1839.] Asiatic Society. 431 



and had the same merits and defects, but in consequence of some doubt as to whether the 

 Commentary so prepared was likely to be acceptable to Sanscrit students, Mr. James 

 Prinsep had sent to Benares for the Commentary at length. 



It was therefore proposed by Mr. H. T. Prinsep, seconded by Captain W. N. 

 Forbes — That the best mode of clearing up the difficulty would be to send copies to the 

 Sanscrit Colleges of Benares and Calcutta, and also to Messrs. Hodgson and Wil- 

 kinson, requesting them to favor the Society with their opinion on the merits of the 

 work in its present form, and the expediency of continuing its publication. 



The proposition was unanimously agreed to- 

 Read an application from Newab Tahawur Jung, requesting the Society to 

 make a representation to Government on the subject of a subscription for a certain 

 number of copies of the " Sharaya Islam," the publication of which had been under- 

 taken by himself in conjunction with the Society, and copies of which might probably 

 be required for the use of the Courts or of the Seminaries of Education supported by 

 Government. 



Resolved that the request be complied with. 



Col. Benson handed over to the Officiating Secretary a letter he had received from 

 the vicinity of Amarapoora, dated 23d March, containing an account of an awful earth- 

 quake that had occurred in that country. 



On the conclusion of the general business of the evening, Mr H. T. Prinsep stated 

 that he was happy to have it in his power to inform the Meeting of a very distinguish- 

 ed honor that had been conferred upon a Member of the Society, whose selection for 

 the unsolicited distinction was a compliment paid to the whole body. 



It had fallen to him, Mr. P. stated, to be the official channel for transmitting to Mr. 

 Hodgson, of Nipal, the diploma and letter of appointment as Chevalier of the 

 Legion of Honor of France, which the enlightened Government of that nation had con- 

 ferred upon this gentleman, in acknowledgment of his successful labours in the elucida- 

 tion of various questions of Budhistical faith and doctrine, and in the discovery and 

 procurement of the volumes " Kaligyur" and " Stagyur," in which a vast mine of 

 curious literature had been concealed, no less than as a tribute due to his zeal in dis- 

 covering and making known a great variety of new objects of Natural History and 

 Science. 



It was heretofore a rare thing to see the Societies of Europe paying tribute to the worth 

 and services rendered to Science and Literature by the learned, in this distant quarter ; 

 but of late years their merits had worked out for them a reputation which was now uni- 

 versally acknowledged. Still admission on the ground of literary and scientific attain- 

 ment to the distinctions conferred by the Sovereigns of other countries was a compliment 

 that Mr. Hodgson only had yet received ; and Mr. Prinsep added, he felt assured that 

 the Society would be glad to have the circumstance placed upon the Records of its Pro- 

 ceedings. Mr. P. then communicated a copy of the diploma of appointment as 

 Chevalier of the Legion of Honor which had just been received, having been trans- 

 mitted through the Honorable Court of Directors to the Government, to be forwarded 

 to Mr. Hodgson. Ordered to be deposited. 



