1864.] 



Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 



211 



ADDRESS, 



" To His Excellency the Eight Hok'ele Sir 



John Laird Mair Lawrence, Bart., a. c. b., k. s. i., 



Her Majesty's Viceroy and Governor- General of India. 



" On the part of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, we, its President 

 and Members, respectfully solicit that your Excellency will be pleased 

 to accept the office of patron of the Society. 



" Founded in 1784, by Sir William Jones, the Asiatic Society has, 

 for 80 years, devoted its labours to the advancement of Asiatic 

 science, whether that science be the record of the works of man, 

 or the investigation of the phenomena and laws of nature. The 

 history, literature and philosophy of India, the laws and customs of 

 its people, the architecture of its ancient cities, and the languages 

 and dialects of its numerous races of past and present time, have 

 been, largely recorded and elucidated by the labours of the many 

 eminent men whom the Society has been proud to enroll as its 

 members. On the other hand, the geography and physical structure 

 of India and Southern Asia, the Fauna and Flora of this and 

 neighbouring countries, their climatai phenomena and the physical 

 laws of nature, to a knowledge of which modern civilization is so 

 largely indebted, have equally been objects of the studious researches 

 of the Society, and the numerous volumes of its publications, and 

 the large and valuable collections in its museum, amply testify to 

 the zeal and skill with which these objects have been pursued. 



" Furthermore in all questions bearing on the material progress of 

 this country, the Asiatic Society has ever taken an active interest, 

 and much valuable information on the mineral resources of India, 

 on the geography and people of the frontiers, on the practicability 

 of new trade routes, and similar matters directly affecting the wealth 

 or intelligence of the country, has been amassed and recorded in the 

 researches and journals of the Society. 



"To the co-operation of the Indian Government and the enlightened 

 appreciation and sympathy of your Excellency's predecessors, the 

 Governors-General and Viceroys of India, the Society has been in no 

 small degree indebted for that measure of success which has attended 

 its labours. The establishment of the geodesical, geological and 



M 



