16 Oriental Literature. 



missionaries in India, were published, and en- 

 gaged much of the attention of the literary world. 

 After these, M. Renaudot/ of France, and 

 Theoph. S. Bayer/ a learned German, each 

 communicated to the public some important in- 

 formation concerning the literature and sciences 

 of Hindostan; insomuch that, notwithstanding 

 the great improvements in oriental knowledge 

 since their time, they are still quoted frequently 

 and with high respect. To these great oriental- 

 ists, after an interval of many years, succeeded 

 Mr. HoiAVELi/ and Mr. Dow/ of Great-Britain, 

 who spent some time in the East, and who pro- 

 fessed to give the public much new and curious 

 information concerning the religion and sacred li- 

 terature of the Hindoos. The publications of these 

 gentlemen, however, are by no means consistent 

 with each other, or with themselves -, and although 

 they contain, especially the works of Mr. Hol- 

 well, some useful and instructive matter, they are 

 far from being considered unexceptionable authori- 

 ties, by later and better informed writers. 



Mr. Warren Hastings, soon after receiving 

 the appointment of Governor of Bengal, formed 

 the design of procuring a complete code of the 

 laws and customs of the Hindoos. With a view 

 to the accomplishment of this design, he invited, 

 about the year 1773, a number cf Brahmans, who 

 were learned in the Sanscrit language, from Be- 

 nares, and other parts of the country, to convene 

 in Calcutta. They complied with the invitation, 

 and after making large collections from the most 



t Atuiennes Relations des Indcs, et de la Chine, &c. 1718* 

 f Elementa Liter at. Brahmanica, Vfc. 1 732. 



g See his work on the Fasts, Festivals, and Metempsychosis of the Hindoo;^ 

 1 vols. 8vc. 1/66, and also his Interesting Historical Events, a vols. 8vo 

 I766. 



b Translation </Ferishta'b Indian History, 3 vols. 4t0. 1 770. 



