JOURNAL 



OF THE 



ASIATIC SOCIETY, 



JANUARY, 1850. 



Some conjectures on the progress of the Brdhminical Conquerors of 

 India. By Henry Torrens, B. A., V. P. and late Secy. As. Soc. 

 of Bengal. 



In the grave pages of a scientific journal, so often honoured by the 

 successes of positive antiquarian discovery, it may seem at first sight, 

 somewhat idle to obtrude conjectural speculation, or something nigh 

 akin to it. Where, however, he who dares to conjecture, does not go 

 the length of insistance upon the verity of his suggestions ; but is 

 willing to incur the discredit of failure in his position, for the chance 

 of having been able to open a new road to enquiry, the boldness of the 

 attempt may perhaps justify its publication, however faint the hope of 

 any ultimate solid advantage. 



But in truth it will be I think, found, that the progress of discovery 

 up to this time in that anomalous field of Indian antiquity in which 

 neither legible monument, nor written record lend their assistance to 

 the student, has hitherto depended a good deal upon happy suppo- 

 sition, directing the course of subsequent enquiry, leading to a definite 

 consequence : as in the Indo-arian researches, we see the suggestion 

 and first discovery with Prinsep, the investigation with Lassen, the 

 result deduced by Wilson. I think, and have for some years thought, 

 that we stand on the margin of a still broader field of historic know- 

 ledge, such as shall carry us from studying the mere despotic successions 

 of princes, to an accurate acquaintance with the progress of peoples, 

 and an approximation in due course to the solution of that great 

 mystery, the dispersion and subdivision of the races of mankind. The 



No. XXXVIL— New Series. b 



