May, 1846.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society •. xxxvii 



throw much light on many doubtful points. The offer was accepted 

 with thanks. 



Read a letter from Lieut. Yule accompanying a paper entitled, " A 

 Canal Act of the Emperor Akbar, with some notes and remarks on the 

 history of the western Jumna Canals, by Lieut. Yule, Bengal Engi- 

 neers, First Assistant W. J. C. Thanks were specially returned fot the 

 contribution, and it was ordered for publication in the Journal. 



Read the following letter from J. Muir, Esq. C, S. 



To H. W. Torrens, Eso. Vice President and Secy. Asiatic Society of Bengal* 

 My dear Sir, 



The subject briefly proposed in the following letter from the " Friend of India!* 

 of the 26th ult. seems well worthy the notice of the Asiatic Society. Our imme- 

 diate province, no doubt, is to discover and describe whatever the past has produced 

 or the present possesses, of the beautiful, curious, or interesting in art, literature, or 

 natural phenomena. But the reproduction and development of the scattered elements 

 of Hindu architecture in the way proposed in the letter, is very closely connected 

 with our professed objects, even in their most confined and literal sense ; inasmuch 

 as nothing could conduce so greatly towards the formation of vivid conceptions of 

 the past as the revival of its forms in our modern works of art. 



These considerations, with the others urged in the letter, appear to me to give the 

 subject a strong claim on the attention of the Society, and on such efforts as our 

 association may properly make for the furtherance of such objects. 



" Sir, — When the construction of such buildings as the Kishnaghur College is in 

 "contemplation, it appears to be a favourable time for considering whether we could 

 " not do something towards perpetuating and improving the old national architecture 

 ** of India. That the elements of this style have already been combined in structures 

 " of considerable beauty may be seen from the specimens given in Col. Tod's work on 

 " Rajasthan, among which the ancient Jain Temple, of the interior of which a draw- 

 " ing is given at page 778 of the 1st Vol., is deserving of particular mention ; and 

 ** that these elements are capable of being united in a manner suited to compose an 

 ' ' extensive building, and without any such profusion of minute ornament as would 

 " render the adoption of this style more expensive than any other, I have been in- 

 " formed by a high architectural authority. It is even probable that the style may be 

 ** developed by persons of taste into combinations more beautiful than it ever assumed 

 " under the hands of its original inventors, or their successors. However this may be, 

 " it appears to be only due to the Hindus to gratify their natural predilections in fa- 

 " vour of any thing national by constructing after this model any buildings to which it 

 " may be properly applicable from use or association. Such a course would no doubt 

 " interest and gratify the people of this country, in a way too, which would involve 

 " no sacrifice of principle on our parts ; a result which it is often difficult to attain 



