1.8z ON THE PHILOSOPHY 



metry; nor would it, surely, be difficult to pro- 

 cure, through our several residents with the Pishwd 

 and with Scindhya, the older books on algebra, 

 which Bh a scar a mentions, and on which Mr. 

 Davis would justly set a very high value; but the 

 Sanscrit work, from which we might expect the 

 most ample and important information, is entitled 

 Cshetrddersa, or a View of Geometrical Knowledge, 

 and was compiled in a very large volume by order 

 of the illustrious Jayasinha, comprising all that 

 remains on that science in the sacred language of 

 India : it was inspected in the west by a Pandit now 

 in the service ol Lieutenant VVilford, and might, I 

 am persuaded, be purchased at Jayanagar, where 

 Colonel Polier had permission from the Raja to 

 buy the four Vedas themselves. Thus have I an- 

 swered, to the best of my power, the three first 

 questions obligingly transmitted to us by Professor 

 Play fa ir, — Whether the Hindus have books in San* 

 sctit expressly on geometry? Whether they have any 

 such on arithmetic ? and. Whether a translation of 

 the Surya Siddhdnta be not the great desideratum on 

 the subject of Indian astronomy? To his three last 

 questions, — -Whether an accurate summary account of 

 all the Sanscrit works on that subject? A delineation 

 of the Indian celestial sphere, wich correct remarks 

 on it? and, A description of the astronomical instru- 

 ments used by the ancient Hindus, would not seve- 

 rally be of great utility ? we cannot but answer in 

 the affirmative, provided that the utmost critical 

 sagacity were applied in distinguishing such works, 



constellations, 



