454 Ancient Sculpture and Inscriptions [Junk, 



that a search among the fallen columns would detect many inscrip- 

 tions besides those which my hurried visit allowed of my perceiving. 



" There is a striking difference, which I should mention, in the 

 execution of the inscriptions and of the sculpture with which the 

 gateways are covered. The sculpture has all been designed and 

 wrought with the greatest regularity and with uniform divisions into 

 compartments ; but the inscriptions are coarsely cut, and are found 

 scattered without reference to the general design upon any stone that 

 the workman's fancy seems to have led him to. So marked indeed 

 is the inferiority of style in the inscriptions, that it is difficult to 

 believe that they are the work of the same hands which produced the 

 sculpture ; and from their situation it is clear that they never formed 

 part of the design of the gates or colonnade on which they are 

 found. They have, on the contrary, more the appearance of being 

 the rude additions of a period later in date than the erection of the 

 building, and of one degenerated in taste and execution. Such are 

 the appearances, but they may still be deceptive, for the inscriptions 

 of the Allahabad column are by no means of the careful cutting that 

 might be expected on a pillar so regularly tapered and nicely polished. 

 The preceding remarks regarding the execution of the Sanchi in- 

 scriptions admit, however, of an exception, in that of the more perfect 

 inscription No. 1 ; but though in this instance the cutting is clear 

 and well arranged, the inscription itself still seems an irregular 

 addition to the sculpture of the gate. 



List of the Inscriptions. 

 " No. 1. Inscription from the front of the eastern gate. One copy on cloth 

 two on paper. 



At first this inscription appeared to me to be the same with that published in 

 the 34th No. of the Journal of the Society, but I soon perceived that it was 

 either altogether a different one, or that the engraved inscription had been 

 copied from an incorrect impression. 



No. 2. Inscription from the side of the eastern gate. One copy on cloth ; 

 two on paper. 



No. 3. A line introduced on the border between two of the compartments of 

 sculpture on the eastern gate. 



Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 

 23, 24, 25, are from different parts of the colonnade, on which they are dis- 

 posed without any regularity. They go to no greater length than a line or 

 two ; some are only of a few letters, Ed. Smith." 



Taking the facsimiles in the order in which they are numbered by 

 Captain Smith himself, I will first describe the principal inscription, 

 which I have carefully lithographed in Plate XXV. It records a 

 money contribution and a grant of land by an agent of the ruling 



