746 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aug. 



pose that all our schoolboys should receive the rudiments of knowledge from the 

 unadulterated sources of the Celtic or the Norse. 



As to the aid derivable from Sanskrita in the versions of technical terms there is 

 much more unanimity among all parties than they are themselves aware of. Our 

 friend Ram Comul, if called on to translate the "membrane" of "Jacob" or 

 the " Eustachian" " tube," would leave the proper names as they stand and adopt 

 the equivalent term to be found in every language for the thing denoted. If speak- 

 ing of " Oxygen 11 which was baptized before its properties were investigated, and 

 the meaning of the name of which is now known to give an erroneous notion of its 

 nature, in such a case instead of multiplying error by translating the name I pre- 

 sume Ram Comul Sen would transfer the word as a conventional term. Look at 

 " Narcotine" so called because its discoverer fancied it was the narcotine principle 

 of opium. "We now find that it possesses no such properties, but is a powerful 

 febrifuge, like' quinine ; what will Ram Comul Sen propose in such a case ?— of 

 course not to translate the name but to transfer it as it stands. 



The illustrations of whatever work may be decided on may be obtained very cheap, 

 ly and quickly by application to Professor Quain, Mr. Paxton or Dr. Smith. 

 These gentlemen of course preserve the blocks, and I am convinced will gladly permit 

 the required copies of the plates to be struck therefrom, for publication in the 

 oriental languages, on being requested to do so by this Society. 



W. B. O'Shaughnessy. 

 30th August, 1838. 



Minute by G. Evans, Esq. 



The very limited acquaintance with the languages and literature of India which I 

 possess, renders it a matter of some difficulty for me to offer an opinion upon a 

 question on which I am far from being qualified to decide, and regarding which there 

 also appears to be some diversity of sentiment. 



The advancement and diffusion of medical and other European knowledge amongst 

 all grades and conditions of the natives of India, are unquestionably objects of para- 

 mount importance, such indeed as merit the serious consideration of every enlighten- 

 ed and well disposed mind : it becomes therefore a matter of great moment to deter- 

 mine on the means best calculated to ensure their most extensive and permanent suc- 

 cess, not only in medicine, but in every branch of scieuce, and it is to these consi- 

 derations that our endeavours, unbiassed by favorite pursuits, should be mainly 

 directed. 



Sanskrit is the fundamental, and one of the classic languages of the east, and as 

 such its study should be scrupulously upheld and warmly advocated by all who take 

 an interest in the affairs and polity of the vast empire over which we rule and preside. 



The question the Committee is called on to express its unqualified sentiments 

 upon, is whether the medical work, selected for publication in one of the native 

 languages, should be translated into the Sanskrit, or into the vernacular tongue. 

 The arguments advanced against the latter by Dewan Ram Comul Sen, coming as 

 they do from a learned Sanskrit scholar, demand every consideration ; many of his 

 objections do not admit of denial, but I think they ought at the same time to be 

 received with certain limitations. The fittest medium for the diffusion of medical 

 instruction, in my humble opinion, appears to be the Urdu, a language compound- 

 ed of Sanskrit, Bengali, Persian, Arabic, Hindi and into which English itself has 

 now been introduced, — printed in this language, the instruction intended to be con- 

 veyed, would at once become accessible to all classes of natives, which I opine is 

 the grand object in view, whereas, if alone confined to the Sanskrit, the work would 

 be useful only to Sanskrit scholars and the knowledge that it must impart, would in 

 reality be merely a monopoly in the hands of a few pandits to the total exclusion of 

 the less learned though not less indifferent inquirers after knowledge. With this 

 impression I would therefore suggest the propriety of selecting in the first instance, 

 the Urdu, and as time, talent and money have already been spent on a translation 

 into Sanskrit, and there is a further provision in the liberal gift of Mr. Muir, for 

 the specific purpose of publication in the Sanskrit, I would further recommend that 

 the original desigu be implicitly acted up to by having a translation also into that 

 language. 



August sist. Geo. Evans. 



[Dr. Egerton had not recorded his opinion.] 



The President explained to those of the numerous members, who' had not 

 attended at the last meeting how the question had come to be referred back to the 

 Committee. Their present minutes unanimously confirmed their first report recom- 

 uending the publication, and it appeared only necessary to put it to the Socie*" 

 \heiher the report should be adopted and carried into effect, or otherwise. 



