Sect. IV.] Hindoo Literature, 277 



recent than even the friends of the scripture hi- 

 story at first supposed. 



The geography of India received much chicichi- 

 tion, by the labours of learned orientalists in the 

 course of the last age *. At an early period of 

 the century Jolin Hudson, of Great Britain, com- 

 menced this inquiry, and pursued it with honoura- 

 ble success. He was followed, after an interval 

 of many years, by M. d'Anville, of France, who, 

 in his Antiquite Geographique de rhide, and in his 

 Eclaircissemens Geographiques sur la Carte de 

 VInde, gave a more satisfactory and scientilic view 

 of the subject than any who had gone before him. 

 The next important publication on the geography 

 of India was by Major Rennell, who, in his Map 

 of Hiudostan, and in his Memoir accompanying 

 the same, made a present of incomparable value 

 to the public. And, finally, the services rendered 

 to this branch of oriental inquiry by sir William 

 Jones, colonel Wilford, and several other members 

 of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, demand many 

 acknowledgments from the friends of literature 

 and science. 



Beside the contributors to Hindoo literature 

 above named, a number of other gentlemen, who 

 have employed themselves in promoting the same 

 object, deserve to be respectfully mentioned. 

 Among these the several publications of Mr. 

 Orme, an 'English gentleman much conversant in 



* Though the Geography of India does not Btrictly fall under 

 the denomination of Hindoo Literature ; yet, as the two subjects 

 have generally been treated in such a manner as to stand in con* 

 jiection with each other, it is thouglit proper to introduce this pa- 

 ragraph here. 



