431 Asiatic Society. [May, 



From the Booksellers. 



Naturalist's Library, Mammalia, vol. 8th, . * .... . . 1 



Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopedia, History of Denmark, 

 History of British Birds, by W. Yarrell, London, 1839, parts 10th 

 and 11th, 



Antiquities. 

 Read a letter from H. T. Prinsep, Esq., forwarding on behalf of the Government of 

 India for deposit in the Asiatic Society's Museum a Silver Plate from Kotah. 



To the Secretary of the Asiatic Society. 

 Political Dept. 



Sir, — I am directed by the President in Council to request you will lay before the 

 Meeting of the Asiatic Society the accompanying Silver Plate received by Govern- 

 ment from Kotah, where it is stated to have been used for taking observations of altitude 

 and distance. 



2d The plate has been for sometime in the Government Toshakhanah, and His 

 Honor in Council does not think that he can dispose of it more usefully than by pre- 

 senting it for deposit in the Museum of the Asiatic Society. 



I have the honor to be, Sir, 



Your most obedient servant, 

 Council Chamber, 26th June, 1839. H. T. PRINSEP, 



Secy, to the Govt. 



A description and drawing of this plate will be given in a future number, 



Mr. R. Davidson forwarded a bag of leaden Coins for presentation to the Society ; 

 the donor has promised to send descriptive notice upon a future occasion. 



Mr. W. Locke, of Chuprah, forwarded three large slabs with inscriptions, for pre- 

 sentation to the Society. 



Mr. H. T. Prinsep submitted to the Meeting a palm leaf manuscript having the 

 appearance of great antiquity, and which from the circumstance of there being no 

 separate note of the date of copy is presumed to be the original as prepared by the 

 commentator, near 800 years ago. The Pothi came by dawk to Mr. Prinsep's 

 address from Col. Alves, who forwarded it from Rajwara shortly before he left that 

 country for the Cape of Good Hope, but sent no letter with it explanatory of his wishes 

 or intentions. It is presumed that this is the work referred to in the Proceedings of the 

 5th April, 1837, vol. vi. p. 240, and therein mentioned as the " Baudh mat Jain mary 

 grantha," and which the Society then expressed the desire to obtain. Mr. Prinsep 

 added that the manuscript had been put into the hands of Kamalakantha for ascer- 

 tainment of its value and character. It proves to be a copy of the Sama Vaya, in the 

 Maghadhi Bhosha by Jineshwar, a Jain, with a commentary in Sanscrit by Abhya 

 Deva, composed in 1119 Sumbut, corresponding with 1063 A. d. 



The work begins with an exposition of the Boodhist religion as professed by Jains, 

 including the worship of Harr, Hora, and Hiranyagarba, i. e. of Vishnu, Siva, and 

 Brahma. Then follow discourses— on Dharma and Adharma, showing what is religion 

 and what irreligion, and on the qualities and perfections of Bhugwan Sakhya Boodh. 

 On the virtue of abstaining from taking animal life, and of truth and honesty. A re- 

 solution of all things to one God. On the place of abode of Devas and their means 



