But we would like
to see the same right conceded by him to the student of other races;
even though these be inferior to the European races, in the opinion of
the paramount West: for it is barely possible that, proceeding on other
lines, and having reduced his knowledge to a system which precludes
hypothesis and simple affirmation, the Eastern student has preserved a
perfectly authentic record (for him) of those periods which his opponent
regards as ante-historical. The bare fact that, while Western men of
science are referred to as "scholars" and scholiasts--native
Sanskritists and archeologists are often spoken of as "Calcutta" and
"Indian sciolists"--affords no proof of their real inferiority, but
rather of the wisdom of the Chinese proverb that "self-conceit is rarely
companion to politeness."
The "Adept" therefore has little, if anything, to do with difficulties
presented by Western history. To his knowledge--based on documentary
records from which, as said, hypothesis is excluded, and as regards
which even psychology is called to play a very secondary part--the
history of his and other nations extends immeasurably beyond that hardly
discernible point that stands on the far-away horizon of the Western
world as a landmark of the commencement of its history.
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