1836.] Asiatic Society. 245 



X. — Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 

 Wednesday Evening, the 4>th May, 1836. 



The Hon'ble Sir Edward Ryan, President, in the Chair. 



In reference to the resolution of the last meeting, the President stated, 

 that he had addressed the following letter to the Governor General, 

 whose acceptance of the office of Patron he had now the pleasure to 

 announce. 



Asiatic Society's Apartments, May 2nd, 1836. 

 My Lord, 



I have the honor to inform you, that at a Meeting of the Asiatic Society, held 

 on the 6th April last, it was resolved " that the Right Honorable Lord Auckland 

 should be respectfully solicited to accept the office of Patron ;" and it was further 

 determined, " that the President of the Society should be requested to communicate 

 their wish to his Lordship, and to ascertain his pleasure on the subject." 



As President of the Society, I have the honor to communicate their wishes, and 

 respectfully to request you will inform me whether it is your Lordship's pleasure 

 to accept this Office. 



I am, My Lord, 



Your Lordship's most obedient servant, 



E. Ryan. 

 The Right Hon'ble Lord Auckland. 



Government House, May 3rd, 1836. 

 Sir, 



I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, and to assure you, that I 

 gratefully accept the honorable title of Patron of the Asiatic Society, and shall 

 be glad if, at any time, I should find it in my power to promote the objects of 

 so excellent and so interesting an Institution. 



I am, 

 Most faithfully, &c. your's, 

 Hon'ble Sir Edward Ryan, Auckland. 



&c. &c. &c. 



Lieut.-Col. Catjlfield, proposed at the last Meeting, was ballotted for, 

 and unanimously elected a Member. 



Mr. R. W. G. Frith was proposed as a member of the Society by Mr. 

 James Prinsep, seconded by Mr. W. Martin. 



Mr. William Bruce, proposed by Mr. Pearson, seconded by Babu 

 Ram Comul Sen. 



Mr. James Prinsep proposed Dr. Lumqua, as an Honorary Member on 

 the occasion of his return to China, seconded by Dr. Corbyn. 



Read a letter from J. C. Morris, Esq., Secretary Madras Literary 

 Society, acknowledging the receipt of the Index, and the Oriental Works 

 lately transmitted. 



The Secretary submitted to the Meeting the Proceedings of the Com- 

 mittee of Papers and Museum Committee, relative to the system of paid 

 Curatorship, of which the experimental year sanctioned on the 6th May, 

 1835, had just expired. 



[These proceedings are given at length below.] 



The President reminded the Meeting of the alternatives suggested by the 

 Report of the Committee : Members were to determine whether a paid Curator 

 should still be maintained, under the certainty of the income of the ensuing year 

 not being sufficient to cover even the ordinary expences, including the volume 

 now in the press ; — whether donations could be reckoned upon ; — or whether 

 the vested capital should be touched. Babu Ram Comul Sen had proposed, that 

 the latter should be devoted to the publication of the Researches, an applica- 

 tion which migbt accord with the original intention of the donors. There was 

 still an alternative— would any zealous Member undertake to look after the 

 Museum gratuitously ? All other offices iu the Society were gratuitous ; the 

 Secretary, the Treasurer, although their labours were very heavy, even the 

 Librarian, Dr. Buklini, received no pay. If none offered to lend their aid, it 



