Sect. IV.] Hindoo Literature, ^79 



Language, in Calcutta, in 1778, and in London in 

 1780. Considering this language as the sole 

 channel of personal and "epistolary communication 

 among the Hindoos of every occupation and tribe; 

 and considering also, that of all the oriental lan- 

 guages this approaches nearest to the Sanscrit 

 in expression, structure, and character ; every at- 

 tempt to illustrate its principles, and facilitate its 

 acquisition, may be regarded as an important pre- 

 sent both to the literary and commercial world. 



The reverend Wilham Carey, a Baptist missi- 

 onary of distinguished talents and piety, has, by 

 his persevering labours, rendered important ser- 

 vice to the Hindoo literature. At the close of the 

 eighteenth century he had translated the whole Bi- 

 ble into the Bengal language, had printed his trans- 

 lation of the New Testament, and distributed a 

 large edition of this portion of the sacred scrip- 

 tures among the Hindoos. This zealous and un- 

 wearied missionary has also formed a i^anscrit 

 Grammar, and has begun a Dictionarxj of the same 

 language. 



The establishment o'f the British East India 

 company, and the extensive commercial arrange- 

 ments of that association, may be considered as 

 bearing an important relation to the advancement 

 of oriental literature. The exertions of this com- 

 pany have extended the intercourse between Eu- 

 rope and Asia, have led many persons of curiosity 

 and learning to visit that quarter of the globe, 

 and have in various ways promoted the study of 

 the languages and science of the east. 



