1876.] Accommodation of tTie SoGiety. 59 



must, lie thought, arise from the imperfection of the records, not from the 

 absence of the custom. Our own ancestors, much as we were naturally dis- 

 posed to plume ourselves on our humanity, unquestionably offered human 

 sacrifices. And the natural conclusion, the inevitable conclusion, he thought, 

 of the study of the history of the human race was, that this custom was 

 not confined to any special times, was not a question of centuries, or of epochs 

 but was in every case, a question of the state of co-ordinate civilization and 

 thus might exist in one nation, or in one tribe or part of a nation, many 

 centuries after it had disappeared from others. 



The President said, before the meeting closed, he was anxious to say 

 a few words on a matter of very considerable importance to the Society. 

 The Members were fully aware of the arrangements which had been made 

 with the Government of India, by which the Asiatic Society was to have 

 provided for it in the new Indian Mtiseum, apartments fitted for its accom- 

 modation and use : also of the strict supervision, which the Society, as Trus- 

 tees for the public, had seciu'ed over the valuable collections, which they 

 handed over to the safe keeping of the Trustees of the New Museum. 

 Then recently, the Government of India had found that the demands for 

 s^jace in that building were more extended than had been supposed. And 

 they have proposed that the Asiatic Society should give up their right to the 

 rooms which had been appropriated for their use, and should accept in lieu 

 thereof a sum of money supjDosed to represent the value of the house and 

 premises now occupied by the Society, and which is their proj)erty. This 

 house and premises would have been a certain source of steady income to the 

 Society. A new Act of the Legislature was requisite for this purpose, and 

 in the preparation of this Act some slight alterations had been introduced. 

 The principal of them was, that the number of Trustees was increased, and 

 the right of nomination of an additional Trustee was secured to the Society, 

 making the nmnber to be nominated by that body five ; the President for 

 the time being, and four other Members, instead of fom- as at j)resent. 



The same right of property in the collections handed over, and power 

 of resuming these, in the event of the Museum not being maintained, were 

 contained in the new Act, as in the former one. And practically the rights 

 of the Society continue as they were. 



This jDroposal on the jDart of the Govermnent when submitted to the 

 Council of the Society, received their unanimous assent, and they have ex- 

 pressed their willingness on behalf of the Society to accept the terms. A 

 Bill has been introduced into the Legislative Council, to legalize the pro- 

 ceedings, and it is hoped, that before the close of the present month, it 

 may be completed. The whole will then doubtless be formally laid before 

 the Society. 



The meeting then adjourned. 



