1856.] Proceedings of tlw Asiatic Society. 245 



Literary reputation of the Society and its faithfulness in the dis- 

 charge of a trust committed to it, has given rise to a lengthened 

 discussion amongst the members of the Philological Committee and 

 the Council generally, and has thus occasioned a somewhat protract- 

 ed delay in framing a reply. 



In considering your strictures and suggestions upon the choice of 

 works selected for the Bibliotheca Indica it is necessary to recall 

 the origin and intended scope of this series of oriental publications. 



It had its origin in the following circumstances : 



In the year 1835 the Government of India peremptorily prohibited 

 the publication of any Oriental works at the expense of the fund 

 which had been set apart under the charter act of 1813 to be applied 

 in part to the revival and improvement of Literature and the en- 

 couragement of the learned natives of India. It was further directed 

 that the printing of the whole of the Oriental works then in pro- 

 gress with two exceptions should be immediately discontinued.* 



This measure was regarded with extreme regret by the Asiatic 

 Society, and an appeal was made by it to the Governor General in 

 Council begging that the obnoxious order might be rescinded. 



The Government declined to accede to the Society's request, but 

 offered to make over, with one or two exceptions, all the unfinished 

 Oriental works to " the Asiatic Society or any other Society or indi- 

 viduals willing to complete them at their own expense." 



This oifer was accepted by the Society, and they proceeded to 

 complete the unfinished works, proposing at the same time to 

 undertake the publication of a fresh series as soon as this part of 

 their task was accomplished. 



To enable them to carry out their views a memorial was drawn 

 up and forwarded to the Court of Directors, in which the Society 

 expressed their assurance that if the Court deemed it "inexpedient 

 to alter the appropriation of the Parliamentary fund, which the local 

 Government had determined upon, they would devise some other 

 means of continuing that encouragement to the cause of Asiatic 

 Literature which reflected honor on the hand that dispensed it ;" 



* It is worthy of remark that the two works excepted from the general sentence 

 were the Fatawa Alumgiree and a treatise or Spherl. Trig, both Arabic. 



2 K 



