ASIATIC RESEARCHES, 
history -of language that the early his- 
tory of the world can be in any degree 
elucidated. Shame upon this country, 
that we have no public institutions for 
this great purpose ! that all that has been 
done, and is doing, should be the labour 
' of unpatronized and unrewarded indi- 
viduals ! 
8, 9. Onthe religious Ceremonies of 
the Hindus, and of the Bramens espe- 
cially, by H. T. Colebrooke, Esq. 
Essays two and three. 
The first of these essays appeared in 
the fifth volume of the Researches. 
Minute descriptions of ceremonies are 
not susceptible of abridgment, we can 
therefore only express in general terms 
our sense of this very diligent observer’s 
merits, and our hope that his communi- 
cations may occupy as large a portion 
- the subsequent volumes as they do of 
this. 
_ The funeral prayer merits transcrip- 
tion. 
*€ 1. Foolish is he who seeks permanence 
in the human state, unsolid like the sten: of 
the plantain tree, transient like the foam of 
the sea. 
«© 2, When a body, formed of five elements 
to receive the reward of deeds done in its 
own former person, reverts to its five original 
principles, what room is there for regret ? 
' €€ 3. The earth is perishable, the ocean, 
the gods themselves pass away: how should 
not that bubble, mortal man, meet destruc- 
tion? 
«« 4, All that is tow must finally perish ; 
all that is elevated must ultimately fall; all 
eompound bodies must end in dissolution, 
and life is concluded with death. 
« 5. Unwillingly do the manes of the de- 
ceased taste the tears and rheum shed by their 
kinsmen; then do not wail, but diligemtly 
perform the obsequies of the dead.” 
10. An Account of a Method for ex- 
tending a Geographical Survey across 
the Peninsula of India. By Brigade 
Major Lambton. Communicated by 
permission of the Right Hon. the Go- 
vernor of Fort St. George in Council. 
1]. On the Origin and peculiar Tenets 
of certain Mahammedan. Sects. By H. 
T. Colebrooke, Esq. 
12. A summary Account of the Life 
and Writings of Aoyar, 2 ‘amul Fe- 
Tobe Philosopher. By the Rev. Dr. 
ohn. ; 
Aoyar is one of the seven wise—we 
were about to say wise men of the Tamul, 
bur that the license of the Hibernian di- 
alect would have been somewhat violent, 
as four of the seven were women, Aoyar, 
903 
Uppay, Vallie, and Urnway; Tiruval- 
luwer, Adigaman, and Kavoiler, of which 
last appellation we have wise men enough 
in Europe. The Hibernian dialect has, 
however, been used in the title of this 
paper, which, instead of the life of 
Aoyar, relates a not uninteresting fairy” 
tale of the life of her mother. Three 
books, or rather chapters, of the moral 
sentences of this female philosopher are 
annexed; of all proverbs, ancient or 
medern, Jew or Gentile, which we have 
ever seen, they are beyond comparison 
the most inane and worthless. We de- 
sign no censure on the translator. On 
the contrary, we think his labour has 
been well and ‘usefully employed. He » 
has enabled us to estimate the moral 
and intellectual state of a people, among 
whom Aoyar could rank as one of the 
seven philosophers. The first score will 
be a sample sufficiently large, and wilk 
justify our judgment. 
** Charity be thy pleasure. 
Be not passionate. 
Be not a misery in giving. 
Hinder none in charity. 
Do not manifest thy secrets. 
Lose not thy courage. 
Exercise thyself in cyphering and writings 
To live on alms is shameful. 
Give, and then eat. 
Converse only with the peaceful. 
Never cease to improve in learning. 
Do not speak what is dishonest. 
])o not raise the price of victuals. 
Do not say more than thou hast seen. 
Take care of whatis most dear. 
Bathe on each Saturday. 
Speak what is agreeable. 
Build not too large a house. 
Know first one’s character before thou art 
confident. 
Honour thy father and mothep.” 
13. Account of the St. Thome Chris- 
tians on the Coast of Malabar. By F. 
Wrede, Esq. 
Mr. Wrede is mistaken in saying that 
the discovery of christians on the Mala. 
bar coast was a matter of surprise to the 
first Portugueze adventurers. On the 
contrary, they went in the full expecta- 
tion of finding them, and. actually wor- 
shipped in the first pagoda which they 
entered, mistaking it for a christian 
church. 
Much curious information is contained 
in this paper. ‘The name of Christians 
of St.Thomas is here said to have ori- 
ginated with the chief who led them 
irom Syria (for they were a Syrian co- 
lony, Ane are by the Hindoos most com- 
3 4 
