English Essay. "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin."-Shakespeare. Human society has been very appropriately represented as a large family, of which the different members are all the children of one common father who is the head and manager of the family. Notwithstanding the manifold diversities of colour, height, form, temper, morals and religion, there remains enough of similarity between men of the most different races and countries, to indicate that they are all moulded by the same hand, and that all partake of the same common nature. They are all originally impelled to act by the same necessities and are all actuated by the same passions. Whether we seek our models amongst the most civilized nations of the world or amongst the rude barbarians who live in caves and subsist on hunting, whether we are engaged in examining the character of an English gentleman or that of a wandering Tartar, we find that in every case, man bears sufficient resemblance to his fellowmen to be considered as a member of the same common family. We are not only the children of the same common father, but are all gifted with a common nature, and with propensities that we inherit from our birth. We are not only brothers by origin but also by similarity of nature. When therefore we wound the feelings of a human being, which we often do without sufficient consideration, we ought to pause and reflect, on whom it is that we are thus heedlessly inflicting the most excruciating of tortures mental agony. We ought to recollect that it is our brother who suffers, that we are unconsciously or rather unnaturally injuring a child of the same father, and one who is as much the object of that father's care as ourselves. The "primeval curse" the sin of Cain, is on the head of every murderer, for all of us are the children of the same father and that father is the supreme judge of all our actions. As Arvidorous when he loved Imogen unconsciously did an act of kindness towards the child of his father, so when we are benevolent to any of our fellow men, we do an act of kindness to our brother, although we might not, at that moment recollect that he is such. If this precept of universal brotherhood, were always borne in mind, we would suffer no human being to be in distress whilst we have the power of relieving him; but to our shame, how often do we turn a deaf ear to the cries of humanity. What a vast amount of suffering would disappear from the surface of the globe, if the doctrine implied in our motto, had been equally impressed on the mind of every member of this common family. Utopia would have been realized; nay more than that, for we are told by More that his Utopians sometimes warred against their neighbours; but the recollection of this precept would drive away all sorts of misery that man inflicts on man, from the surface of the earth. But to suppose that man, with all the imperfections incident to his nature as at present constituted should be always able to act up to the principle of universal brotherhood, is an absurdity. The benevolence of human beings is generally limited by the most weak barriers, as the difference of colour, shape or country. But if we could survey, human society with the eyes of a being of a superior order, all the minor characterestics (great as they appear to us) that distinguish man from man, would vanish from our sight, and human nature would appear in the broad lineaments which characterize the whole race. Can we distinguish one fly from another? It is the microscopic eye given to every individual of a genus to enable it to distinguish one member of his community from another that magnifies our perception of the distinctive properties that exist amongst individuals. Notwithstanding therefore the wonderful differences that exist amongst individuals of the same species, their similarity is far more wonderful. This similarity appeared so striking to the lofty genius of Plato that he concluded from it, that the essence of every thing existed, in the mind of the eternal from eternity to eternity and that this essence, notwithstanding the circumstance of its being possessed by an almost infinite number of individuals, is itself an indivisible whole. So that according to him every individual man possesses the same common essence which is possessed by others of the human race. A doctrine very similar to Plato's is inculcated by our Vedas, with regard to the unity of the human soul. This kindredship arising out of our common nature ought to be far stronger in man than in other creatures. The inferior animals might live each by itself or only in pairs; they might subsist on the spontaneous productions of the earth; but man is insufficient of himself; he is endowed by nature with cravings and with wants, that can only be satisfied by the assistance of other men. Society is his proper element and in society, each individual is indebted, for his comforts and necessities, nay for his very existence to the assistance of his fellow men. Hence arises a fresh source of brotherhood, amongst men. present state of society an individual man is but an incomplete being, he is but an element or component part of a large and complete whole. He is the fellow labourer of a vast number of individuals in a work of very great importance, which is no less than that of upholding the fabric of society. In the Not only are men joined together by their physical necessities but also by the constitution of their mind. They require the sympathy of others even in cases where that sympathy can be of no material use to them. We wish to participate our joys as well as our sorrows with others. The former lose half of their relish when enjoyed alone and our sorrows press upon us with a double weight, when they are not alleviated by the sympathy of others. From all these, it is evident that we are destined by nature to live in a state of brotherhood with our fellowmen. How beautifully is the desolation of solitude, represented in those magnificient lines of Cowper in which he makes Alexander Selkirk to complain of his forlorn condition. What happiness is there in being the monarch of all we survey, if we can not enjoy our monarchy in the company of our brother men? So much is fellowship an indispensible ingredient of our happiness that it has been remarked by Bacon that those who are placed by fortune above the fellowship of other men generally descend from their envied elevation into a state of brotherhood with their inferiors. We are therefore, by our common origin, by our own disposition as well as by our necessities, placed in a state of brotherhood with mankind. In primeval times when the distinction between different ranks was not so great as now, and the dependence of one man upon others was M more immediate though not so extensive as at present, all the members of a society regarded each other as actual brothers and cousins. In the highlands of Scotland, the meanest retainer or to use the appropriate phrase of Sir Walter Scott, the most "wretched Kerne" was considered as cousin or kinsman to the chief, and was used by him as such. In every age the brotherhood of man to man was recognized in theory though not always acted upon. It is only a few philanthropists, men like Howard and Boerhaave, had endeavoured to the utmost of their means to act up to this principle. But notwithstanding the general inconsistency of men's actions with their principles, never was this great principle which we are discussing, so grossly violated as in the general prevalence of that impious trade, by which one race of men were dragged to a distant country to be the slaves of another. Well might insulted humanity stand up and cry shame on mankind, as she was feigned to have done, by the poets. MOHENDRO LALL SHOME, Hindu College, First College Class, Second Year, Wherever we turn our view, we find the unanimous voice of the greatest philosopher and the greatest bard of England, confirmed by the general suffrage of mankind, against "wasting on" ourselves those virtues and accomplishments which, when imparted to others, might produce important public or private benefit; they do not however say that teach them all your cunning and treachery; but only such parts as may lead to "fine issues." They call upon us to put all our good thoughts into action, and not merely to cherish them for a little while and then dismiss them without making any effort to cultivate the course of conduct to which they lead. They moreover advise us not to "give every unformed thought its tongue" and to let every wild creation of our brain have its course. Such is the great precept before us, and we now proceed to consider whether the correct observance of it involves any point of moral responsibility. It must be conceded as a matter of fact that different men have been endowed with different degrees of talents and adapted to different pursuits, or at least that a very few are fitted by natural genius or education to discover scientific laws or invent any of those contrivances which have so remarkably contributed to the comfort and safety of mankind. Some thousand generations had passed away before "the pure intelligence" of Newton made its appearance; but among them who had ever anticipated that there exist such "sublimely simple" laws as those he discovered and thereby brought to light the order and harmony of the universe? Under these circumstances, could we suppose that Newton was jealous of imparting his knowledge to others, and resolved to "keep it y-buried stark," there would be an end of all further progress of Astronomy. The same remark applies to all other important discoveries made in the other branches of science. Hence we are compelled into the acknowledgement of the truth so powerfully enforced in the sacred writings that "to whom much is given, of him much shall be required," and that, deep guilt attaches to the conduct of the man who has dared to put God's injunctions at defiance in this respect and iniquitously withheld others from their just share of benefits. It must not be understood however that writers in prose or verse are exempt from this restraint unless their works tend to pollute the imagination or corrupt the moral feelings; though much solid advantages may not accrue from the productions of their brains, their works are not the less useful nor less calculated to promote our happiness and comfort; "a man," says Hugo Grotius, "furnished with good books and a good wife may defy the world." They can elevate us in misfortunes, support us in adversity, and comfort us in distress; on account of these reasons a poet may incur as deep guilt in allowing his fancy "to waste its sweetness in the desert air" as the astronomer by concealing his discoveries. Indeed I can't see any reason, why any man should be solicitous to have his knowledge locked up in the deep recesses of his heart, unless he be influenced by a hatred of mankind (bordering on misanthropy.) It is a kind of treasure which possesses this magical virtue that instead of being diminished, it increases by being imparted to another, and contrary effects ensue when closely confined in the mind; like mercy it "Blesseth him that gives and him that takes." The communication of "our parts to others" moreover produces so much esteem in this world that no rational being has been yet found who could resist these combined inducements, temporal as well as religious, and remain deaf to Bacon and Shakespeare's call. MOHENE MOHUN Roy, Kishnaghur College, Third Class First Year, Junior Scholar Second Year. Bengali Essay. Describe the advantages that have resulted from the cultivation of the Physical Sciences. পদার্থ বিদ্যার অনুশীলন দ্বারা যে উপকার দর্শিয়াছে তাহার বর্ণন কর ৷ জগদীশ্বর মনুষ্যের মুখ সৌকর্য্যার্থে নানা প্রকার অদ্ভুত কৌশল সম্পন্ন এই বিশ্বরচনা করিয়া তাঁহাকে বুদ্ধি বৃত্তি প্রভৃতি নানা মানসিক গুণ প্রদান করিয়াছেন, যে তদ্বারা সমস্ত বস্তুর সম্বন্ধ নির্দ্ধারণ পূর্ব্বক আবশ্যক সমূহ নির্ব্বাহ করতঃ আপনাকে চরিতার্থ বোধ করিতে পারেন। তদনুসারে তিনি নানা বিষয়ে এই সমস্ত বৃত্তিদিগকে সব্যাপার রাখিয়া জগদীশ্বরের অভিপ্রায় সাধন করিতেছেন । মনুষ্যের আদিমাবস্থায় যৎকিঞ্চিৎ জ্ঞানের আলোচনা ছিল, সুতরাৎ তাঁহার অবস্থা ও অপকৃষ্ট ছিল । এবং বণ্য পশু বধ ও অল্পায়াস লব্ধ ফল মূল দ্বারা জীবিকা নির্ব্বাহ হইত। কিন্তু জগদীশ্বরের কি আশ্চর্য্য মহিমা ! ক্রমেং পৃথিবী নানা অদ্ভুত ধীসম্পন্ন লোকের আবাস স্থান হইতে লাগিল। এবং তাঁহাদিগের বুদ্ধিপ্রভাবে বিবিধবিষয়ক আবিষ্কিয়া হইয়া নানা বিষয়িণী বিদ্যার অনুশীলন হইতে লাগিল, সুতরাৎ মনুষ্যের অবস্থারও ক্রমেং ঔৎকর্ষ জন্মিতে আরম্ভ হইয়া পৃথিবী এইক্ষণে এই বৰ্ত্তমান অবস্থা প্রাপ্ত হইয়াছে ৷ কিন্তু এইক্ষণেই যে সম্পূর্ণ মুখের অবস্থা উপস্থিত হইয়াছে এমত কথা বলা যাইতে পারেনা ৷ এখনও জগদীশ্বরের কত নিয়ম অব্যক্ত রহিয়াছে, মনুষ্য যে পরিমাণে সেই সমস্ত নিয়ম প্রকাশ করিতেছেন, সেই পরিমাণেই সুখ স্বচ্ছন্দতা বৃদ্ধি করিতেছেন ৷ |