I9J 



Of his lighter productions, the elegant amuse- 

 ments of his leisure hours, comprehending hymns 

 on the Hindu mythology ; poems, consisting chiefly 

 of translations from the Asiatic languages; and the 

 version of SAC0NTALA,and ancient Indian drama,— 

 it would be unbecoming to speak in a style of im- 

 portance which he did not himself annex to them. 

 They shew the activity of a vigorous mind, its fer- 

 tility, its genius, and its taste. Nor shall I particu- 

 larly dwell on the discourses addressed to this Society, 

 which we have all perused or heard, or on the other 

 learned and interesting dissertations, which form so 

 large and valuable a portion of the records of our re- 

 searches, let us lament that the spirit which dictated 

 rhem is to us extinct ; and that the voice to which 

 we listened with improvement and rapture, will be 

 heard by us no more. 



But I cannot pass over a paper, which has fallen 

 into my possession since his demise, in the hand- 

 writing of Sir William Jones himself, entitled 

 Desiderata, as more explanatory than any thing 

 I can say of the comprehensive views of his enlight- 

 ened mind. It contains, as a perusal of it will shew, 

 whatever is most curious, important, and attainable, 

 in the sciences and histories of India, Arabia, China, 

 and Tartary ; subjects which he had already most 

 amply discussed in the disquisitions which he laid be- 

 fore the Societv. 



DESIDERATA. 



