Literary Discoveries in India. 237 



Syrian archbishop to the Portuguese on their arrival in 

 India_, which are the mo?t antient, have been recently re-' 

 covered by the exertions of lieutenant-colonel Macaulav, 

 the British resident in Travancore ; and are now officially 

 deposited with that officer. 



The plates are six in number: they are composed of a 

 mixed metal : the engraved page on the largest plate is thir- 

 teen inches long, by about four broad. T-iey are closely 

 written : four of them on both sides of the plate, making in 

 all eleven pages. On the plate reputed to be the oldest, 

 there is writing perspicuously engraved in nail-headed or 

 triangular-headed letters, resembling the Persepolitan or 

 Babylonish. On the same plate there is writing in another 

 character, which has no affinity with any existing character 

 in Hindostan. The grant on this plate appears to be wit- 

 nessed by four Jews of rank, whose names are distinctly 

 written in an old Hebrew character, resembling the alpha- 

 bet called the Palmyrene ; and to each name is prefixed the 

 title of Magen ; that is, chief. 



It may be doubted whether there exists in the world 

 another document of equal antiquity, which is at the same 

 lime of so great a length and in such faultless preservation, 

 as the Christian tablets in Malayala. The Jews of Cochin 

 indeed contest the palm of antiquity and of preservation ; for 

 they also produce tablets containing privileges granted at a 

 remote period. The Jewish tablets are two in number. 

 The Jews were long in possession of a third plate, which 

 now appears to be the property of the Christians. The 

 Jews commonly show an antient Hebrew translation of 

 their plates. Dr. Leyden made another translation, which 

 differs from the Hebrew : and there has lately been found 

 among the old Dutch records at Cochin, a third translation, 

 which approaches nearer to Dr.Leyden's than to the Hebrew. 

 In a Hebrew manuscript, which will shortly be published, it 

 is recorded that a grant on brass tablets was given to the 

 Jews in A. D. 379- 



As it is apprehended that there may be some difficulty 

 in obtaining an accurate translation of all these tablets, it is 

 proposed to priut a copper-plate fac-siniile of the whole, 



and 



