Medlicott's handwriting in this 19 May 1886 ten-page draft of his objections to employing Datta is almost illegible, and its numerous uncertain readings are highlighted in grey or with xxxx. I have retained the original lines in the hope that future readings will become more accurate. Medlicott's dissatisfaction is based on a very fundamental lack of understanding demonstrated by P.N. Bose in his response to a criticism of Bose's article on Siwalik Fossils. By extrapolation, all Bengalis had the same failing. Medlicott believed that only Europeans had the breadth of education to undertake innovative geological research. His letter has some interesting points (a bad map is better than no map, but an incorrect geological map is worthless at any level) but its ideas skate on perilously thin ice. He was overuled and forced to accept Datta. The subsequent geological work of Bose and Datta were to prove Medlicott's fears were unjustified, in spite of a most unflattering review of Datta's initial work by R. D. Oldham in 1889, three years after this letter was written.
19
May 1886
My Dear Lyell [?Lyall],
I return Professor James Geikie's
letter nominating Mr. Parvati Nath Datta
for employment in the G.S.I. The case has
caused me much anxious consideration as I
feel bound in the interests of the Survey to oppose
the application. It is not that I have the
smallest doubt as to this being my
distinct duty, but because I realize so thoroughly
Prof. Geikie's apparently well founded comments
of Mr. Datta's capabilities that
I almost despair of satisfying him and
others of like inexperience that my judgment
is not biased by mere prejudice. Such a letter
from as high an authority would not admit
of question without the clear support of much
strictly comparable experience: five years
ago I should have accepted it on trust, although
my general impression of 28 years in India
was then unfavourable , since that date the
Survey has much trial of a subject
as clearly illustrating the case in point that
it can hardly fail to touch the prejudice
on the other side: for therein is the actual
prejudice, to speak of what an know.
Mr Parvati Nath Bose also was a
Gilchrist Scholar and took up the same course of study
as Mr. Datta: he attained the B.Sc. degree at the xxxxKens
and passed through the Royal School of Mines with
high testimonials of proficiency in exams. He xx xx
in mention for original work with the permission of the authorities,
he undertook the description of some of the
Siwalik fossils in the collection of the BM. His paper
with figured descriptions of several new species of
carnivore, was published in the Journal of the GSI
and received much xxx from the coxxxx. He was made an FGS. I was
at the time xxx xxxby the
notion of vvv
to commit half interested xx xxsths
with geologists for the Survey: in spite of any
impartial documentation of its essential im-
practicability the whxx was forced upon
me. I therefore jumped at the opportunity xxxx
presented by Mr. Bose, saying that if certain geologists
were to be made it could only be in this way
where they would miss thorough training in
the normal sciences most essential to the subject.
On my recomendations (letter no 117 of 12/4/1880)
Mr Bose was appointed to the S of I. I received
him, I may say, with open arms to which
I doubt not, he would bear testimony. He
pressed all the opportunity
exhbited of his
since quite marvellous xxxx of manipulating words
so xx to muster a show of knowledge,
and their quite long ranging eagerness in this
pursuit of it; he could write better longhand
than most of our geologists. Then
xxx
xxx around an exhibition of
their emptiness
that is xxxded by thus fair display. In his
paper on the Siwalik carnivores Mr. Bose had
of occasion to say something in their paleontological
(geological) bearings, and he took the side of the
supposed highest authority in favour of the dominant
mx affinities of the Siwalik Fauna in
opposition to the new view one month published
the Survey. This had
to be noticed and so Mr. Stoliczka ? published
a short criticism of it in the records for
February '81 (Vol XIV). Mr Bose thought it
incumbent in him to reply, and in attempting
this critical discussion he betrayed at every
point the most hopeless misapprehension of the
subject he had originally undertaken to write
upon; more his logical xxxx apprehension
failed him in a way that surprised me. That
part of his reply was unfit for publication
and the passages intended for it were written
by myself, with Mr. Bose's approval, as published
in part 3 of the Records for the same year.
I mention these particulars because this is
the most important substantiation I can
give of the points upon which I feel unsxx
to xx in this question and I am most desirous
that they should be understood. I have had
Mr. Bose's original paragraphs published printed and
also
my letter to him commenting therein. Copies are
enclosed with copies of the paper in question, The subject is somewhat too to hxxxd
for the uninitiated but
to brief question it will
to higher/light xxxxhing. Further mention of Mr Bose's
work will be found in my annual report for 1884 (Record
XVIII p2 and XIX pt 3. It continues the same report
in a note received last month from Dr. King He remarks
Bose's mapping is all art! it would be xxx
from a European.
On the other hand, to show
that I did not undervalue
Mr. Bose's support
and participation, I may mention that at
my suggestion he was (for want
of a letter) put to return as
Nat. Hist. Secretary to the As.Soc of Bengal
and thus the honor fell to him to compile most sections
of the Society's continuing Bhxxx. [centenary volume?]
A known fair reply to the foregoing then
would be to think that it is unfair to compare measure Mr Datta
as by Mr Bose , and as between two European
candidates this reply would to final, but then
analogy does not
stand in patri matiner, albeit
both
terms are human. There is a totality of evidence
so far as it goes to show that Mr Bose is the
type for his National, and the purpose
for the
discussion in hand is utterly/nothing
bad. There is
no instance on record of a Bengali (substantially
the most
advanced state in India) doing original work in
explanations of the fact but in a xxxal depart
of brain: the
organ of formal innovation is
superabundant in them, having had unlimited
development in the affairs of life and in dogmatic
philosophy. But
it seems as if brains? achieving
cashawl in this way are
unable all at once
to assimilate the aspect of motion from their
mundane point of view of observations and understanding.
However this might point their font remains.
There is much of some further xxx explications
as to what is to him understand as "original
work". On this point I think not that xxx xxx
unsuited in Mr Datta what would xxx sxxx
sxxx sxxxx
misimplications of notice in sxtttt students
but the matter is not xxx. In this
support my type xx is much more complete
with characteristic self cofidence Mr. Bose said
in for what is called "original work" xx at the xxx
xxx of xxx, and he was
xxx for it xx xx x xxx
as if height by any more pretend. The with justifiable xxx
xxx to bring out an intrinsic distribution in the xxx
of scientific work, as illustrated by the later development
of Mr Bose's experminent, To do what has
not been done before many without demptions
he said to L'original, and in this simple xxx
certain of the sciences offer most failds for
originality, in their description and having of more epinions amd
assingning them their plans in the standard
categories. This work requires us dexxx
partioner to judgement in certain asa of inelligence
but it is to a great degree about mechanical -
than gaugung of xxith things xxxxxxx. The march
of scinece xx of xxx adepts in all this
as the xx duratioon from which their further search
pooxxx, but the majority of scinetific xxx
never get buond that lower stop, and Mr, Bose's
work (so far as mentioned) was pxxxy of this motion. He displayed
quite a mastery not in observing his new
secies and scientifically sss on their xxx instructions
of their having on the jxxtion of geological xxx tions,
which in the scientific xx xof such mmmxxx
but when brought to ttask upon this point
it turned out that he xxx y misunderstood
whe the meanings of their words had xxx
semixxxxpndartok is glibly.It may still be hoped if there is not
room for work of this lower kind in the GSI.
This is a point upon which I have xxx
xxx expartiated in the course of this
controversy, showing that in this respect
geology is xxx xxx their physical exams,
It is from beginning to end interpretations of
it most elementary parts and xx xxxx
pf xxxx, and the opportion observation of
terms is only possible through assumptions
and inter knowledge of their various
forms of energy as enjoyed in the longshan
operations of nature: as knowledge that is
"real" and living not meaning "notional"
mineralogy and paleaontology as harbour of
natural history, can be thought for entraining under
through mainly forward comparison as chemistry
seminarm as to himof any examin in polginal
xxx they must to mmm mm mmm mmm applied
from the abnormal attention of xxxx
and physical knowledge. It must it be ,,
sss (in support only) that geology xxx xxx
\worked on the xx xxxph - that in
preventing ingnorant men could to emplyment to
do the enough work of failed obserevation, to be
aborted of men of indian knowledge.
The her x xxx must to be in seem istant
recruited on this priiiaph. But it is an
gross delusion; for as I have s …dm, then trusting
parts c… ..f to ,, by ab informal
eye, and the last informal xx can nowhere out
nothing with hhh from the obsevatiosn of the purthinal..
There is no such thing as rule of thumb work
in geology, as in most other pursuits.
Topographical surveying is altogether
mechanical, and an inferior map is
better than no map; but geology needs
supplementary information at every step
and bad geology is
xxx pure and simple and any misxxx
for any potential application. We know
of ss to put up with different workings
who below the persons stan[ed to token on ss whose xxx a
sxxxxxxxrtrtion farkins and underrtaken and he fabrication
of papls sss xxx xxx xxx or vernous information
are the most portal to scientific work, is it
convert failure. Then surely Indian Geological Survey
is already handicapped in that
every, and I counting deprecate any more of it.
There is no guaranty but performaces for
the power to apply scintific principles to new combinations of
conditions, which is the proper meaning of intelligent xxx
and then most apt in acquiring notional
knowledge our quite oftern the heart caspable
of discriminating most knowledge.
* Middlemiss