of thrilling interest. On the contrary, a hearty acquiescence in the
belief that no such opportunities existed, and that it was incumbent
upon him, by all practicable means, to prevent their recurrence, was
the first duty which the situation of affairs prescribed to a new
Governor-General.'

[Sidenote: Questions to be solved.]

There were indeed grave questions awaiting solution; questions of great
perplexity and embarrassment, though of a domestic and peaceful character;
some of them the more perplexing because they bore upon 'those jealousies
of race which are the sources of almost all our difficulties in India.' But
as regards such questions his habitual caution, as well as the philosophic
turn of his mind, led him to study very carefully all the conditions of
each problem before attempting to propound any solution of his own; and in
the meantime he felt that his duty was to employ any personal influence
which he could acquire in smoothing the course of such measures as had been
set in operation by the authority of others. 'The first virtue,' he said to
one of his colleagues, 'which you and I have to practise here at present is
Self-denial. We must, for a time at least, walk in paths traced out by
others.'

But though, for the reasons above stated, it would be a mistake to look in
the records of the time for any great measures, executive or
administrative, on which he had set his mark, his various speeches and
letters, more especially the full and frank communications which he
addressed from time to time to the Secretary of State for India, Sir
Charles Wood, show with what keenness of interest, as well as with what
sagacity, he approached the study of Indian questions. A few extracts from
his correspondence are here given to illustrate this; and as affording some
indication of the unremitting industry with which he laboured at this
period, searching into and maturing his views upon one difficult subject
after another, as well as the whole plan of Indian government.

_To Sir Charles Wood._

Calcutta, April 9th, 1862.

[Sidenote: The Army.]

Now for the Army. I must observe, in the first place, that in the
reasoning employed here in favour of the maintenance of a large army,
native and European, there is a good deal that is circular, and
puzzling to a beginner.

When I ask why so considerable a native army is required, I am told
that the native must bear a certa