566 Proceedings of the [Dec. 



inquiries, and the details of recent political history. Your work on the Commerce 

 of Bengal, lately published, and your History of the Burmese war, must remain 

 signal monuments of the rare vigour of your enlightened and accomplished un- 

 derstanding. 



But we must return finally to your relation to the Asiatic Society, and that not 

 merely as a member, and unequalled contributor to its stores, but as its Secre- 

 tary. From the time when you succeeded the late Dr. Hunter in that important 

 capacity in 1810, not only have your main services been thus identified with the 

 progress of oriental learning, and conspicuous to the whole literary world, 

 but have been displayed in matters of which we alone are witnesses, and which we 

 only can acknowledge: the arrangement of our papers,the preparation of the Trans- 

 actions for the press, the compilation of a useful index to the whole, the conduct 

 of all the details of the Society's business — in all which your attention and devo- 

 tion to our interests has been most constant and exemplary. Nor must we omit to 

 mention the masterly manner in which you have conducted the extensive corre- 

 spondence, domestic and foreign, of this Society ; nor the characteristic amenity 

 of manners with which you have been ever ready to assist with your valuable aid 

 and counsel the President and other individual members. None, after Sir W. Jones, 

 if even he is to be excepted, has stronger claims on our grateful recollection ; none 

 certainly more long continued ones. During the last 23 years, you have never 

 quitted your place amongst us, except only that year (1820), when you were absent 

 on Government duty at Benares — an absence which, while it enabled you to fulfil 

 more perfectly many of your learned undertakings, could not fail to reflect the 

 greater honour on the Society. 



For these eminent and unequalled services, we feel that the best thanks we 

 can offer are but an insignificant recompense. We can only add to this tribute of 

 mere justice to your past merits, our warmest hopes and wishes for the future, 

 that you may fill, with increased honour and happiness, the distinguished station 

 which a munificent founder has established in one of our ancient universities. 

 We trust that you may succeed in awaking in many of the British youth, destined 

 to important stations here, a desire to acquire that knowledge of the Sanscrit lan- 

 guage and literature by which you are yourself so immortally distinguished, and 

 thus become the means of extending to this land the blessings of increased civiliza- 

 tion and Christianity. 



But one wish remains for ourselves. We wish not to be without some durable 

 monument of the great talents which have, for nearly a quarter of a century, 

 given strength, and activity, and honour to our meetings in this place. We there- 

 fore request, that you will add to your former favours this one, of permitting your 

 bust to be taken by the most eminent sculptor in England, at the charge of this 

 Society : that it may stand in our room as an enduring testimony of the high 

 esteem and respect with which your memory will be ever cherished by the Asiatic 

 Society. 



Edward Ryan, 

 Dec. 31*ir, 1832. President." 



At the conclusion of this address, Mr. Wilson, having requested the 

 President and Members to be seated, replied in the following terms : 



