1867.] On the Transliteration of Indian Alphabets. 137 



gigantic cyclopaedia of Dr. Goldstiicker, which, if ever completed, will 

 most assuredly be universally accepted as the standard authority on 

 all points of Sanskrit learning. In these three works, by three different 

 authors, we find one uniform system of transliteration without a single 

 point of difference, except as regards one solitary letter, viz. the palatal 

 sibilant. This, Forbes, in accordance with modem pronunciation, 

 represents by sh, while Benfey denotes it by g and Goldstiicker by s'. 

 It appears to me that since we have such authorities as these, our 

 course is plain ; for who is to establish rules of orthography, if lexico- 

 graphers are not ? I therefore think that the recent discussions on 

 the subject by this Society are to be regretted,* since they had a 

 tendency to re-open a question which had virtually been long settled, 

 and, by ignoring an established fact, to throw a check in the way of 

 educational progress. 



That many and serious inconveniences result from the want of 

 system that now prevails in India on this matter is undeniable, and a 

 remedy is daily becoming more urgently required. For many registers 

 of native names have now to be kept in Roman characters, and the 

 whole object of alphabetical arrangement is frustrated so long as it 

 remains uncertain whether amrit is to be looked for under letter a or 

 letter u 7 and whether a person spells his name as Devi-din or Dabi-deen. 

 And this difficulty is one entirely of our own creation ; for although 

 in English, where the orthography of proper names is altogether 

 arbitrary, it is quite possible for a highly educated man, in writing 

 down a list of persons from dictation, to mis-spell every word, in a 

 catalogue of Hindu names there is no such danger. Every personal 

 appellation is also a literary term, with a definite meaning and 

 invariable form ; and therefore any one, having a very moderate 

 acquaintance with Indian history and mythology, would be competent 

 to write a long list of names with unerring precision ; and there is no 

 excuse for the carelessness which makes an array of the names and 

 titles of native gentlemen in the Government Gazette look like a roll- 

 call of South Sea savages. It will be found that almost all names 

 resolve themselves into one of the following categories : 1st, and most 

 common of all, the name of some popular hero or divinity standing 



* The object of the discussions here referred to, was to determine whether 

 European technical terms should be translated or transliterated into the Indian 

 vernaculars. — Ed, 



