108 General Observations on [Feb. 



prestha — thattlie language of the first Persian Empire was the mother 

 of the Sanscrit, and consequently of the Zend and Parsi, as well as of 

 Greek, Latin and Gothic ; that the language of the Assyrians was the 

 parent of the Chaldaic and Pahlavi, and that the primary Tartarian lan- 

 guage also had been current in the same empire, although, as the Tar- 

 tars had no books or even letters, we cannot with certainty trace their 

 unpolished and variable idioms." 



In this paragraph the brahmans and Hindus appear to be blended 

 into one people. The present Tartarian alphabet is plainly derived 

 from some derivative of the Sanscrit ; Iran or Persia is the common 

 country (it is continued) from which migrated the Hindus, Arabs, and 

 Tartars ; and it is considered highly probable that the Britons came from 

 Armenia, the Goths or Scythians from Persia, and the Irish and old 

 Britons from the borders of the Caspian.* 



" The Hindus, Chinese and Japanese proceeded from some ancient 

 stem distinct from the Arabian and Tartarian one. But all the three 

 stems may be traced to Iran, as to a common centre, from which it is 

 highly probable that they diverged in various directions about 4000 

 gears ago."f 



However delightful to the imagination these speculations may be, we 

 must, I fear, for want of clear demonstration, resume our stand on the 

 threshold of induction. 



In some such terms then as the foregoing, the respective claims of 

 brahmans and Buddhists might be consigned to abeyance, until the 

 learned should have decided upon them by an induction from all the 

 facts which history and research can afford, and the claimants be 

 allowed to revel in the meantime amongst the sweets of antiquity 

 respectively. 



But I cannot resist the temptation which Dr. Eoer's lucid exposition 

 offers, for making a few concluding observations on the discussion in 

 question, and in so doing I will follow up the arguments by which he 

 wishes to convince us that the brahmans have won the field. 



He observes that through M. Burnouf's researches we have re- 

 turned to the central source of the Buddhist writings, from which all 

 others, with exception of the Pali, are only radiations. | This position 



* As. Res. Vol. II. Disc, on Hindus. f Ditto ditto, on Chinese p. 381. 

 % No. CLXVII. J. A. S. B. 



