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works into those languages, a list of which is hereto also annexed, showing what works have been completed, and what are still unfinished. That this appropriation continued until the 7th of March, 1835, when, by an order of the Supreme Government, a copy of which is annexed, the whole of the works then in progress, and of which the particulars are therein given, were suspended, and the funds before devoted thereto, as well as those which should occur from the eventual reduction of the Sanscrit and Arabic Colleges, ordered to be employed exclusively, "in imparting to the native population a knowledge of English literature and science, through the medium of the English language.'

That the Asiatic Society, considering the public and complete withdrawal of all support, from the funds of Government, to the revival of the ancient literature of the country, as a measure fatal to the objects and principles, the advancement of which they had so long been labouring to promote, were induced, by the urgency of the occasion, to make a humble representation to the Government upon the subject: but that their endeavours were ineffectual, as will appear by copy of the Memorial and answer also annexed.

That it is with regret and reluctance that your Memorialists are compelled for once to step beyond the immediate objects of their institution, and to become appellants to the liberality and justice of your Honorable Court.

That your Memorialists do not presume, for a moment, to question, either the discretionary power of the Supreme Government to apportion the Parliamentary grant in question, to such objects as to it shall appear the most deserving, or the soundness of the construction it has put upon the terms of the statute; still less is it their wish or intention to obstruct or depreciate the noble project of diffusing amongst the natives of India the knowledge of the language of their rulers, and thus enabling them, by their own efforts, to naturalize amongst themselves the arts and the sciences and the literature of Europe. But inasmuch as the entire subversion of the national language is a project neither contemplated nor possible, they humbly submit, that the diffusion of the English language is manifestly but one step towards the common end in view; that the study and improvement of the languages of the country is a step of at least equal importance, and that no means have been yet suggested so likely to forward that study and improvement, as the revival of the ancient languages and literature, the objects still of popular veneration-the source of all that is intellectual or valuable in the mixed dialects now in use, and the only model to recur to for their amendment or purification.

That, so long as the laws of the Hindus and Muhammedans shall continue to be the rule of judicial decision upon the rights of property, it is surely essential to the due administration of justice, to render the repositories of those laws generally accessible; so long as their religious system shall not be merely tolerated but protected, it is surely a matter of urgent consequence to facilitate the access, not of the people only, but of their rulers also, to the volumes that contain their tenets; and if the advancement of knowledge be regarded as the introduction to a purer faith, and higher tone of moral feeling, your Memorialists would urge, that no measure can be more effectual for the destruction of the sanctuaries of superstition, than that of rending the veil of mystery and ignorance, that has hitherto concealed its deformities.

That if the Governments of India had never stretched out a helping hand to foster and diffuse the knowledge of Asiatic literature, your native subjects might have regretted the apathy of their rulers, yet could not have complained, either of caprice or of abandonment. But thus to withdraw the support which it had for at any period afforded, appears to

1

be such a destruction of their hopes, as the experience of British rule had by no means prepared them for. And your Memorialists are well assured, that if your Honorable Court shall deem it inexpedient to alter that appropriation of the Parliamentary fund, which the local Government has determined upon, you will readily and cheerfully devise some other means of continuing that encouragement to the cause of Asiatic literature, which reflected honor on the hand that dispensed it.

Your Memorialists, therefore, humbly pray, that your Honorable Court will be pleased to continue the encouragement hitherto afforded to the revival of learning among its native subjects, and to direct that such reasonable sum may be supplied from the territorial revenues, as may be sufficient for promoting amongst the natives at large the study of the ancient language and literature of their country."

Resolved unanimously, that the Draft be approved and adopted, and the Memorial signed by the President, on the part of the Society, be transmitted without delay to the Honorable Court, through the local Government.

The Secretary reported the general opinion of the Committee of Papers, in favor of continuing the publication of the "Researches," in the quarto form, which was accordingly Resolved.

The report of the Committee of Papers, on the proposition of the Catholic Bishop of Isoropolis, was submitted, as well as a letter from Government, declining to patronize the publication of his Cochin-Chinese and Latin Dictionary.

Resolved, that the Bishop be made acquainted with the unfortunate result of the application to Government; and with the great regret of the Society, at having of itself no means to undertake such a work: with an offer also, should it meet his wishes, to transmit the manuscripts home to the Royal Asiatic Society, of which the Oriental Translation Committee may probably be induced to undertake the publication.

The Secretary submitted the determination and arrangements of the Committee of Papers, in regard to the Oriental Publications made over by Government.

[The substance of these will be found in the Prospectus published with the July No.]

Library.

The following Books were presented.

Notes of Lectures delivered at the College Hall of Madras, by G. NOTON, Esq., Advocate Genl. of Madras, on the system of Government and administration of Justice in India-by Cavelly Venkata Laxmiah, through Kumar Radhacant Deb.

Col. BEAUFOY'S Hydraulic and Nautical Experiments—by his Son, the publisher. The Indian Journal of Medical Sciences, No. 21, for September-by the Editor. Meteorological Register, for July, 1835-by the Surveyor General. HUTCHINSON'S Report on the Medical Management of the Native Jails throughout the territories subject to the Governments of Fort William and Agra-by the Author.

Museum.

A letter from H. BLUNDELL, Esq. Commissioner at Arracan, presented for the Society's museum, a cast metal Drum, as a specimen of the skill of the rude and barbarous tribes on the northern frontier of the Moulmein district, called the Red Kayrens. An extract from Dr. RICHARDSON'S MS. journal of his mission to the Shan countries was read in explanation.

[This Journal should have been published long since; but it has been accidentally mislaid-we refrain from publishing the extract, in hopes of obtaining another copy of the whole.]

A letter from M. DES NOYERS, of the Mauritius, acknowledging his election as an Honorary Member, and presenting a stuffed " Devil,” (Dasyurus Ursus,) from New South Wales.

A letter from Lieutenant NEWBOLD, announced the despatch for presentation of a series of Geological Specimens of the Malay Peninsula. The following mounted specimens were presented by M. BоUCHE':

1. Loxia Oryzivora, (the Ploceus | 6. Bucco.

Oryzivora of CUVIER.)

2. Merops Viridis.

3. Columba Tigrina.

4. Muscicapa (?) Saularis.

5. Bucco Cyanops.

7. Oriolus Melanocephalus.

8. Brachypus Jacosus.

9. Pavo Cristatus.

10. Anastomus Coromandelianus.
11. Canis Familiaris Extrarius.

Also a nest of the Loxia (Ploceus) Philippinus.

A live specimen of the Python Amethystina, was presented by P. CHIENE, Esq. 34th Regt. N. I.

Literary and Antiquities.

Read a letter from W. H. WATHEN, Esq. dated Bombay, June 1835, enclosing fac-similes of two ancient grants on copper, dug up in Gujerat, with an analysis of the form of Nágarí in which they are engraved, a translation, and a memoir on the subject.

[This valuable paper will appear in our next.]

A letter from C. NORRIS, Esq. Chief Secretary to the Bombay Government, forwarded copy of a Report on some inscriptions found at Hummum, on the Southern Coast of Arabia, by Assistant Surgeon HULTON, and Mr. SMITH of the Palinurus, while that vessel was employed under command of Captain HAINES, in negociating with the Sultán of Kishen, for the purchase of the Island of Socotra, and subsequently on the survey of the South Coast of Arabia.

[This paper will have early attention.]

A letter from G. W. TRAILL, Esq., Commissioner of Kemaon, forwarded copies of several inscriptions in unknown characters (ancient Nágarí), at Barahat and Gopeswar in Garhwál.

A letter from M. RICHY, communicated a late discovery of a singular inscription on the passage leading to the theatre at Pompeii, of which an account has been lately published by M. DE CLARAC, Curator of Antiquities in the Louvre at Paris.

The inscription is as follows: AD XI K DECEMB. A XV, EPAPRA, ACVTUS,

AVCTVS AD LOCVM DVXERVNT MVLIEREM TYCHEN ET PRETIVM IN SINGVLOS A. VIII M. MESSALA L. LENTVLO COS.

Without adverting to the shameless nature of the advertisement of the three freedmen, this inscription is deemed a curiosity from its containing a specific date (the only one found at Pompeii), and the name of two consuls, who had been the subject of controversy among antiquarians.

Casts of three gold coins of the Indo-Scythic King KADPHISES, were presented in the name of Colonel T. P. SMITH.

These highly curious coins were procured in the common bazar at Benares, whither they were brought two years ago by a Marhatta pilgrim. The Greek inscription on all is most clear, BACIAEVC OOKMO KAAPICHC, and the devices differ from all hitherto discovered. One of them represents the king in a Grecian war-chariot. We shall hasten to present our readers with an engraving of them. The Secretary exhibited to the Members present, Colonel STACY's extensive collection of Indian coins, just arrived from the Upper Provinces.

The series of ancient Hindu coins filling one cabinet is highly interesting, and more complete perhaps than any hitherto collected. Of the Canouj groupe, one coin attracted particular notice from its bearing in most legible characters the name of SAMUDRA GUPTA, the sovereign mentioned on the Allahabad Láth; but no where else that has hitherto been discovered. We propose immediately to glean some of the riches from Colonel STACY's labours, in illustration of our Indian Numismatics.

Meteorological Register, kept at the Assay Office, Calcutta, for the Month of August, 1835.

Observations at 10 A. M.

Observations at 4 P. M.

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