IV THE INTRODUCTION. 



not think them of fufficient importance for feparate pub- 

 lication. The Asiatick. Society was accordingly 

 formed on the 15th of January, 1784, by thofe Gentle- 

 men vvhofe names are diftinguifhed by afterifks in the 

 Lift of Members at the end of this book ; and ample 

 materials have already been collected for two large vo- 

 lumes, on a variety of new and interefting fubjects. By 

 this Publication the Inftitution may be conlidered as 

 having taken root; but the plant will flourifh or fade, 

 according as the aQivity or remifihefs of the Members 

 and their correfpondents (hall promote or obftruct its 

 growth. It will flourifh, if naturalifts, chemifts, anti- 

 quaries, philologers, and men of fcience, in different 

 parts of Ajia, will commit their obfervations to writing, 

 and fend them to the Prefident or the Secretary at Cal- 

 cutta ; it will languifh, if fuch communications fhall be 

 long intermitted; and it will die awa} r , if they fhall en- 

 tirely ceafe: for it is morally impoffible that a few men, 

 whatever be their zeal, who have great public duties 

 to difcharge, and difficult private ftudies connected with 

 thofe duties, can fupport fuch an eftablifhment without 

 the mod afliduous and eager auxiliaries. 



Before we proceed to give a fhort hiftory of the infti- 

 tution, it may be proper to declare, that the Society will 

 pafs no decifion, in their collective capacity, on any 

 point of literature or philofophy; but that the writers 

 of fuch diftertations, as they fhall think worthy to be 

 publifhed from time to time, muft hold themfelves in- 

 dividually refponfible for their own opinions ; a decla- 

 ration which is conformable, we believe, to the prac- 

 tice of fimilar Societies in Europe. 



It having been refolved to follow, as nearly as pofli- 

 ble, the plan of the Royal Society at London, of which 

 the King is Patron, it was agreed, at the fu ft regular 

 meeting, that the following Letter fhould be lent to the 

 GoVernor-General and Council, as the Executive Power 

 in the Company's territories: and their anfwer, which 

 is alfo fubjoined. was received in the courfe of the next 

 month. 



To 



