Tus Friend of India is always worth reading. The articles are grave and thoughtful, and there is a satisfactory evidence of thoroughness in the treatment of the various subjects undertaken by the writers employed. But, all who know anything about Indian polities are aware, there is a very defined bias discernible in leaders, in correspondence, and in paragraphs, The bias is in favour of the school of thought, which is identified with philosophic radicalism. To the writers in the Friend of India and Statesman, Lord Beaconsfield is not only a new Ripperda or Alberoni, as he is to the Fortnightly—he is actually as he is to the deputations of Hawarden, "a terrible Mephistophiles." We remind our readers of this fact,' in order that they may jadge of certain remarks on the Anglo-Indian Press in general, which have lately appeared in The Friend.
These remarks attempt to determine what Home papers are the favourites with the Anglo-Indian communities. Tt seems that in old times the jour-rialism of India was in a very sad condition. It was notorious for "anti-native prejudices," and stained by "a passion for mere station gup and scandal." Shall we be very far wrong in believing that its newspapers had a certain family likeness to the new class of English weeklies which deal in social matters? In fact, the Indian papers of a few years ago seem to have combined some of the least praiseworthy features of The World and Truth. A reform is now declared to have been effected, and a high average cultaro is sought by certain class of newspapers. The altered tone of mind is either attributed to or parallel with a warm admiration for certain publications which are named. "The English community in India," we are told, "recognize in the Times, the Daily News, the Spectator, the Guardian, Scotsman, Economist, the Atheneum and Punch, and the great periodical magazines and reviews, the only writings that promote cul-tare, refinement, and self-respect." The ordinary reader may not at first seo how "culture, refinement, and self-respect" are promoted by the perusal of Mr. Tom Taylor's reproductions of jokes published twenty years ago, but still we understand what is meant, and are for the moment ready to accept the statement that the above-named periodicals are the favourites in India, It is our present purpose to consider whether the taste of the European Settlements in China accords with that of the Anglo-Indians, and we are
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.