PREFACE TO THE THIRD VOLUME. Ill 



down to the death of Aurungzeb in the present century. A con- 

 siderable part of this vast and interesting history has been long 

 written by me, but disquisitions thought by my friends more im- 

 portant have superseded its appearance. The event has justified 

 their advice ; and the learned reader who may have perused the 

 ingenious and elaborate, but dangerous, work of M. Dupuis, on 

 the Origin of all Religions, alluded to in the preface to the former 

 part, a work comprised in three large quarto volumes, with two 

 additional volumes of plates, illustrative of his ehimaeras, must be 

 convinced of the necessity which existed of the previous appearance 

 of a work like mine ; however inferior in point of execution. He 

 will there see with what determined hostility the noble science 

 of ASTRONOMY, which I have endeavoured to render subservient 

 to the cause of Christianity, has been employed on the Continent 

 to subvert, and, if possible, to eradicate it from the earth. 



For denominating, as I have done, in the subsequent pages, the 

 Indian prince, who most vigorously opposed Alexander, PAURAVA, 

 I beg permission to produce the authority of Sir William Jones, 

 in a letter addressed to me, from Bengal, on my first making known 

 to him my intention of commencing this History, and soliciting- 

 his support and patronage in India. As it is not long, I insert it 

 unabridged, except in that part which confided to me the opinion 

 which I ought to entertain, but which I shall never divulge, of 

 certain persons who have not since proved the most zealous friends 

 to my literary labours. Yet have those labours succeeded beyond 

 my utmost hope, and persevering exertions have at length trampled 

 upon every difficulty. 



A 2 



