A DISCOURSE, &C. 13 



I have just noticed. Tliis was prepared by 

 him 011 his passage frorn Malacca to Batavia 

 during the progress of the Expedition. It 

 stands uncorrected by his masterly hand, bat 

 even in its present state^ will^ I have no doubt, 

 be found to merit a place iu your publications. 



Irreparable as the loss of these inestimable 

 promoters of our design and ornaraents of our 

 age must be, and deep as our regret may be feit, 

 we are not to despair of what may hereafter be 

 done; but rather^ from the loss we have sus- 

 tained, put our shoulders more firmly to the 

 wheel, and exert ourselves more than under 

 other more fortunate circumstances, would have 

 been necessary, 



The first point which it appears to me essen- 

 tial to notice with regard to our future proceed- 

 ings, is the necessity of encouraging and attain- 

 ing a more general knowledge of the Javanese 

 language. Hitberto the communication with 

 inhabitants of the country bas been chiefly 

 through illiterate Interpretors, or when direct^ 

 through the medium of a barbarous dialect of 

 MalaySj confounded and confused by the intro- 

 duction of Portuguese and Diitch. Without 

 a thorough knowledge of this language, it is im- 

 possible to form any accurate idea of the modes 



