472 ' Asiatic Society. [Aug. 



VII. — Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 

 Wednesday Evening, 2nd September, 1835. 



The Honorable Sir Edward Ryan, President, in the Chair. 



Mr. F. Corbyn, proposed at the last meeting-, was balluted for, and duly- 

 elected a Member of the Society. 



Messrs. H. Piddington, E. Dean, and C. Brownlo,w proposed at the 

 last meeting-, were upon the favorable Report of the Committee of Papers, 

 elected Associate Members. 



The Secretary brought up and read the following Draft of a Memorial 

 to the Honorable the Court of Directors, prepared by the Sub-Committee, 

 nominated at the Meeting of the 1st July last. 



" To the Honorable the Chairman and Court of Directors of the East India 



Company. 



The Memorial and Humble 



Petition of the Asiatic Society 



of Calcutta, 

 Sheweth, 



That the Asiatic Society, as your Honorable Court is aware, was insti- 

 tuted in the year 1784, for the purpose of "Enquiring into the History, 

 Civil and Natural, the Antiquities, Arts, Sciences, and Literature of Asia." 



That since its institution, its exertions have been continually directed 

 to the above objects ; that it has numbered amongst its members all the 

 most distinguished students of Oriental Literature ; and that it has suc- 

 ceeded in bringing to light many of the hidden stores of Asiatic learning, 

 and in drawing and keeping alive the attention of your Governments in 

 India, to the great importance and advantage of such researches. 



That it was soon discovered, however, that mere individual efforts, or 

 even the combined exertions of individuals, might, indeed, keep alive 

 the spirit of inquiry, but could do little to diffuse amongst the people 

 themselves, the knowledge of their ancient languages and literature, in 

 which the whole of the legal and religious institutions of Hindusthan 

 were embodied and pi-eserved, and which, at the date of the introduction 

 of British rule, were found in the exclusive possession of the priesthood, 

 guarded with jealous monopoly as a means of influence and emolument, 

 and doled out and interpreted to the uninitiated, as it suited their preju- 

 dices and interests. The public aid and encouragement of the existing 

 Government was wanting to supply the resources formerly derived from 

 the bounty of the native princes and nobles, which had shrunk in propor- 

 tion as the British dominion advanced ; and the necessity of it became at 

 length so urgent, as to force itself upon the notice of the local authorities. 

 Your Memorialists have only to refer to the recorded minute of the Right 

 Honorable Lord Minto, Governor General, dated 6th March, 1811, a copy 

 of which is annexed. 



That the British legislature, upon the occasion of the renewal of the 

 Charter Act of 1813, (53rd, George III. c. 55,) made an express provi- 

 sion, that " a sum of not less than one lakh of rupees, in each year, should 

 be set apart, and applied to the revival and improvement of literature and 

 the encouragement of the learned natives of India, and for the introduc- 

 tion and promotion of a knowledge of the sciences among the inhabitants 

 of the British territories in India." 



. That in pursuance of the above enactment, the Supreme Government, 

 accordingly, set apart the amount prescribed, which was appropriated, con- 

 jointly with sums previously granted by Government and other private 

 endowments, partly towards the support or enlargement of the Sanscrit 

 and Hindu Colleges of Calcutta and Benares ; the Muhammedan Col- 

 leges of Calcutta and Delhi, the establishment of English Schools in these 

 and other places; and partly towards the publication, as well of standard 

 works, in the Sanscrit and Arabic languages,, as of translations of English 



