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world he likes, cross the seas as often as he pleases, and yet retain his social status as a member of the caste. That the Brahmins will soon be on a line with the other castes does not admit of a doubt; it is only a question of time. There are those who are never tired of telling us that East is East, that it is unchanged and unchanging, and that Hindu society is immobile. It is nothing of the sort. It is moving, slowly it may be, but steadily, and is responsive to the world-forces. The Hindu of to-day is very different from the Hindu as I saw him fifty years ago, and fifty years hence the difference between the old and the new will be even more marked. The car of progress, as it moves forward, gathers forces which impart to. it an impetus all their own. There comes a time when with the added momentum it rolls forward in its triumphant career in geometrical progression. Our political activities are reacting upon our social system, and the upward movement, with occasional aberrations, is visible along the entire line.

I arrived in Calcutta about the end of September, 1871. We had a reception given to us at the Seven Tanks Garden by the public of Calcutta. It was organized by Keshub Chunder Sen, Iswar Chunder Vidyasagar and Kissory Chand Mitter. Satyendra Nath Tagore was the first Indian Civilian. We were the second batch. Satyendra Nath Tagore was a Bombay Civilian. We had been appointed to the Bengal Presidency, and the success of three of us in one and the same year had created a profound impression upon Indian public opinion. The whole of Indian Calcutta was present at the function, and we were the cynosure of all eyes. The Seven Tanks and Belgachia Gardens were in those days the favourite centres of public functions organized by the Bengalee community. The Malliks and the Paikpara Rajas, who were the proprietors of these villas, were among the wealthiest and most trusted leaders of the community. Others have now come forward, and the representatives of the middle class have taken their legitimate place in guiding the public thought and activities of Bengal.

I stayed in Calcutta after my return from England for about a month. I was posted to Sylhet as Assistant Magistrate and joined my appointment on November 22, 1871. Sylhet was in those days a part of Bengal. In 1874 it was separated from Bengal and included in the new province of Assam, and ever since it has remained a part of Assam, although it is a Bengalee-speaking district. It took me fully a week to reach Sylhet from Calcutta. It is now only a day’s journey. Mr. H. C. Sutherland was Magistrate