XIV. Pali'. — ^The Pali language among the Tndo- 

 Chinese nations, occupies the same place which Sans- 

 crit holds among the Hindus, or Arabic among the 

 followers of Islam. Throughout the gi eater part of 

 the maritime countries which lie between India and 

 China, it is the language of religion, law, litera- 

 ture, and science, and has had an extensive in- 

 fluence in modifying the vernacular languages of 

 these regions. The name of this language, though 

 commonly pronounced Bali, is more generally writ- 

 ten Pali; but both forms are occasionally used. As 

 .the origin of the word is still very obscure, it is dif- 

 licult to determine which is the more correct ortho- 

 graphy. If, however, we could venture to identify 

 the term -with the Bdhlika lihasha, which, in the 

 Sahi'tya De'rpana of Fisicandtha, is enumer;ited as 

 one of the languages proper to be used by certain 

 characters, in dramatic works, the latter ought to be 

 considered as the more correct. La Loubere, on 

 the authority of D'IIerbelot, has stated (Tom. I. p. 

 422) that the ancient Persic language was termed 

 Pahalevi, (Pahlavi) and that the Persians do not 



