JB/010/167/001

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1824. Feby. 19

R.A. to Mr. Richardson, Bookseller, Cornhill dated East India Coll. 12 Feby. 1824.

I wish him to be assured,
Secondly, that he cannot be more anxious than
i am for the good Government of India; and I am
prepared to say that if the Honorable Court would
give up the monopoly of Patronage, I would give
up the East India College: but not for the arrangement
the Editors would substitute in its place. And
these are my reasons. 1. Such a public Examination
as he describes, so conducted as he suggests,
would inevitably degenerate soon into humbug.
2. Supposing it not to degenerate, would not such
a viva voce Test be a test, more of nerve than of
intellect? and is is not this the impression at Oxford
where the system has been tried, and where they
are talking of annihilating it? 3. And if you come
to substitute papers in all the Departments, a
Fortnight (as we know by experience) would be
all too little for such a process? and where are
you to get men for such a comparison as this?
N.B. Each man that goes through the East India College,
has 4 such Examinations to pass, each lasting
between two and three weeks. And where would be
the test for character, as well as Industry? For let
them say what they will about our unhappy College, we
separate the sheep from the goats here, and the separation
is of vast importance in India. No. Abolish
the East India College if you like; but then the Universities,
and nothing else, must be the alternative.
And this leads me to observe, again, with regard to the alleged expences you allege that my expences, & those of many
others, need not exceed £200. But even admitting that the
average was near £400, I am not prepared to pronounce this
a fatal objection. On the contrary, I am disposed to consider
the expences incurred for a liberal Education, one very important
check on the disposal of patronage, according
to the system mow in operation.

Identifier: | JB/010/167/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 10.
Date_1	1824-02-12	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	010	Main Headings
Folio number	167	Info in main headings field	ra to mr richardson, bookseller, cornhill dated east india coll. 12 feby 1824
Image	001	Titles
Category	correspondence	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	c2
Penner	john flowerdew colls	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections	jeremy bentham	Paper Produced in Year
Notes public	see note to letter 3047, vol. 11	ID Number	3603
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