lö A BïSCOÜESf:, &c. 



«Soc/V(?/ liave been iiew niodelied, nearly on the 

 same priiiciple as4hose of the Asiatic Societj ia 

 Bengal. Altlioiigh^ thereforev/we maj not at the 

 present mooieiit boa&t of so inaoj eminent Lite*^ 

 rarj Charactefs as are to be fouad aiaong the 

 Members of that Societv^ it is biit fa;ir to flatter 

 ourselves with the expectation^ that under the 

 foitunate change of circunastances which has 

 taken pbce, with regard to this Island^. and the 

 iievv organization of the Soeie4.j, our exertiona 

 maj tend considcrabJj to a belter knowledge of 

 this part of the World, and the genera! advance- 

 ment of Literature and Science. 



The objects of the Asiatic Societj in Calciitta, 

 are so foliy explained in the discourses of Sir 

 Wiiïiam Jones^, that it is tmnecessary to enter 

 into aoy espbinatioo of them here. The research» 

 es of (hal Society are not coiifi4ied imniediately 

 to Western lüdia ; <hey cstend throughont the 

 whole re«:ion5 of As-ia. The whole circle of the 

 Sciences and the wide üeld of Asia, are alike 

 open to your observation^ hut it occurs to me, 

 tha( Ibe int<Tests and object of the ïnstitiitioii 

 wiil be more advan^aiieously promoted by its ex- 

 ertions being directed to what fails more imme* 

 diateiy >Yithiü your reach. 



