whether in any other of the ancient literatures of the world
you will find traces of that extreme sensitiveness of conscience which
despairs of our ever speaking the truth, and which declares silence
gold, and speech silver, though, in a much higher sense than our
proverb.

What I should wish to impress on those who will soon find themselves
the rulers of millions of human beings in India, is the duty to shake
off national prejudices, which are apt to degenerate into a kind of
madness. I have known people with a brown skin whom I could look up to
as my betters. Look for them in India, and you will find them, and if
you meet with disappointments, as no doubt you will, think of the
people with white skins whom you have trusted, and whom you can trust
no more. We are all apt to be Pharisees in international judgments. I
read only a few days ago in a pamphlet written by an enlightened
politician, the following words:

"Experience only can teach that nothing is so truly
astonishing to a morally depraved people as the phenomenon of
a race of men in whose word perfect confidence may be
placed[84].... The natives are conscious of their inferiority
in nothing so much as in this. They require to be taught
rectitude of conduct much more than literature and science."

If you approach the Hindus with such feelings, you will teach them
neither rectitude, nor science, nor literature. Nay, they might appeal
to their own literature, even to their law-books, to teach us at least
one lesson of truthfulness, truthfulness to ourselves, or, in other
words, humility.

What does Ya_gn_avalkya say?[85]

"It is not our hermitage," he says--our religion we might
say--"still less the color of our skin, that produces virtue;
virtue must be practiced. Therefore let no one do to others
what he would not have done to himself."

And the laws of the Manavas, which were so much abused by Mill, what
do they teach?[86]

"Evil-doers think indeed that no one sees them; but the gods
see them, and the old man within."

"Self is the witness of Self, Self is the refuge of Self. Do
not despise thy own Self, the highest witness of men."[87]

"If, friend, thou thinkest thou art self-alone, remember
there is the silent thinker (the Highest Self) always within
thy heart, and _he_ sees what is good and what is evil."[88]

"O friend, whatever good thou mayest have done from thy very