398 Proceedings of the Asiatic SocieliJ. [Ma1t, 



purchase of Sanskrit MSS. on account of the French Government, and re- 

 questing the Calcutta Society to undertake the commission. 



The following letter from Capt. Harkness, Sec. Roy. As. Soc. of London 

 was read. 



Royal Asiatic Society's House, 14, Grafton Street, Bond Street, 



London, 24th January, 1837. 

 Sir, 



I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th of June 

 last, enclosing a bill on Messrs. Morris and Co. for <£ J 31 10s. the amount of 

 your Society's subscription to the Oriental Translation Fund up to the year 1835, 

 inclusive. 



With reference to the last paragraph of your letter, I am requested to say that, 

 as a body, the Oriental Translation Committee is precluded from taking any por- 

 tion of the Oriental works (texts) you are now publishing ; as it could not, 

 consistently, with the objects of its institution, present them to its subscribers. 

 Several of the Members, however, have expressed their intention of becoming, 

 individually, subscribers to each edition, as completed ; and I hope, also, to 

 obtain a few subscribers from among the Members of the Royal Asiatic Society. 

 In the meanwhile I trust that the powerful advocacy which the cause received in 

 this country has been, long ere this, productive of much benefit. It was support- 

 ed by the united influence and exertions of the Royal Asiatic Society, and the 

 Oriental Translation Committee ; and the result was confidently understood to be, 

 that the Bengal Government was to be instructed, at least, to defray all the ex- 

 pense attending the publishing of the works which it had commenced to print, 

 but which it had transferred to your Society to complete. 



I have the honor to be, Sir, 



Your most obedient humble servant. 

 Oriental Translation Committee. H. Harkness, Secretary. 



The Secretary observed, that 



Captain Harkness' letter was the first official notice the Society had 

 received from London of the fate of their memorial, regarding Oriental publica- 

 tions, sent home through the Government here, and in duplicate through the 

 Royal Asiatic Society, in 1835. It appeared that, from motives of delicacy, the 

 Council of the Royal Asiatic Society thought it right not to publish what had 

 been done in the Annual Review of its proceedings, while the subject was still 

 under consideration ; but that the favorable result of the application to the Court 

 of Directors being now generally known, they ventured to announce the success 

 of their intercession. He thought, therefore, that it behoved the Society to notice 

 the information they had long since possessed through the private correspondence 

 of their English agent. 



The deputation appointed by the Royal Asiatic Society to wait upon the Chair- 

 man, and Deputy Chairman, and upon the President of the Board of Control, 

 consisted of the Right Honorable C. W. W. Wynn, President, Sir Gore Ouse- 

 ley, Sir A. Johnston, Sir G. Staunton, Vice-Presidents, and Professor 

 Wilson. Mr. Wynn opened the interview in both instances, and stated the 

 case very clearly and sensibly, going into the general question — the impolicy of 

 setting aside the native literature and institutions, and dwelling particularly on 

 the assistance sought for the abandoned Oriental publications. Professor Wil- 

 son also delivered a long address (the substance of which was published in the 

 form of two essays in the London Asiatic Journal). Sir Gore Ouseley, and 

 Sir A. Johnston, followed ; and the high authorities replied in set speeches, ex- 

 pressing a disposition to favor the application without any pledge to the line 

 tnat the Court or the Board would pursue. The Court's reply was understood 

 to be delayed through the lamented death of Mr. Mill, the historian of British 

 India who had been empowered to draw it up. 



This then was the moment for the Society, to shew its gratitude to the distin- 

 guished individuals whose iufluence and talents had been so warmly exerted in 

 supporting their memorial. Professor Wilson and Sir Gore Ouseley, were 

 already on the list of their Members; to them nothing more than their warmest 



