Extract of letter of Marquess of Dalhousie, April 16, 1850

Extract from a private letter of the Marquess of Dalhousie.

        "Bethune has commenced a great work here by the successful commencement of female education among the children of respectable Hindus. He began only twelve months ago; and has succeeded not only in getting up a good school at Calcutta, but half a dozen more round about. I took it up on the part of the Government; and all the Council except Sir John Littler (who thought that a smattering of English would lead them to immoral habits! -wonderful conclusion, even if the teaching was a smattering of English, which it is not!) concurred in placing these schools under the Government, like the boys' schools. I believe this is the beginning of a great revolution in Indian habits. The degradation of their women has been adhered to by Hindus and Muhammadans more tenaciously than any other customs, and the change will do more towards civilising the body of society than any thing else could effect."

From: Bureau of Education. Selections from Educational Records, Part II (1840-1859). Edited by J. A. Richey. Calcutta: Superintendent Government Printing, 1922. Reprint. Delhi: National Archives of India, 1965, 62.