Ill 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



A. HE deferred eftimation in whieh the 

 Tranfaclions of the various Societies in Great Bri- 

 tain, as well as upon the Continent, have hitherto 

 been held is a circumftance fo well known that 

 nothing in this place need be faid upon the fub- 

 jecl: ; but the lucubrations of the Afiatic Society 

 have not been fo widely diffufed. Nearly the 

 whole of the impreilion of the Afiatic Refearches 

 is diftributed in the Eaft . Indies, therefore very 

 few copies reach Europe ; and this among other 

 reafons, has given rife to the prefent publication. 

 To fuffer fo many valuable Papers, on a vaft va- 

 riety of Literary, Scientific, and Antiquarian Sub- 

 jects, to lie buried on the fhelves of a few perfons 

 would have been an unpardonable offence ; but to 

 refcue from a kind of oblivion, and to prefent to 

 their Countrymen in Europe, a regular feries of 

 the Papers communicated to the Afiatic Societv, 

 is the intention of the Undertakers of the prefent 

 Work. This Society, it is well known, had the 

 late excellent and learned Sir William Jones 

 for its Founder, and for its Prefident many years ; 

 but fmce he has favoured the world with an ac- 

 count of its origin in the nrft volume of the work, 

 we fhall content ourfelves with referring our 

 Readers to that difcourfe, wherein they will find 

 an ample difplay of its utility, and a detail of its 

 objects of purfuit, 



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