654 Miscellaneous. [Dec. 



and to give a few examples for the exercise of the student. He has however 

 enumerated in page 180, a few of the principal Tibetan authors, and he has also 

 given a chronological table with valuable notes ; and a list of the various epochs 

 of the death of Siiakya, according to Surishmati, the pupil of Padmakarpo. 

 We cannot refrain from quoting the opening remarks of his preface. 



" The wide diffusion of the Buddhistic religion in the eastern parts of Asia, 

 having of late greatly excited the attention of European scholars, and it being 

 now ascertained by several distinguished Orientalists, that this faith, professed by 

 go many millions of men in different and distant countries in the East, originated 

 in Central or Gangetic India, it is hoped, that a Grammar and Dictionary of 

 the Tibetan language will be favourably received by the learned Public ; since, 

 Tibet being considered as the head-quarters of Buddhism in the present age, these 

 elementary works may serve as keys to unlock the immense volumes, (faithful 

 translations of the Sanskrit text,) which are still to be found in that country, on 

 the manners, customs, opinions, knowledge, ignorance, superstition, hopes, and 

 fears of great psrt of Asia, especially of India, in former ages. 



" There are, in modern times, three predominant religious professions in the 

 world, each counting numerous votaries, and each possessed of a large peculiar 

 literature : — the Christians, the Muhammedans, and the Buddhists. It is not 

 without interest to observe the coincidence of time with respect to the great exer- 

 tions made by several Princes, for the literary establishment of each of these 

 different religions, in the Latin, the Arabic, and in the Sanskrit languages, in the 

 8th and 9th century of the Christian iEra : by Charles the Great, and his 

 immediate successors, in Germany and France ; by the Khalifs Al-Man- 

 sur, Harun al-Rashid, and Al-mamun, at Bagdad ; by the Kings of Maga- 

 dha, in India ; by Khrisrong de'hu tsan, Khri de'srong tsan, and Ral- 

 pachen, in Tibet ; and by the Emperors of the Thang dynasty, in China. But it 

 is to the honour of Christianism to observe, that while learning has been con- 

 tinually declining among the Muhammedans and the Buddhists, Christianity has 

 not only carried its own literature and science to a very advanced period of 

 excellence, but in the true and liberal spirit of real knowledge, it distinguishes 

 itself by its efforts in the present day towards acquiring an intimate acquaintance 

 with the two rival religious systems, and that too, in their original languages. 

 Hence, in the north-western parts of Europe, in Germany, England, France, where 

 a thousand years ago only the Latin was studied by literary men, there are now 

 found establishments for a critical knowledge both of the Arabic and the Sanskrit 

 literature. 



" Hence, too, has been founded recently the Oriental Translation Committee, 

 composed of the most eminent Orientalists of Europe, from whose labours so 

 much has already been done, and so much more is expected. The students of 

 Tibetan have naturally been the most rare, if they have existed at all, in this 

 learned association. Insulated among inaccessible mountains, the convents of Tibet 

 have remained unregarded and almost un visited by the scholar and the traveller : — 

 nor was it until within these few years conjectured, that in the undisturbed shelter 

 of this region, in a climate proof against the decay and the destructive influences 

 of tropical plains, were to be found, in complete preservation, the volumes of the 

 Buddhist faith, in their original Sanskrit, as well as in faithful translations, which 

 might be sought in vain on the continent of India. I hope that my sojourn in 

 this inhospitable country, for the express purpose of mastering its language, and 



