80 Oriental Literature. 



fore stated, which the whole literary world could 

 not have furnished antecedently to their appear- 

 ance. By studying the Sanscrit language, in 

 w r hich the most authentic and ancient records of 

 the Hindoos are written; by opening communica- 

 tions between distant regions of the East; and by 

 frequently penetrating into the interior parts of the 

 country, conversing with the learned men, inspect- 

 ing their monuments, and observing their habits 

 and manners, an astonishing mass of new facts has 

 been obtained and given, by their labours, to the 

 public; and from the same source, much more, 

 perhaps, of still greater value, may be expected. 

 They have entered into paths of inquiry which, if 

 diligently and skilfully pursued, must conduct to 

 the richest treasures of information. 



It is believed that neither the original T r edas, m 

 which are the sacred books of the Hindoos, nor 

 the Shastahs, which are commentaries upon them, 

 have ever yet been exhibited complete in any Eu- 

 ropean language. At the beginning of the eigh- 

 teenth century, scarcely any thing was known of 

 these books, out of their native country. Since 

 that time, important extracts from them have been 

 published, and a tolerable view of their con* 

 tents presented to the world, first by Mr. Hol- 

 well, before-mentioned; afterwards, though with 

 less faithfulness, by Mr. Dow; and at still later 

 periods, by Sir William Jones and others." The 

 disclosures which these publications have effected, 

 concerning the sacred literature of the Hindoos, 

 have served equally to interest and to gratify the 

 curiosity of the philosopher and the Christian. 



m The books called VeJas are four in number. They are so denomi- 

 nated from Veda^ a Sanscrit root, signifying to knotv. 



Sir William Jones tells us that the four Vedas are comprized in 

 eleven large folio volumes, a complete copy of which was obtained by Col. 

 Polier, of Great-Britain, who resided many years at Delhi t and displayed' 

 the most laudable zeal in collecting Indian curiosities. 



