XXli ON ASIATIC HISTORY, 



blunders of transcribers in tables, names, and descrip- 

 tions. 



Geography, astronomy, and chronology have, in 

 this part of Asia 9 shared the fate of authentic history ; 

 and, like that, have been so masked and bedecked in 

 the fantastic robes of mythology and metaphor, that 

 the real system of Indian philosophers and mathemati- 

 cians can scarce be distinguished : an accurate know- 

 ledge of Sanscrit and a confidential intercourse with 

 learnedi Brahmens, are the only means of separating 

 truth from fable ; and we may expect the most import- 

 ant discoveries from two of our members ; concerning 

 whom it may be safely asserted, that if our Society 

 should have produced no other advantage than the in- 

 vitation given to them for the public display of their 

 talents, we should have a claim to the thanks of our 

 country and of all Europe. Lieutenant HiJford has 

 exhibited an interesting specimen of the geographical 

 knowledge deducible from the Puranas, and will in time 

 present you with so complete a treatise on the ancient 

 world known to the Hindus 9 that the light acquired 

 by the Greeks will appear but a glimmering in com- 

 parison of that which he will diffuse ; while Mr. Davis, 

 who has given us a distinct idea of Indian computations 

 and cycles, and ascertained the place of the colures at 

 a time of great importance in history, will hereafter dis- 

 close the systems of Hindu astronomers, from Naredand 

 Parasar to Meya, Varaliamiliir y and Bhascar \ and will 

 soon, I trust, lay before you a perfect delineation of all 

 the Indian asterisms in both hemispheres^where you will 



perceive 



