1872.] President's Address. 25 



posts, and new editors }iave been added to the staff, di-awn from among the 

 best scholars of Bengal. If any well considered comparison is to be made 

 between the work turned out now, and that of the time of Professor Cowell, 

 I feel pretty confident that the former will not be found faulty in the matter 

 of editorial supervision. Professor Max Miiller also states that " many 

 scholars complain that they receive the numbers of the Bibliotheca Indica, 

 very irregularly, and frequently in an imperfect state." I regret very much 

 that I do not know the particular complaints to which the Professor alludes. 

 Instances of irregularity in delivering numbers of the Bibliotheca on the part 

 of our agents in Europe have at times in the course of years been brought to 

 the notice of the Council ; and I need hardly say that the Council has always, 

 on such occasions, done all in its power to prevent a recurrence of the fault, 

 if fault there was, by writing to our agents on the matter, and insisting on 

 the necessity of the utmost care and diligence. I do not understand the 

 accusation, that the numbers 2,yq frequently in an imperfect state. Once and 

 once only, so far as I have been able to learn, a fasciculus was sent out want- 

 ing a sheet, obviously a book-binder's blunder ; and considering that we issue 

 upwards of 15,000 copies every year, I can hardly think that one mistake of 

 this kind affords ground for convicting the editors of carelessniess in supervi- 

 sion. Perhaps I ought here to explain one occurrence, which may possibly, 

 by reason of misapprehension, have been looked upon by Professor Max 

 Miiller as a censurable irregularity in delivering the numbers of the Biblio- 

 theca Indica to those entitled to receive them. It has been the habit of tlie 

 Society to present its oriental publications to distinguished scholars among 

 its Honorary Members. In 1868, the Council, thinking it undesirable to 

 send both the Sanskrit and the Persian publications to each of such members, 

 irrespective of the question whether he cared to receive them or not, passed 

 a resolution to the effect that these Honorary members should be asked by 

 letter to say what their wishes on the subject were. It was supposed that 

 replies to this inquiry would be promptly received, and meanwhile the sending 

 out the publications was stayed. Unfortunately, in some instances replies 

 were very long in coming, and the Council at last, without further waiting, 

 resumed the old practice. I believe that Professor Max Miiller was one of 

 those, whose copies were for a time stopped through this cause. 



On the whole, then, I feel justified in hoping that the exertions of the 

 Society in carrying on this great public work will be found not less worthy 

 now than heretofore of the Society's high reputation. 



Neither has our Society been sleeping over the cause of science. It 

 must be remembered that in this country almost nothing can be hoped for, 

 in the development of scientific knowledge and the prosecution of important 

 scientific investigations, otherwise than through the aid and encouragement 

 of Grovernment. I may say that all the educated Europeans who reside in 



