PREFATORY NOTICE. 



The acting Secretaries have this day the honour to 

 submit to the Asiatic Society, and to the Subscribers 

 to the Journal so long connected with that Institution, 

 the first number of a new series. 



On the sudden departure of the late inestimable 

 Secretary, Mr. James Prinsep, much difficulty arose 

 as to the continuation of the Journal, he so long and 

 so admirably managed. While no member of our 

 Society could lay claim to Mr. Prinsep's universality of 

 attainments, or presume to enter, without self-distrust, 

 on even a portion of his pursuits, almost all were 

 already over-bur thened by official or professional du- 

 ties. Some were deterred, moreover, by the consi- 

 derable pecuniary risk which the management of the 

 Journal involved. Under such circumstances it was 

 arranged that the Rev. Professor Malan, of Bishop's 

 College, in association with Dr. O'Shaughnessy, 

 should continue the Journal at the risk of the latter. 

 But this plan was defeated in limine by the illness of 

 Mr. Malan, and the necessity of his proceeding to the 

 Cape. 



Mr. J. C. C. Sutherland having been appointed to 

 act as Joint-Secretary with Dr. O'Shaughnessy, during 

 Mr. Malan's absence, has consented, however, to under- 



