552 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 6. 



to the study of which he was attracted by the memory of his distin- 

 guished father, — nay more, with devotional duty paid at the shrines of 

 the lighter Muses, and with excellence in more than one of the grace- 

 ful arts which contribute so much to the enjoyment of social life. 



" But it is not merely as one of its most accomplished members that 

 Mr. Torrens claims from the Society, the tribute of its regret. For 

 nearly six years he served it as Honorary Secretary. Now, in every nume- 

 rous body there must be deferences of opinion, and these differences 

 will beget opposition, and it may be that some of those who now hear 

 me, may have heretofore objected to this or that detail of Mr. Torrens's 

 administration. I think, however, that all, who look but candidly upon 

 that portion of the Society's history, will admit, that if there were any 

 faults in his administration, they were the faults of a generous temper, 

 which in aiming at great ends, does not very nicely calculate the means, 

 and that in all he did, he was animated by a sincere and zealous desire 

 to maintain and extend the reputation and usefulness of this Society. 



" I find that on the occasion of his retirement in 1846, from the 

 Office of Secretary, a general meeting of the Society came to this reso- 

 lution. 



* " That the Asiatic Society of Bengal, on the occasion of their being 

 deprived of Mr. Torrens's services as their Honorary Secretary, do here- 

 by record their grateful sense of the distinguished zeal and ability with 

 which, for several years, he has conducted the duties of that office. 

 And as a testimonial of their respect, they further resolve to elect 

 Mr. Torrens an Honorary Vice-President of the Society, and they 

 solicit that, in this capacity, he will continue to afford them his highly 

 valuable co-operation in the prosecution of the numerous objects of 

 literary and antiquarian research, which he has already pursued with 

 such eminent success." ' 



" I am sure that none will, now that he has been taken from us, be 

 disposed to dissent from those terms of praise, with which the Society 

 recognised the value of his services whilst they were yet recent, and 

 he yet alive, and certain I am, that, even if any there be who may 

 think that in the warmth of friendship I have said anything which 

 their colder judgment cannot approve, there are none who will dissent 

 from the more measured terms of the resolution, which I have now the 

 honour to propose, which are ; — 



