238 Asiatic Society. [April, 



far outdone by the destruction of the Alexandrine library itself ! But it could 

 not be supposed, that the Government of a great country could mean to with- 

 draw its support and patronage altogether from the indigenous literature of 

 India, however it might have determined to separate this object fromtbe business 

 of the Committee of Public Instruction, and to confine the efforts and the funds of 

 the latter to the support and superintendence of schools and purely normal educa- 

 tion. It only required a public body, independent of such functions, and offering 

 a guarantee of competency for the task, to step forward and solicit to be entrusted 

 by the Government with this momentous object. None could so properly proffer 

 its services as the Asiatic Society, supported by all the eminent Orientalists of the 

 country : he had already the assurance of many both in Calcutta and in the interior, 

 that tbey would cordially join. He would then move the following resolutions : 



" 1st. That a Committee be formed in the Asiatic Society, to be called the " Ori- 

 ental Publication Committee," consisting of the President, Vice-Presidents, and 

 Secretaries as ex-officio members, and of such members as may express a desire to 

 join it ; as well as of all distinguished Oriental scholars, or patrons of Oriental 

 literature, Europeans or natives, resident in India, who not being members of the 

 Asiatic Society may be desirous of joining in the objects of the Committee. 



2nd. That the Governor General be requested to accept the office of Patron. 



3rd. That no monthly contribution shall be expected from ordinary or from 

 associated members, but that subscriptions for specific objects may be occasion- 

 ally invited, as may be determined on in committee. 



4th. That the principal object of the Association is the completion of the 

 publication of those Oriental works which have been hitherto printed under the 

 auspices of the Committee of Public Instruction ; but which, by a late resolution 

 of Government, have been suspended, in order that the funds devoted thereto, 

 might be wholly appropriated for purposes of Education by means of the English 

 language. 



5th. That the Asiatic Society do present an humble but urgent Memorial to the 

 Government of India, or if necessary, to the Court of Directors, setting forth the great 

 national importance of continuing the publication of the series of Oriental classical 

 literature it had commenced ; the high value set upon this undertaking by all 

 the learned of Europe ; the difficulty of re-organizing the same establishment, or 

 one equally well trained for conducting through the Press any Sanscrit or Arabic 

 works, if the Pandits, Maulavis, and compositors now employed be discharged 

 and dispersed ; — and soliciting, therefore, that the Government will still continue 

 its patronage to these Oriental works, granting as a separate boon a sum of 

 money equivalent to what has hitherto been expended, or such sum as may be 

 sufficient for the object, and placing its expenditure under the Asiatic Society, or 

 the Oriental Committee, with such means of audit or control as may seem 

 advisable, to prevent misappropriation. 



6th. That the Society will engage to devote its attention gratuitously to the 

 careful and creditable execution of the important charge entrusted to it. 



7th. That it will bring to the notice of Government other works which are 

 worthy of being printed, and use its utmost exertion to secure the careful colla- 

 tion of manuscripts and correction of the press. 



8th. That it requests of Government the same advantages as the Committee of 

 Education has hitherto enjoyed for this purpose, in the use of the Pandits and 

 Maulavis of the PiCtsala and Madrassd. 



9th. That the Oriental Translation Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of 

 Great Britain be invited to unite with the Committee, as far as they have a com- 

 mon object in view, namely, that of placing in a permanent form the ancient 

 classical literature of the country — by the printing of standard editions, with 

 or without translations in the English or Latin language. That to that end the 

 Oriental Fund Branch Committee of Calcutta might properly merge into the 

 new Association." 



The Secretary concluded by reading a letter from Mr. Hodgson, Resident in 

 Nipal, whose experience of the natives, and acquaintance with Bauddha and Brah- 

 minical literature, entitled his opinions to the utmost respect. [We may perhaps 

 find room hereafter for the insertion of this letter at length.] 



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