260 Lassen on the History traced [No, 99 



Dr. Grotefend, from whom we have since received an excel- 

 lent essay on the decyphering of the Celtiberic alphabet, had 

 proved already, by his work on the unknown writing of the 

 Bactrian coins,* that he possessed the zeal and talent to 

 aspire after the fame his worthy father had acquired in the art 

 of decyphering; — his work having been independent of that of 

 Mr. Prinsep, is a direct recommendation of their labours, as 

 both have obtained almost similar results. I shall shortly men- 

 tion, what still may be amended in them. 



It is then the design of the following work, to rectify and 

 enlarge the decyphering of the alphabet ; to define the language 

 of the native words imprinted on the coins ; and to illustrate the 

 relics of the written history of the Bactro-Indian kingdoms, ac- 

 cording to a paleographic and philological view. 



The author being no numismatist, does not conceal to himself, 

 that he cannot depend upon his own judgment in numismatic 

 investigations. However, for this part of the explanation of the 

 Bactrian coins, he was so much prepared by the preceding works, 

 that he was, while at work, but seldom sensible of the insuffici- 

 ency of his knowledge in this respect. Should he sometimes 

 have ventured to recede from the inferences of the numismatists, 

 they will, he hopes, excuse him for this little deviation from 

 their authority if, on the other hand, he may succeed in com- 

 pleting in some instances their inferences by his investigations ; 

 for perhaps few of them will be familiar with those authorities by 

 means of which he proposes attempting to advance the whole 

 subject a step further. 



As the Bactrian empire was placed in the centre of communi- 

 cation, crossing from west and east, from north and south, the 

 modes of research for interpretation of its documents and res- 

 toration of its history, must unite from various parts, in order 

 to complete the investigation. The Grecian, the old Persian, 

 the old Indian, and the Chinese philologies meeting here, in 

 close contact, must mutually supply their respective deficien- 

 cies. 



I shall now more distinctly define the subject of my work. 



* Blaetter zur Muenzkunde (leaves on Numismatics) 1836. No. 26. 



