162 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Sept. 



The following letter from Mr. Home was read — 



" I am delighted that my notes on Boodh Gya have led to such a 

 discussion about the antiquity of the arches. As Messrs. Grote and 

 Blanford have admitted the outer arches to be modern, I may consider 

 that I have taken the outworks. There only remain the inner arches, 

 the citadel so to speak. These to my thinking have been constructed 

 as shewn opposite.* The great hollow shell of the building, I hold, 

 was originally plastered as shewn by the thin double lines. And' 

 light was admitted over the high doorway so as to fall on the image of 

 Buddha, which faced west. 



" The plaster of the outer arches is very coarse, (I brought away 

 samples of it,) and that of the inner work finer : but I hold, in this 

 case, the plaster to be a very unsafe and totally untrustworthy test of 

 age. For age after age, it has been made in the same manner and of the 

 same material. By using different coloured chalk, I have, I think clearly 

 distinguished old and new, and the grotesque c Rishi' or demon face 

 (burnt in pottery apparently) built into the inner face of the arches of 

 the roof seems to me to indicate a later date than Asoka — for it is 

 fixed in the original building without doubt. The flower ornament 

 outside may be, but does not look old. 



" I am delighted that so many are about to examine carefully this 

 most interesting ruin, and would I could be of the party. If I have time 

 I may send down a set of rough sketches of the figures in the 

 disinterred railings. They are curious, and I await information as to 

 whether any artist accompanies Mr. G-rote, as in that case I will not 

 do so. 



" All my remarks are open to correction, for I only spent two days at 

 Boodh Gya ; although I was not idle, but drawing, measuring and 

 sketching all day. 



" My theory as set forth by the section plan, herewith sent, may easily 

 be tested on the spot, I shall be delighted to hear of the results of 

 the researches of any members of the Society stimulated as they have 

 been by those of Babu Rajendra Lai Mitra and myself." 



" P. S. — To build the tower, beams were let into holes in either side, 

 but not piercing the work, and if ever there formerly were floors, 



# In a drawing accompanying the letter. 



