ANNIVERSARY DISCOURSE* 411 



juft opinion of the Sanfcrit poetry from the fpecimens 

 already exhibited, (though we can only judge perfectly 

 by confulting the originals,) we cannot but thirft for 

 the whole work of Vya/a, with which a member of our 

 Society, whofe prefence deters me from faying more of 

 him, will in due time gratify the publick. The poetry 

 ofMathurd, which is the Parnajfian land of the Hindus ^ 

 has a fofter and lefs elevated {train; but, fince the inha- 

 bitants of the diftricls ntzx Agra> and principally of the 

 Duab, are faid to furpafs all other Indians in eloquence, 

 and to have compofed many agreeable tales and love- 

 fongs, which are ftill extant, the BhaJJid, or vernacular 

 idiom of Vraja, in which they are written, mould not 

 be neglected. No fpecimens of genuine oratory can be 

 expected from nations, among whom the form of go- 

 vernment precludes even the idea of popular eloquence 2 

 but the art of writing, in elegant and modulated pe- 

 riods, has been cultivated in Afia from the earlieft: ages ; 

 the Veda's^ as well as the Alkoran, are written in mea- 

 fured profe ; and the compofitions of Ifocraies are not 

 more highly polifhed than thofeof the bed Arabian and 

 Perfian authors. 



Of the Hindu and Mufelman architecture there are 

 yet many noble remains in Bahar, and fome in the 

 vicinity of Malda ; nor am I unwilling to believe, that 

 even thofe ruins, of which you will, I truft, be prc- 

 fented with correct delineations, may furnifh our own 

 architects with new ideas of beauty and fubliimty. 



Permit me now to add a few words on the fcitncts^ 

 properly fo named; in which it mult be admitted, that 

 the Ajiaticks, if compared with our Weftern nations, 

 are mere children. One of the moft faracious men in 

 this age, who continues, I hope, to improve and adorn 

 it, Samuel Johnfon, remarked in my hearing, that, " if 



F f 2 " Xezcton 



