I visited the site and can't help noticing the controversy surrounding the authentication of Macaulay works...please provide me clarification..thanks.

Thamrong : The very name of Macaulay riles most Indians today....and I beleive this 'Quote' to be one of the reasons for evoking such an emotion. This article and the ensuing debate tries to clarify and bring in some perspective to the whole issue. Ofcourse, there are fireworks in this discussion, which is best overlooked. The very fact, we cannot find this quote in any of published speeches, implies that it could be a fabrication of some sort. It is therefore pertinent to hear what NS Rajaram (who is attributed to be the source of this quote in one of his books) says in the comment below: "Although I have never used it, I am not prepared to dismiss the well-known Macaulay quote as spurious. I find it difficult to believe that a recent fabrication would gain such widespread acceptance in such a short time. It might be inaccurate but I doubt that a recent worker fabricated the whole thing. Even if Macaulay was not in England at the time, someone else might have read his speech in the Parliament. Or it might have been scheduled on that day but delivered on a different day, but recorded as February 2. So it is worth tracing it to the source– even if it is spurious."

I doubt the authencity. Btw, Macaulay's famous minute is located at at least three locations: Good 'old Pritchett of Ghalib fame has it on her website. http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00generallinks/macaulay/txt_minute_education_1835.html http://www.english.ucsb.edu/faculty/rraley/research/english/macaulay.html and finally, the website of the UK parliament has a clarification: http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_publications_and_archives/parliamentary_archives/archives___faqs.cfm#macaulay

And rile it should. #10 of the minute has this 'gem': [10] I have no knowledge of either Sanscrit or Arabic. But I have done what I could to form a correct estimate of their value. I have read translations of the most celebrated Arabic and Sanscrit works. I have conversed, both here and at home, with men distinguished by their proficiency in the Eastern tongues. I am quite ready to take the oriental learning at the valuation of the orientalists themselves. I have never found one among them who could deny that a single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia. The intrinsic superiority of the Western literature is indeed fully admitted by those members of the committee who support the oriental plan of education.

Arun : Somehow got the impression that the UK Parliament website was evasive. Since Macaulay's attitude seems to be prevalent even today on certain FB pages....maybe we are back to square one. Interesting 'gem' too !

Yeah, lol. The Parliament website should've just gone to google books to get "The Competition Wallah" by Trevelyan. Here is the culprit: http://books.google.com/books?id=cWBFAAAAYAAJ&dq=The%20Competition%20Wallah&pg=PA317#v=onepage&q&f=false

That was quick Arun. Does this book have the controversial quote of Macaulay?

No, it doesn't. The reason why I am able to get the link quickly is due to that offending quote. A friend fwded it to me many months back and I couldn't quite believe that an ignoramus such as Macaulay would ever give such a concession. I searched and searched in vain for a source and could not find it. I did find many documents/books containing the famous minute.

A far more sympathetic treatment is in the chapter on 'The Hindoo character' by Trevelyan.

So how we conclude for the day : the quote was genuine or was it spurious?

Trevelyan writes: "You urge me in all your letters to tell you something about the aborigines of India You write as if you were making inquiries about a set of savages their bread fruit their canoes and their clubs I have not hitherto gratified your wish because I am one of those who think that the people of India deserve more than cursory observation inasmuch as they are the most important class in India for whose benefit we hold the country and to whom we shall have one day to account for the manner in which we govern it Extraordinary as this opinion may seem to some people it is backed by the high authority of Sir Charles Wood and Lord Stanley Sir John Peter Grant and the vast majority of the Civil Service I hate the 'damned nigger' style One requires more than a few months to form a correct set o opinions and impressions concerning an ancient and wealthy society with a singular and complicated organization whose habits instincts and ways of thought to a European eye form a mighty maze which nevertheless if it be closely examined will be found to be not without a plan." The whole thing is worth a read.

RBS: Given the lack of a primary source, I would be hesitant in considering it authentic. The burden of proof lies with the gent who made the first claim.

Arun : Thanks for these interesting posts and links. I agree with what you have finally surmised to be a fair conclusion.

Arun : Thanks for your suggestion. Have posted the Competition Wallah.

@RBSI: "GOLDEN" words !! should n Must be carved on the magnificent walls of the Buckingham Palace and a copy shd be hung inside d house of commons n dat of lords !!

@ Mr Ganeshamurthy : It would be a great help to the international followers of this group if you would be kind enough to post your illuminating 'remarks' in English...

Pramukh : RBSI has members from all over the world and its our endeavour to present them rare books and prints of India. At times we even attempt to debate and revisit certain historical issues in a manner which hopefully does not offend any person or nationality. It is therefore imperative for our comments to retain a sense of dignity and restraint.

@Mr Julian n RBSI: I do apologize once again for my comments if it has hurt ne "international" followers, bt then Mr Julian n RBSI, can u kindly explain as to what do you guys "INFER" from d above so called "famous quote" made by Mr Macaulay about India n Indians ?? and how exactly can discussing his past statements help improve the problems being faced by Indians due to the past 400 years of the dependency ?? n if it cannot then y is it being discussed at first place ??

Pramukh : I suggest you read the above post -"Clearing the dust off Macaulay’s “famous quote”...and all the comments pertaining to that post. Surprisingly, we end up concluding that the 'famous quote' which has been read by millions of Indians through those email forwards, is actually a spurious one. Its quite clear that Macaulay never said that ! I think this little effort led to commendable results regarding history and historical personalities.

@RBSI: Sir, thats really good to hv reached the conclusion and hv finally "cleared d dust".