278 OHental Literature. [Chap. XIV. 



Hindoo learning ; those of Mr. Cokbrooke, who 

 has translated a body of Hindoo laws, and thrown 

 •considerable light on the history and literature of 

 Hindostan * ; the Sketches relating to the letters 

 and science of that country, successively given by 

 Forster, Crauford, and Kindersley, all of Great 

 Britain ; and tlie various works of different com- 

 parative value, by sir John Shore, sir William 

 Ouseley, Mr, Burrow, Mr. Hunter, and a number 

 more of the same country, who spent a considera- 

 ble time in India, have added much to our stock 

 of knowledge respecting that important portion of 

 Asia. But among all the writers on this subject 

 few have rendered such essential service to the 

 cause of oriental literature as the reverend Tho- 

 mas Maurice, a learned and ingenious English 

 divine, who,, in his Indian Antiquities, has collect- 

 ed and laid before the public a mass of informa- 

 tion respecting the theology, geography, jurispru- 

 dence, political establishments, and various litera- 

 ture of Hindostan, so rich and instructive, as will 

 entitle him to the lasting gratitude of every friend 

 to liberal knowledge, and genuine religion f. 



The living languages of India have been better 

 and more extensively understood by Europeans of 

 the eighteenth century than ever before. This is 

 particularly the case with the Bengal language. 

 Mr. Halhed published a Gi^ammar of the Bengal 



* Mr. Colebrooke, towards the close ®f the century, published 

 • Dif^e^t of Hindoo Law, in four vols, 8vo. He was induced to 

 undertake this work by the recommendation of sir William Jones, 

 It is, on various accounts, a curious and valuable work. 



t See Indian Antiquities ; or Dissertations relative to Hindostan^ 

 7 vols, 8vo. 



