viii Preface. 



Professor CTShaughnessy has drawn off to their own valuable 

 publication, the subjects of chemical and physical interest to 

 which we should otherwise have felt ourselves blameable in not 

 offering a conspicuous place. While far different occupations 

 have prevented our passing in review the very promising disco- 

 veries in this novel and enticing science, to which their public 

 exhibition has now familiarized the society of Calcutta, the 

 sight of models of magnetic motors and explosive engines worked 

 by gas and spark, both generated by galvanism alone, leads us 

 to suggest that mechanics and the arts should have been includ- 

 ed among the proper objects of our projected national museum. 

 An Adelaide gallery would do more to improve the native mind 

 for invention than all the English printed works we would 

 place before them. 



But we are as usual wandering from the legitimate objects of 

 a preface. Our own attention has been principally taken up this 

 last year with Inscriptions. Without the knowledge necessary 

 to read and criticise them thoroughly, we have nevertheless 

 made a fortunate acquisition in palaeography which has served as 

 the key to a large series of ancient writings hitherto concealed 

 from our knowledge. We cannot consent to quit the pursuit 

 until we shall have satiated our curiosity by a scrutiny of all 

 these records — records as Dr. Mill says, " which are all but 

 certainly established to belong to and to illustrate a most clas- 

 sical and important part of the history of this country." In 

 our hasty and undigested mode of publication, we are doubtless 

 open to continual corrections and change of views : as a talented 

 and amusing satire on our present predilection for old stones 

 and old coins, in the Meerut Magazine describes it, — i if not 

 satisfied with one account our readers have only to wait for the 

 next journal to find it discarded and another adopted, as in the 

 case of the Bactro-pehlevi alphabet.' 



The learned M. E. Burnouf in a most interesting article in- 

 serted in the J ournal des Savans for June,* says, alluding to the 

 Burmese inscription at Gaya published first in the journal, and 



* On the grand work of the Chinese Buddhist traveller Foe Koue Kr, 

 lately published at the expense of the French Government, through the 

 labour of three successive editors MM. Remusat, Klaproth and Land- 

 besse. Alas ! when shall we in India have an opportunity of seeing thes« 

 works at any tolerable period after their publication? — Ed. 



