though the masses, for whom he had so jealously worked, knew him chiefly by common fame as a mighty and beneficent ruler, nevertheless there were large classes who in their own phrase said that by his death they had 'lost a father.' Many individuals among them cherished a regretful sorrow for him to their lives' end.
Next after his own Provinces, his death caused the greatest sensation in the Punjab, where he was specially admired and respected by John Lawrence, where he had been looked upon by the Lawrence school as a master of the administrative art, where the principal civil servants had served under him, and where many of the junior civilians might almost be called his disciples. Robert Montgomery, who was second in command there, felt for him a love passing the love of brethren. He exclaimed — 'Would that I could in any way repay all that Thomason has done for me!' And Montgomery was a man whose affections would be engaged only by some strong cause. He himself rose to greatness, and evinced cool intrepidity in the face of public peril.
The subjoined note, on the meeting called in the Punjab, is furnished by Sir Henry Davies[1], who was present on the occasion: —
'The news of Mr. Thomason's death was received in the Punjab with great regret. Most of the senior civilians had served under him in the North-West Provinces, and were
- ↑ He was afterwards Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab, and has been a Member of the Council of India in London.
