11 PREFACE TO THE THIRD VOLUME. 



the baneful effects of INEBRIETY, by which a whole race becomes 

 exterminated, towards the conclusion: these, with many other 

 weighty moral truths and affecting observations, interspersed 

 throughout the work, will, it is hoped, make the reader amends 

 for much puerility blended with them, and the magical machinery, 

 so congenial with the practice of remote and barbarous ages. For 

 the style being sometimes less accurate and elegant than I could 

 wish, the only apology in my power to make is that first offered, 

 viz. that the Life of Creeshna, is in great part, a literal translation 

 from the SRI BIIAGAVAT, by Mr. Halhed, preserved among his 

 MSS. in the BRITISH MUSEUM, and not originally intended for 

 the public eye. 



The two remaining Avatars will be found, I trust, detailed and 

 explained to the complete satisfaction, at least, of that numerous 

 class of my readers, who do not think the theological disquisition 

 the least important portion of this historical retrospect on the most 

 ancient events transacted on the great theatre of Asia, events which 

 carry us back so near to the sera of the venerable patriarchs. To 

 that respectable, but less numerous, class of my readers, who, less 

 ardent for theological research, seek for historic truth amidst the 

 darkness of those early ages, I flatter myself the final portion of 

 this volume, which discusses the connection of the Tartars, Per- 

 sians, and early Greeks, with the Indians, will not be wholly 

 unsatisfactory : they will candidly remember the remoteness of the 

 sera, and the scanty materials yet in our possession for the full 

 investigation of events then transacted. When more ample ma- 

 terials shall have been discovered, with adequate encouragement 

 I shall not be reluctant to resume the investigation ; and, since all 

 theological discussion is now finally terminated, to present the 

 public with a volume of purely historical fact, relating to the inva- 

 sions of India by Greek, Persian, and Mohammedan, conquerors, 



