1835.] Asiatic Society. 353 



into which, in the judgment of the Society, the Government had fallen. He was 

 satisfied, that the very object which the Government had in view, and in 

 which he (Mr. Turton) most cordially concurred — introduction of the English 

 language, literature, and sciences — would be greatly defeated, or at least re- 

 tarded, by creating an impression, which the withdrawal of these funds 

 would create, that they wished to discourage, — at least, were indifferent to, 

 the literature of the East, and the ancient languages of the country. He wished 

 to see the two objects united, and was satisfied, that English literature would be 

 more readily introduced, by going hand in hand with that to which learned natives 

 were naturally more attached. The latter was peculiarly within the province of 

 the Society to protect and guard. We had assumed a trust which we must not 

 betray, and when we saw the interests of that literature of which we were the 

 voluntary guardians injuriously affected, and, as we thought, injudiciously attack- 

 ed, it was our duty not to slumber at the post which we had taken upon ourselves 

 to watch and to defend. 



Mr. Prinsep agreed in much that had fallen from his friend who had just 

 6poken ; but Mr. Turton, not having been present at the last meeting, had mista- 

 ken the views of the Society : they had never insisted on an exclusive application 

 of the Parliamentary vote to Oriental literature. But it was impossible to 

 construe the words " revival of literature" otherwise than as intended to em- 

 brace Oriental literature — the only literature that could be revived. There was 

 another clause perhaps more important still, providing for English science ; the 

 Society's business was only with the first. The withdrawing of the minute fraction 

 of the fund devoted to this object, which he must attribute to the Education 

 Committee, was an insult to the natives of. India. The laws of the country, as 

 well as its theology and history, were in those languages, and in those books 

 which it was now attempted to suppress. It was not unlikely that the natives 

 might be stimulated by this proceeding to do themselves what it was our duty as 

 their guardians to do for them ; but the reputation of the British Government 

 would suffer. Civilization and general information would never be spread 

 through this vast country by English education. Did ever a Government succeed 

 in so wild a project as to change the language of the country ? Russia has set 

 us a very different example : she is making rapid strides in civilization by trans- 

 lations into her own language. There was indeed one notable instance in the 

 attempt of Christophe, the late Emperor of Haiti, to extinguish the French 

 idiom, and introduce English in its place — and his mad experiment and himself 

 had fallen together. The literature of the West must be transferred into the na- 

 tive languages, and the first step towards this must be the cultivation and im- 

 provement of those languages themselves. He believed Mr. Turton's opinions 

 were in accordance with his own ; but he wished to go further than the proposition 

 before them, and should therefore follow it up with a motion for a Memorial 

 to the Authorities at Home. 

 Mr. Turton explained. 



Mr. Colvin was grateful for Mr. Turton's clear exposition of the point of 

 law, but did not see the object of the present discussion. The question before 

 them regarded an address to the Royal Asiatic Society, which had his cordial sup- 

 port. But Mr. Prinsep's attack in a censorial tone and language not over measured, 

 had been directed against another body, which had no representatives or defenders 

 in this place. The question to which he had referred was one of the highest iiu- 



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