570 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society, [June, 



the appointment I filled for several years in Calcutta of Junior Member and Secre- 

 tary of the Committee of Public Instruction, the devotion I still feel to the service 

 of the Company, and the deep interest with which I must ever regard all that affects 

 the happiness and welfare of the people of India, and the credit and prosperity of 

 their rulers. 



3. By an order of the Bengal Government dated the 7th March 1835, different 

 works in Arabic aud Sanskrit, some original and some translations from English, 

 which were in course of publication by the Committee of Public Instruction, under 

 the previously obtained sanction of the government have been abruptly stopped, al- 

 though some of them were on the eve of completion. The labour and expense, be- 

 stowed on them would therefore have been entirely thrown away if the Asiatic Society 

 of Bengal had not undertaken at their own cost to finish the printing, of the books 

 that had been commenced, as well as to proceed, should their means admit, with others 

 of a similar description. Such works as had previously been printed either wholly* 

 or in part, by the Education Committee being transferred to the Society. The Society 

 at the same time solicited the government for a pecuniary grant in aid of their own 

 limited resouices, and this application not having been complied with, they have 

 memorialized the Honorable the Court of Directors to the same effect. The memo- 

 rial is I presume under the consideration of the Court. 



4. In this arrangement I beg to observe that the Indian Government and the 

 Asiatic Society have proceeded upon the notion that the publications in question are 

 connected with the encouragement of Oriental Literature alone, whilst in fact they 

 were undertaken not so much for the general promotion of oriental studies as in 

 subservience to the advancement of native education. They were designed for class- 

 books and prize-books for the native colleges and schools, and were therefore strict- 

 ly w ithin the province of the Education Committee. The character in which they 

 are to be contemplated is however immaterial, and as long as they are recognized as 

 deserving the patronage of the government, it is possible that that patronage may 

 be conveniently exercised through the instrumentality of the Asiatic Society of 

 Bengal. 



5. It must be quite unnecessary for me, I apprehend, to advocate the claims of 

 Oriental Literature to the protection of the Honorable Court. Considered merely 

 as an object of intellectual research which their connexion with the east so pe- 

 culiarly enables them to favor, they would have disappointed the natural expecta- 

 tions of all Europe if they had displayed less liberality than that which they have 

 always shewn in fostering oriental study. Independently of this consideration the 

 government of British India has a positive duty to discharge in facilitating the ac- 

 quirement by its servants of the knowledge indispensable to the due performance of 

 their functions in India, aud it has an obvious interest in gratifying its native sub- 

 jects by patronizing that literature which is a part of their national existence, and 

 which is to them now as it has been for ages, an object of admiration and reverence. 



6. The libeialitv, wisdom and policy, and I may add the justice of encouraging 

 native literaturein India, must however, I apprehend, be too obvious for me to occupy 

 the time and attention of the Honorable Court in endeavouring to substantiate 

 them. Even the government of India in reply to the address of the Asiatic Society 

 acknowledges the advantage of applying larger sums than are already so applied to 

 the support of native literature, and grounds its non-compliance with the Society's 

 request " on the financial difficulty which limits within narrow bounds the aid to 

 be so afforded." 



7. Considering then the principle as recognized, and that it is admitted that 

 Oriental Literature deserves the special encouragement of the British Government 

 of India, it only remains to be inquired why those funds which have hitherto been 

 available for so desirable a purpose should now be withheld. The order of govern- 

 ment of the 7th March puts a stop to the printing of oriental books in order that 

 the funds so applied should be thenceforth employed exclusively " in imparting to 

 the native population a knowledge of English Literature and Science through the 

 mtdium of the English language." However important the end proposed, its ex- 

 clusiveness is wholly incompatible with the patronage of native talent, with the 

 public declarations of the government of Bengal, with the acts of former governments 

 under the sanction of the home authorities, and with the express intention of the 

 British Legislature in authorizing the appropriation of a part of the Indian Revenue 

 to the encouragement of the literature and learned natives of the country. 



* This is a mistake ; the unfinished books only were made over, so that there are 

 two dep6ts of oriental works, an inconvenience which might now be remedied with 

 advantage, by placing the whole together. 



