Sect. IV.] Hindoo Literature, ^9 



SECTION IV. 



HINDOO LITERATURE. 



In tills branch of oriental literature the eiglv- 

 teenth century presents a degree of progress highly 

 interesting and honourable. Though it is now 

 more than three centuries since Europeans first na- 

 vigated to India ; and though the inhabitants of 

 that and the adjacent countries merit the attentioTi 

 of the curious mofe, perhaps, than any other peo- 

 ple on the globe ; yet it is but a few years since 

 any suitable inquiries were instituted, and any sa- 

 tisfactory information obtained, respecting tlie li- 

 terature and science of that important portion of 

 the Asiatic continent 



Early in the century the Lettres Ed\fiantes et 

 Curkuses, enriched with communications from 

 missionaries in India, were published, and engag- 

 ed much of the attention of the literary world *, 

 After these M. Renaudotf, of France, and 

 Theoph. S. Bayer J, a learned German, each com- 

 municated to the public some important informa- 

 tion concerning the literature and sciences of 

 Ilindostan; insomuch that, notwithstanding the 



* The principal compiler of the Lettres Edijianfes et Ctiricuses 

 was father Charles Gobien, a Jesuit, of St. Maloes, assisted by 

 du Hald€, and others, of the same order. These Letters are filled 

 with interesting accounts of the natural history, geography, policy, 

 and literature, of the countries visited by the Jesuits. They aj)- 

 peared at an early period of the century, in a number of volumes. 



f Anciennes Relations des Indes, et de la Chine, ^-c, 1718- 



+ Elementa Literal . BrahmaniaB, S^c. 1732. 



