Preface. . ix 



afterwards more completely commented upon by Colonel Bur- 

 ney, — wi il faut le dire a Thonneur des membres de la Society 

 Asiatique da Bengale,le zele qui lesanime pourTetude desanti- 

 quites de l 1 Inde est si soutenu et si heureusement seconde par la 

 plus belle position dans laquelle une reunion de savants ne soit 

 jamais trouvee, que les monuments et les textes quils mettent 

 chaquejour enlumieresesuccedentavecunerapiditeque la critique 

 peut a peine suivre." While they are taken up with an object 

 once published, we are republishing or revising or adding more 

 matured illustration to it. Some may call this system an in- 

 convenient waste of space and tax on readers, who are entitled 

 to have their repast served up in the most complete style at once, 

 and should not be tantalized with fresh yet immature morceaux 

 from month to month. We, however, think the plan adopted is 

 most suitable to an ephemeral journal, which collects materials 

 and builds up the best structure for immediate accommodation, 

 although it may be soon destined to be knocked down again and 

 replaced by a more polished and classical edifice : — diruit cedifi- 

 cat ; mutat quadrata rotundis, — may still be said of our jour- 

 nal, without imputing capricious motives to our habit of demoli- 

 tion. We build not fanciful theories, but rather collect good 

 stones for others to fashion, and unless we advertize them from 

 the first, with some hint of their applicability, how should archi- 

 tects be invited to inspect and convert them to the " benefit and 

 pleasure of mankind ?" — hitasukhdya manusdnam, — as the 

 stone pillars at Delhi and Allahabad quaintly express the object 

 of their erection. 



Connected with the subject of these remarks we would fain 

 in this place give insertion (and we will do so hereafter) to a 

 valuable series of criticisms on the matter of our last volume 

 contained in M. Jacquets correspondence. It is just what 

 we most desire. With the aid of an index, such additional 

 information and correction is as good as if incorporated with the 

 text, to the reader who in future days wishes to ferret out all 

 that has been done on a particular subject ; and we would have 

 all our contributors and readers bear in mind that our journal, 

 though it has long changed its title, does not pretend to have 

 changed its original character of being a mere collection of 

 " Gleanings." 



Calcutta, 1st January, 1838. 



