1 ' EDUCATION.
2 189
3 rmyMy ig» diftiAt nUige^ nh/ke he-Uwrn m- the wnqmi tub*
4 fliilB fa^ tiuBf ■m^iiM'Iittle.otiiio iutereoone with hu paraoti, but ii
5 The Allowing is the course of 'stiidf pursued abo^ Peahawdr: a
6 child begins its letters (in cobformitjr to atraditMNud injunction of the
7 FNi|ib8t)iwheii k b £oar years, four months, sid fimr days old ; but
8 its ttii3ies<aie hninediately laid aside, and not resumed >tiU it is six or
9 teven ymn oKI, when it learns its letters, and is taught to reiMi a little
10 Fnsian poem of Saadis, which points out the beauty of eadi of the
11 virtues, and the cblbrmit y of each of the vices, in very sunple, and not
12 inelegant language. This takes from four months to a year, according
13 to the child's capacity. After this, common people learn the Koraiin,
14 and stiulv some books in their own language; people of decent tor-
15 tune proceed to read tjie Persian classics, nml a little of the Arabic
16 grammar : boys who are to be brought up as Moollahs, give a great
17 deal oi ilirir time to this last study, which, as the Arabic ^luuiiuars
18 are very t laliouitr. and coinprchcnd a great deal of science, tliat we
19 do not imx Willi Uie rudiincntj> oi" a language, sometimes occupies
20 several years. When a yoimg Moollah has made sufficient proficiency
21 in this study, he goes to Feshawer, Hushtnu^;ur, or some other place
22 hmam S» ift flfiidlalifl^ and bcgios on logic, law, and theology. No
23 taBt(ha teowlad^ ia xequiied to-oamplete a MpoUah's cdueatioii, but
24 many push tbdr- te9earchee into etfaids, metaphysics, and die ajBtem.
25 of physios loioirn' in ihe eaaty aa well as hiatofj, poetry, and medieinc^
26 wbidtk laat is a fimhionable study for men of all prafessions. For those
27 stnjBes, and far the more advanced brandies of dieology and law, they
28 often trarel to distant cities, and even to Bokfaauia, which is agreat
29 seat of Mahommedan leaniing ; but Feshawer seems, on ihe whole,
30 to be the most learned dtj in these countries^ and nunj more stu-
31 dents come thither fiom Bokhaara* than repair to that city from
32 Feshawer. India has not a great reputation for learning, and the
33 heresy of the Fernans makes all Soonnees avoid the infection of their
34 ooD^ges.