re us,
_Persia_ on our left, while a breeze from _Arabia_ blew
nearly on our stern. A situation so pleasing in itself and to
me so new, could not fail to awaken a train of reflections in
a mind which had early been accustomed to contemplate with
delight the eventful histories and agreeable fictions of this
Eastern world. It gave me inexpressible pleasure to find
myself in the midst of so noble an amphitheatre, almost
encircled by the vast regions of Asia, which has ever been
esteemed the nurse of sciences, the inventress of delightful
and useful arts, the scene of glorious actions, fertile in
the productions of human genius, and infinitely diversified
in the forms of religion and government, in the laws,
manners, customs, and languages, as well as in the features
and complexions of men. I could not help remarking how
important and extensive a field was yet unexplored, and how
many solid advantages unimproved."

India wants more such dreamers as that young Mr. Jones, standing alone
on the deck of his vessel and watching the sun diving into the
sea--with the memories of England behind and the hopes of India before
him, feeling the presence of Persia and its ancient monarchs, and
breathing the breezes of Arabia and its glowing poetry. Such dreamers
know how to make their dreams come true, and how to change their
visions into realities.

And as it was a hundred years ago, so it is now; or at least, so it
may be now. There are many bright dreams to be dreamed about India,
and many bright deeds to be done in India, if only you will do them.
Though many great and glorious conquests have been made in the history
and literature of the East, since the days when Sir William Jones[16]
landed at Calcutta, depend upon it, no young Alexander here need
despair because there are no kingdoms left for him to conquer on the
ancient shores of the Indus and the Ganges.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Pliny (VI. 26) tells us that in his day the annual drain
of bullion into India, in return for her valuable produce, reached the
immense amount of "five hundred and fifty millions of sesterces." See
E. Thomas, "The Indian Balhara," p. 13.]

[Footnote 2: Cunningham, in the "Journal of the Asiatic Society of
Bengal," 1881, p. 184.]

[Footnote 3: General Cunningham describes this treasure in the
"Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal" as having been found on the
northern bank of