546 Third Memoir of Ancient Coins. [Sept. 



the subsequent analysis, we have ventured to point out the ideas that 

 have suggested themselves upon reviewing each particular species of 

 coin, not that they may be implicitly adopted, but under the hope, 

 that while liable to correction, they may conduce to promote inquiry 

 and elucidation, and this perhaps is all that can be done until our 

 knowledge is more matured*. 

 Kabul, December 31, 1835, 



Note. — After writing these observations, a copper coin of one of 

 the Arsakian princes apparently, has been picked up, in which the ob- 

 verse legend is in the exact corrupted characters of the Greek legend 

 of the Kadphises coin, the basileus and the first letters of basileon be- 

 ing distinct : while the reverse legend presents the characters we call 

 Bactrian, but not so clear from the coin being worn, as to allow their 

 transcription with any advantage. Of the characters there is no doubt. 



* Mr. Masson confesses in this memoir that he has been too ready on former 

 occasions to draw inferences which subsequent researches have either failed to 

 confirm or have overthrown. The more he avoids such speculations, the more 

 confidence will be placed iu bis results, because they will be freed from the 

 suspicion of any bias. We could not, however, have ventured to prune his essays 

 without danger of cutting off what was really valuable, or of robbing him per- 

 haps of some happy conjecture which might hereafter prove well founded. On 

 the same grounds we have formerly allowed names to stand on his list, (like Au~ 

 sios, &c.) which were evidently wrong, and which his further search has led 

 him to correct. His present elaborate memoir is hardly free from the same ob- 

 jection, for it is yet too early to generalize : nevertheless we do not like to keep 

 back a line of his introduction, replete as it is with valuable information. The 

 list of coins to which it is a prelude includes the whole of his former collection, 

 with the additional light thrown upon them by other essays published in the Jour- 

 nal. It would be an useless and expensive repetition to republish these drawings 

 at length, especially when we have not the coins themselves to engrave from. 



We trust, therefore, the author will excuse our limiting an insertion of figures 

 and descriptions to those that are new in name or in type. At the same time we 

 shall take the opportunity of adding a few coins from M. Court's excellent 

 drawings, as well as, with permission, some of Kera'mat Ali's second dispatch 

 (lately purchased by Dr. Swiney) which have not yet appeared : always keeping 

 in view the arrangement of our engraved plates for a general compilation on In- 

 dian Numismatology hereafter. Mr. Masson's coins have, we presume, long 

 since been despatched to the Hon. Court of Directors through Col. Pottjnger, 

 and we have little doubt that accurate engravings of the whole will there be made 

 by the new ruling machine. We must not omit to make public, that Col. Pot- 

 tinger most courteously offered to send them all for our inspection en route to 

 England, but we felt it unfair thus to detain them on their journey, while we had 

 Mr. Masson's ample investigation before us. — Ed. 



