Sect. IV.] Hindoo Literature. 275 



hiuch more, perhaps, of still greater value may be 

 expected. They have entered into paths of in- 

 quiry which, if diligently and skilfully pursued, 

 must conduct to the richest treasures of informa- 

 tion. 



It is believed that neither the original Vcdas *, 

 ■which are the sacred books of the Hindoos, nor 

 the Shastahsy 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 contents 

 presented to the world, first by Mr. Holwell, before 

 mentioned ; afterwards, though with less faithful- 

 ness, by Mr. Dow; and at still later periods, by 

 sir William Jones and others f. The disclosures 

 which these publications have effected, concern- 

 ing the sacred literature of the Hindoos, have 

 served equally to interest and to gratify the curio- 

 sity of the philosopher and the Christian. 



The astronomy and chronology of Hindostan 

 engaged much of the attention of oriental scholars, 

 especially towards the close of the century under 

 consideration. The honour is due to the French 

 ©f having commenced this inquiry in a regular 



* The books called Fcdas are four in number. They are so 

 denominated from Veduy a Sanscrit root, signifying to knoiv. 



f Sir William Jones tells us that the four Vtdas are comprised 

 in eleven large folio volumes, a complete copy of which was ob- 

 tained by colonel Polier, of Great Britain, who resided many years 

 at Delhi, and displayed the most laudable zeal in collecting Indian 

 curiosities. 



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