[ *35 1 

 XL 



Account of forne Ancient Infcriptions. 



THE Prefident lays before the Society a Fac Simile 

 of fome Ancient Infcriptions, received from Sir 

 Charles Ware Mallet. They were taken by Mr. 

 Wales, a very ingenious artift, who has employed 

 himfelf in making defigns of the excavations and 

 fculptures at Ellura, and other parts on the weilern 

 fide of India. To the ingenuity of Lieutenant 

 Wilford, the Society is indebted for an explanation 

 of the Infcriptions. They are, as he obferves, of 

 little importance ; but the publication of them may 

 aflift the labours of others in decyphering more inte- 

 refting manufcripts or infcriptions. The following 

 Extract of a Letter from Lieutenant Wilford, 

 containing his Tranflation of the Infcriptions, accom- 

 panies them. 



I HAVE the honour to return to you the fac fimile 

 of the feveral infcriptions, with an explanation of 

 them. I defpaired at firft of ever being able to decy- 

 pher them; for as there are no ancient infcriptions in 

 this part of India, we never had, of courfe, any op- 

 portunity to try our (kill, and improve our talents, in 

 the art of decyphering. However, after many fruit- 

 left attempts on our part, we were fo fortunate as to 

 find at laft an ancient fage, who gave us the key, and 

 produced a book in Sanfcrit y containing a great many 

 ancient alphabets formerly in ufe in different parts of 

 India. This was really a fortunate difcovery, which 

 hereafter may be of great fervice to us. But let us 

 proceed. 



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