1 -VI Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [June, 



nacular, of a science of which all the terms are foreign, would be 

 almost an impossibility. He concluded by inviting Mr. Oampbell to 

 draw up a proposition in terms, for submission to the Society's next 

 meeting. 



Mr. Norman doubted whether it was desirable that the Society 

 should be asked to commit itself to the expression of an opinion on 

 two subjects brought forward this evening. The first touches a point 

 of great difficulty, viz. whether learning is better conveyed to the 

 natives of this country in English or the vernacular. All scientific 

 works are written in European languages, and it is by the medium 

 of English alone, that such subjects as those of modern science can at 

 present be studied. In the vernacular, there is indeed a certain amount 

 of imaginative literature, grammar, and metaphysics, which may 

 therefore be imparted without requiring a knowledge of English, but 

 that is almost all : and it is a great question, whether the advantage 

 of opening to the Native the vast storehouses of European science 

 does not infinitely outweigh the disadvantage of his having to acquire 

 the rudiments of his knowledge in a strange tongue. The second 

 discussion is on a point on which no opinion of the Society can be of 

 much value, because it can have but little effect on the result. He 

 quite agreed with Mr. Campbell that a scientific terminology should 

 be uniform, indeed as far possible a universal language ; but were any 

 man of mark, as a man of science, to arise among the natives, he would 

 not be likely to obey the dictation, or even the lead of the Society ; 

 but would probably adopt a terminology of his own, and his teaching 

 would be followed by his countrymen quite irrespective of any reso- 

 lutions of this Society. 



Mr. Campbell said that he had not intended any motion on this 

 subject, but he entirely agreed with Mr. Heeley, in thinking that the 

 questions of the terminology was one eminently within the province 

 of this Society. " It may be a matter of comparatively little impor- 

 tance, from what language a technology is taken, but it is of the 

 greatest importance that it should be uniform. You may have half 

 a do/en equally good terms for the same thing, but if all are used, 

 great confuBion results. What is wanted, is some authority to decide 

 in favour of one or the other. Now in India, what body is so compe- 

 tent U> decide <>u a matter of this kind as the Asiatic Society? What 



