434 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [July, 



proposed by the author ; but his Lordship would prefer much, that in order to 

 make the work accessible to seafaring persons and traders as well as to the 

 learned, the explanation should be given in English as well as in Latin, and 

 that a Vocabulary rendering the common English words into Cochin Chinese 

 should be added to the volume. 



2. His Lordship would hope that by compressing the writing in the page 

 which is rather wide in the specimens transmitted, these additions could be 

 brought nearly within the same compass so as to occasion very little additional 

 expense. 



3. The specimen which accompanied your letter is herewith returned. 



I am, &c. 



H. T. PRINSEP, 

 Council Chamber, the 20th July, 1836. Secy, to Govt. 



In consequence of the above suggestions, the Secretary had, in consul- 

 tation with the author, returned the following reply : — 



To H. T. Prinsep, Esq. 



Secretary to the Government of India, Genl. De.pt. 

 Sir, 



I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, dated the 20th 

 July last, communicating the acquiescence of the Right Honorable the Go- 

 vernor General of India in Council to the proposition submitted by myself, on 

 the part of the Asiatic Society, and of the most Rev. the Bishop of Isauropolis, 

 for the publication of a Cochin Chinese Dictionary in lithography at an 

 expense not exceeding 5,500 rupees. 



I have accordingly placed myself in communication with the author, with a 

 view to arrange the preliminaries without loss of time, as well as to provide for 

 the modifications recommended by his Lordship in Council. 



The Bishop is of opinion that the addition of a column of English meanings 

 to the Dictionary in its present form would involve a very serious increase of 

 labour in passing it through the press ; it would also augment the bulk of the 

 work very considerably ; while a very large portion of the words and explana- 

 tions connected with literary and abstract terms would be of no utility whatever 

 to the commercial class or to seafaring persons. 



The object contemplated by his Lordship in Council may, he thinks, be sup- 

 plied with more facility by the addition of a Supplementary Vocabulary con- 

 taining all the most common words, which might also be published in a 

 detached form for the use of mariners and traders. 



This Vocabulary the author undertakes to draw up in the English, French, and 

 Anamitan tongues, during the progress of the publication ; and precaution has 

 been taken to include this additional matter in the estimates which have been 

 called for. 



His Lordship's remarks on the appearance of the lithographed specimen, and 

 the obvious advantage, if possible, of securing to a standard work of this nature 

 the advantages and neatness of typography, induced me to communicate again 

 with the Proprietors of the Serampore Press, before any final arrangements 

 should be made. 



The Bishop on his own part handsomely consented to relinquish 500 rupees 

 out of the 4,000 rupees of personal remuneration for which he had at first 

 stipulated. I was thus enabled to offer a clear sum of 2,000 rupees to Rev. Dr. 

 Maeshman for the execution of 500 copies of a quarto volume, containing nearly 

 500 pages, with the native words in the Cochin-Chinese character. This offer, 

 although much below the usual Calcutta printing rates for ordinary works, has 

 been in the most liberal manner accepted by the Rev. Dr. and Mr. J. Marshman. 

 I now therefore only wait for the final sanction of Government to place the 

 MSS. &c. in their hands. 



I am, &c. 

 (Signed) JAMES PRINSEP, 



Calcutta, 1st August, 1836. Secy. 



