Report. xix 



interesting work to follow ; or some of the Bramanas, or Upaniskads. 

 But I would not confine our attention exclusively to Sanskrit literature, 

 though it should, for manifest reasons, form our principal staple. 

 Arabic and Persian works of Indian interest would be welcome to a 

 large body of our members ; though the more general literature of these 

 languages might be safely left to the care of European scholars, or of 

 such Muhammadan Governments as seem both able and willing for the 

 task,* There are works in Pali which would come within the scope 

 of the proposed publication as occasion offered : nor is Burmese litera- 

 ture devoid of interest ; as witness the Dhamathat, or Burmese " Laws 

 of Menu," recently (but owing to the translator's death, very unsatisfac- 

 torily) published at Maulmein. Still the literature of the great family 

 of nations subject to the government of the munificent bestowers of 

 this grant, would of course form the object of our peculiar and grateful 

 attention. On this part of the subject I shall venture no further 

 however ; if the proposed plan meet the approbation of the Council 

 generally, the details will receive the consideration of gentlemen 

 immeasurably more competent to the task than myself. 



I may observe in conclusion, that among the advantages of the pro- 

 posed arrangement, we should always be progressing : interest would 

 thus be kept alive to our efforts, and we might expect very important 

 assistance from quarters whence it is impossible to derive it at present. 

 Many of our countrymen scattered in remote parts of India would 

 come forward to our aid, and as there is every reason to believe 

 that many valuable works exist in the libraries of native Princes, 

 these through their instrumentality might be rescued from obscurity 

 and neglect. 



Another very important advantage of this mode of publication would 

 consist in the opportunity it would afford of availing ourselves from 

 time to time of the suggestions of distinguished Orientalists, and im- 

 proving the work as it advanced. In short, I have little* doubt that 

 the proposed mode of applying the Government grant would give an 

 impulse to the cause of Oriental literature similar in kind to that given 

 to other branches of the Society's pursuits, by the publication of its 



* Many Arabic works are published at Cairo : at Constantinople, chiefly translations 

 in Turkish. 



