352 Proceedings of the [June, 



The Secretary said, there was another reason for doing so, in the assistance 

 they might hope to obtain from the London Society, in promoting subscriptions 

 for copies of the works ; and perhaps also in direct aid of their funds from the 

 Oriental Translation Branch of that Society, which must be interested in the same 

 object. He therefore seconded the resolution. 



Mr. Turton wished,before the resolution was put, to say a few words, explanatory 

 of the grounds on which he supported it, differing as he did in some degree on one 

 point, appearing in the correspondence which had taken place, from those whose 

 •views in general he fully adopted, and was most anxious to promote. But think- 

 ing the object which they had in view one of the utmost importance, he was 

 desirous that it should not be put upon any assumption of right which could not 

 be maintained, especially when it was to be urged to the home authorities. He 

 alluded to the opinions expressed by some of his friends, that the Government 

 were bound by the act of Parliament to appropriate a certain proportion of the 

 funds devoted to literary purposes to the cultivation of native literature, and the 

 native languages, and had no right to withdraw the sums hitherto appropriated 

 through the Education Committee to that purpose. It appeared to him, that this 

 was a misconception, and he should be sorry to see a right set up which could not 

 be maintained ; whilst, on the other hand, he would not ask as a favor that which 

 was founded on right. He held in his hands the words of the clause in the Act of 

 Parliament upon which this question depended, the Act 53 Geo. III. c. 155, s. 43, 

 and with the leave of the Society he would read it. 



After reading the clause Mr. Turton continued, 



That, setting aside the question, whether Government were bound to appropriate 

 any funds to this purpose at present, it being extremely doubtful whether there 

 was the surplus out of which the fund were to be provided ; it appeared to him 

 that the fair construction of the clause which he had read, was to leave the whole 

 discretion of the application of the fund to the local Government. The legislature 

 pointed out the objects of encouragement. In his judgment, it evidently con- 

 templated both Oriental and European literature : but the extent, the time, and 

 the manner in which the one or the other, or both, should receive such encourage- 

 ment, was, in his opinion, left to the local Government to determine ; and if they 

 thought fit to withdraw from the Society the funds which they had hitherto 

 appropriated to Oriental learning, and to appropriate it to the cultiva- 

 tion of English literature and sciences, which had hitherto been wholly 

 neglected, the Society, in his judgment, had no right to stand up for. He 

 was also of opinion, with regard to the exercise of its patronage, that the 

 Government were correct. The Education Committee doubtless was the pro- 

 per channel for the distribution of their funds, entertaining the views which 

 the Government now had. This was a private Society, over which they could 

 exercise no controul ; whilst the Education Committee were entirely subject 

 to the directions of Government. But at the same time he thought the Society 

 deserving of some consideration, more than at present the Government seemed 

 disposed to accord. 



They were embodied many years before the attention of Government was 

 directed by the legislature to these important objects, and they had steadily pur- 

 sued their purpose, and expended considerable sums, raised by mere private con- 

 tribution, on Asiatic Literature and subjects connected with it. It was peculiarly 

 ■within the province of the Society to represent to the home authorities the error, 



