[ 355 3 



tion, than the peninfula of India, from the Ganges 

 to Cape Comorin j nor is there in the world a finer 

 climate, or face of the country, nor a fpot better 

 inhabited, or filled with towns, temples, and vil- 

 lages, than this fpace is throughout, if China and 

 parts of Europe are excepted. 



I think the carvings on fome of the pagodas and. 

 choultrys, as well as the grandeur of the work, ex- 

 ceeds any thing executed now- a- days, not only for 

 the delicacy of the.chiflel, but the expence of con- 

 traction, considering, in many instances, to what 

 distances the component parts were carried, and to 

 what heights raifed. If Mr. Kittle the painter, now 

 in India, fhould have time and opportunity, after he 

 hath made his fortune by portrait drawing, it would 

 be a great addition to his reputation, and well worth 

 his pains, to investigate the nature of the Indian archi- 

 tecture and carving, by painting fome of the moSt 

 curious buildings, or parts of pagodas. The great 

 obstacle to afcertaining dates, or historical events, is 

 the lofs of the Sans-Skirrit language, and the confine* 

 ment of it to the priefthood. 1 fhould have taken 

 fome pains to have collected many things ; but the 

 number of revolutions and occupations which hap- 

 pened always prevented me. 



I alfo commit to your inspection the * manufcripts 

 of Mr. Robins, which he gave me at his death ; 



* Thefe I communicated to the Royal Society, together with 

 this letter j but being examined by myfelf, Mr, Raper, Mr. 

 Cavendifti, and Mr. Horftey, at the defire of the Society, they 

 were not found to contain any thing material more than has 

 been already printed ; excepting a treadfe on military difcipline : 

 which, if it fhould be thought of ufe, may be inferted in the 

 next edition of his works. N. M. 



Zz 2 I be- 



