1836.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 483 



VI. — Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 

 Wednesday Evening, 3rd August, 1836. 



The Honorable Sir Edward Ryan, President, in the chair. 



Mr. W. Spiers, proposed at the last meeting, was ballotted for, and 

 duly elected a Member of the Society. 



Mr. Conductor Dawe, of the Delhi Canal Establishment, proposed at 

 the last meeting, was, upon the favorable report of the Committee of 

 Papers, elected an associate member. 



Mekhara Meng, uncle of the present King of Ava, acknowledged his 

 election as an honorary member in a Bengali letter, of which the follow, 

 ing is a literal translation : — 



Mekhara Ra'ja to the learned Members of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, 



commands. 



I am informed of the contents of the letter from this learned body, and of 

 the honor they have done to me. But so difficult is the attainment of know- 

 ledge, that 1 can by no means hold myself worthy of such a distinction. The 

 progress of knowledge may be likened to the ascent of a lofty mountain, — he 

 that attains the sximmit will gain the first glimpse of the rising sun, then he in 

 the centre, while yet it is hidden from the crowd at the base. The sun is to 

 them a thing entirely imperceptible. Afterwards, when the solar orb declines, it 

 still remains visible and palpable to him who has surmounted the hill, while the 

 others have a partial and fading remembrance of its glory. Thus ate there 

 gradations in the acquirement and appreciation of learning, and there is no limit 

 to its increase, nor can any thing compare with its excellence. 



The enjoyments of worldly life are finite, and afford little variety — riches bring 

 satiety ; but there is no satiety in knowledge. Every day brings novel food to 

 the mind, and only whets the appetite for more. I do not then think myself 

 learned, but it is a law of nature that the bulk of each species should remain on 

 an equality, whether man, beast, reptile, tree, or land itself — and hold social 

 commune with its fellows. 



My name has been inserted in the list of the learned men — I am glad to hear 

 it, for the mind that cannot traverse alone the field of knowledge ; in company 

 of judicious guides, may derive instruction and advantage at every step. I shall 

 know what I have not known — hear what I have not heard. All my doubts may 

 be explained, my conjectures certified : — therefore am I filled with joy, for 1 

 would have my ignorance enlightened. 



Should the Society wish to know any thing relative to the Burmese literature 

 of my country, I will do my utmost to supply every information. 



As the learned members are acquainted with various languages, 1 have caused 

 this letter to be written in the Pali language* and in the Bengali character. 



The Secretary read the following reply from Government to the appli- 

 cation made, in conformity with the resolution of the last meeting, on the 

 subject of the publication of the Cochin Chinese Dictionary. 



To James Prinsep, Esq. 

 Genl. Dept. Secretary to the Asiatic Society. 



Sir, 



.1 am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 11th in- 

 stant, and in reply to state that the Right Honorable the Governor General of 

 India in Council will be prepared to sanction an expense of 5,500 rupees to be 

 incurred in printing a Cochin Cninese Dictionary by Lithography in the manner 



* The letter contains an admixture of Pali words, but the substance is in Bengali, 

 and is evidently a very imperfect rendering of the author's expressions by a Bengali 

 writer. 



3 L 



