teachers receive in all rupees 702-5-6, averaging to each about rupees three per month. In 237 instances, which were individually ascertained, the sum of rupees 84-13 was received by the teachers as Shuruäti which, giving two scholars and a half to each school and a year to each school-book, makes an average addition of one anna and two pie to the monthly income of each teacher.

Mahomed Imam Shah and Bahram Shah, two of the three teachers of an Arabic school at Darbhanga, in the thana of that name, possess considerable property personal or endowed, and are men of high character, great intelligence, arid extensive learning. They are brothers and are both authors.

Maulavi Mahomed Imam Shah, the elder brother, has written in Persian Sharh-i-Kholasat-ul-Hisab, a commentary of 640 pages on Kholasat-ul-Hisab, a treatise on arithmetic; and Daira-o-Jadwal-i-Najum, a pamphlet of 8 pages on astronomy. In Arabic he has written Hashya Sharh-i-Sullam, notes extending to 240 pages on Hamidullah’s commentary on Sullam, a work on logic; Sharh-i-Kasideh Amali, a commentary of 34 pages on Kasideh Amali, a work on the doctrines of religion; Risaleh Rafaä Yadain, a pamphlet of 36 pages on the sayings of Mahomed; Mabahisseh Imaniya, miscellaneous essays extending to 160 pages; Durar-i-Mohammadi, a treatise of 40 pages on theology; and Siraj-ul-Kalub, a tract of 18 pages on Sufeeism.

Maulavi Bahram Shah, the younger brother, has written in Persian Risaleh Tauzih-ul-Biyan, a pamphlet of 48 pages on the doctrines of Islam, and Durur-ul-Islam one of 44 pages on the law of inheritance. In Arabic he has written Risaleh Ramzul Hidayat, a tract of 8 pages on the doctrines of Islam; and Risaleh Ashaär-ul-Mahjub, another of the same size on the law of inheritance.

There are in all twenty-three school-houses, averaging in the estimated cost of erection from twelve annas to a hundred rupees. Those schools that have no school-houses are accommodated in mosques, imambarahs, dwelling-houses, verandas, kachhris, and out-houses belonging to the patrons or teachers.

In schools there are 598 scholars, averaging 2·5 to each school. All were present at the time the different schools were visited. Of the whole number, 569 are Persian scholars and 29 Arabic students. Of the Arabic students, two are Hindus of whom one is a Brahman and the other a Kayastha, and the remaining twenty-seven are Musalmans. Of the Persian scholars, 126 are Musalmans and 443 Hindus; and the sub-divisions of the latter are as follow :—

Kayastha . . . 349
Brahman . . . 30
Rajput . . . 22
Magadha . . . 20
Kshatriya . . . 6
Aguri . . . 5
Barnawar . . . 4
Kalal . . . 4
Swarnakar . . . 1
Göala . . . 1
Gandhabanik . . . 1

The average ages of the Persian and Arabic scholars at the three periods formerly mentioned are as follow :—

Persian scholars . . . 6·8 . . . 10·8 . . . 19·3
Arabic students . . . 12·1 . . . 17·5 . . . 25·4

The following works were found in use in the Persian and Arabic schools, exclusive of others previously mentioned.

In the Persian schools, Mahmud Nameh, an elementary work; Khushhal-us-Subyan, a vocabulary; Nisab-i-Musallas, a dictionary; Mahzuf-ul-Haruf, Jawahir-ut-Tarkib, and Dastur-ul-Mubtadi, on grammar; Mufid-ul-Insha, Fyz Baksh, Mubarik Nemeh, and Amanullah Hossein, forms of correspondence; the poems of Fahmi; and Ruqäat-i-Abulfazl, the letters of Abulfazl.

In the Arabic schools, Mir Zahid Risaleh, on logic; Akaideh Nisfi, on the doctrines of Islam; Kanz-ud-Dahäik, on the sayings of Mohammad; and Kalamullah Majid, the sacred word of God (the Koran).