OF THE ASIATICS. r*rg 



the Nydfd 8d$tra$ 1 can only assure you, that I have 

 frequently seen perfect syllogisms in the philfl 

 phical writings of .the Rm&mem, and have often 

 heard them used in their verbal controversies. \ 

 •ever might have been the merit or age of G 

 yet the most celebrated • Indian school is that, with 

 which I began, founded by Vya'sa, and supported 

 in most respects by his pupil J at mini, whose dissent 

 on a feW points is mentioned by his master with re- 

 spectful moderation : their several systems are fre- 

 quently distinguished by the names of the first and 

 •second Mimzmsti f; a word which, like Nydypt denotes 

 the operations and conclusions of reason ; but the 

 tract of V v has in general the appellation of VI- 



■:fa, or the scope and end of the Veda ; on the to 

 of which, as they were understood by the philosopher 



:o collected them, his doctrines are principally 

 .grounded. The fundamental tenet of the Veddnti 

 school, to which in a more modern ag;e the incora- 

 parable Sancara was a firm and illustrious adherent, 

 consisted not in denying the existence of matter, 

 that is, of solidity, impenetrability, and extend 

 figure (to deny which would be lunacy) but, in cor- 

 recting the popular notion of it, and in contend 

 •that it has no essence independent of mental percep- 

 tion ; that existence and perceptibility are conv 

 tible terms ; that external appearances and sensati* 

 are illusory, and would vanish into nothing, if the 

 .divine energy, which alone sustains them, were : 

 pended but for a moment : an opinion, which Epi- 

 charmus and Plato seem to have adopted, and 



