TO SIR ALEX. JOHNSTOX

for years, to translate some valuabie and interesting work , and than suppose him to print it for the benefit of mankind : what must now be his mortification to find, tbat lie can perhaps sell six copies; and that he must Jabor for years to pay the debts .he has contracted in printing anfi publishing his book? If a man will suppose this, he will suppose nothing more than has more than once taken place, and which will perhaps induce him to believe, that few individuels will ever think of laboring to this extent, and fewer still of giving to the world the resuit of their labors.

What has here been stated with reference to Arabian and Persian literature few will perhaps undertake to deny; and if so. when we consider our connections with the East, particularly in a mercantile point of view, I think ail must be convinced , that there exists a necessity , that something should be donc on a more liberale scale than has hitherto been attempted.

Letter to the Honorable Court of Directors of the Honorable East-India Company.

Honorable Sms,

1 had, six years ago, the honor of presenting you with a copy of niy édition of the celebrated Indian philosophical poem , entitled Bhagavad-Gîtà, the first hook ever printed on the continent of Europe in the Sanscrit language and in the original Dèvanégari character.

The first Volume of my édition of the Râmàyana, the most ancient epic poem of India , has just been published, and I hâve eharged my bookseller to transmit to you the number of copies, for which I was honored with your subscription. 1 hâve, in a Prospectus, printed in London, and in the Latin préfacé prefixed to the first volume of the text, shown the importance of this work, and the extensive resenrehes it involves.

256 APPENDICE. C. A LETTER OF A. Vf. SCHLEGEI.

I rejoice at having the présent fresh opportunity of testifying my respect for your honorable body by oflering you a Copy of my édition of the Hitôpadésa, an ingenious collection of fables and moral sentences, which has served as a class-book in the colleges both of Fort William and Hayleybury , and is , indeed, eminently adapted to that purpose, when the teacher has a correct édition to assist him.

Since the beginning of this century encouragements hâve been granted , partly by your honorable Court , and partly by the government at Calcutta t to the study of the Sanscrit language, in order to form civil as well as military servants of the Company, who, by having acquired a knowledge of the vernacular lndian dialects , might no longer be reduced to dépend on the aid of native interpretors. What originally was intended for a particular object only, has turned to the profit of science. Several learned Englishmen in India, and, more recently, some among the sholars of France and Germany, attracted solely by the historical and philosophical interest of the subject, hâve devoted themselves to the study of Sanskrit literature : and you cannot but contemplate with satisfaction , how your intentions hâve been seconde^ by and union of talent an érudition, independent of your own immédiate influence.

Much still remains to be donc. The elementary books , particularly the Dictionary, stand greatly in need of improvement, which can be prepared only by the publication of a greater number of Sanscrit books, ecjited gccording to the principles of Sound criticism, and accompanied with such aids as are requisite for their being thoroughly understood.

x Those , who would deny that the study of Sanscrit is useful for young Englishmen , destined for any brandi of the public service in India, would only betray their own ignorance. The Sanscrit language is and can never cease to be, the key to the aneient législation and religion , to the manners and customs of India. The modem provincial languages , which are mostly derived from that source, ofler indeed only few difficulties in their structure. It is , howevér, impossible to acquire them to any degree of perfection , without having previously been imhued with the national genius, which is indelibly impressed on the parent tongue. one of the most' admirable productions of buman intellect.

Proud of the approbation of a magnanimous sovereign , and encouraged by a government friendly. to the promotion of letlers , 1 olTer you these réélections , and the results of my lahors. only from a wish of expressing publicly my high sens?