756 Asiatic Society. {^No. 117. 



classification of many of the superb collections belonging to the Society. His patience 

 and energy have led to the recovery of many specimens supposed to have been lost, 

 and to the restoration of more than one collection, such as Dr. Gerard's, from the 

 Himalaya, unique in rarity and value. 



7. The Hon, the President does not doubt but that your ability and scientific know- 

 ledge will be steadily directed towards carrying out the general objects of the Society, 

 but being specially interested, as in possession of the wishes of that body, upon the im- 

 portant question above noted, and being led to believe moreover that a different branch 

 of science is that to which you are from habit and inclination most ready to devote your 

 principal attention, he has directed me to request that you will oblige him by stating 

 how far you consider yourself qualified to undertake the main duties of the Curatorship, 

 (as stated in the accompanying paper,) including the charge, conduct, and advance- 

 ment of the formation of the Museum of Economic Geology. 



8. I am desired to observe, that the Society of which you are Curator, has always in 

 view the interests, in the first instance, of India, as respects the elucidation of her 

 natural phoenomena, the development of her resources, and the advancement of know- 

 ledge in all branches of science whereby this country may be benefited. The Society 

 works therefore for itself, and not subordinately to any other body whatsoever. The 

 first fruits of all labour by its Members, or its Office-bearers are due to it ; the subse- 

 quent results are of course available for general uses. 



9. I am directed to request that you will favor the Hon. the President with a reply 



at your early convenience, and have the honor to be, 



Your obedient servant, 



H. TORRENS, 



Secretary, Asiatic Society of Bengal. 



To THE Secretary of the Asiatic Society. 



Sir, — I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your communication, detailing the objects 

 which it is the desire of the Asiatic Society should more prominently engage my at- 

 tention, in endeavouring to fulfil the duties of Curator to their Museum ; and I fully 

 trust that, with the great facilities afforded me in maturing what acquaintance I alrea- 

 dy possess relative to the multitudinous and highly diversified objects of investigation 

 committed to my charge, I shall, in reasonable time, be able to afford entire satisfaction 

 to the Society, by carrying out their wishes in every department, which falls within the 

 scope of my duties to investigate. 



When, however, it is remembered that these duties comprise various departments 

 of the general subject of Natural History, to which in Europe the principle of division 

 of labour is applied, and that it is rare to find an individual minutely conversant with 

 the details of two or more of these departments, to the extent which I consider neces- 

 sary to enable me to discharge efficiently what is generally expected from an indi- 

 vidual filling the office of Curator to a Museum, I think I may crave some indulgence 

 on the part of the Society, if I do not, at the very first, prove alike proficient in every 

 one of these several departments, confidently appealing to the experience of any prac- 

 tical naturalist, for an acknowledgment of the reasonableness of the plea which I 

 have here ventured to offer. 



It is in the Mineral Department, unfortunately, that I am at present less qualified, 

 by previous study, to devote my immediate and first labours advantageously for the 



