oftheHinbus. 65 



fatisned with the Ndrayan, which I received from Benares, and in which 

 the Ddmodar is frequently quoted. The Perjian book, entitled a Prefent 

 from India, was compofed, under the patronage of Aazem Sha'h, by the 

 very diligent and ingenious Mi rz a Khan, and contains a minute account 

 of Hindu literature in all, or moll: of, its branches : he profeffes to have 

 extracted his elaborate chapter on mufick, with the ' affiflance 'of Pan las, 

 from the Rdgdmava, or Sea of PafTions, the Ragaderpana, or Mirror of 

 Modes, the Sabhavinoda, or Delight of AfTemblies, and fome other approved 

 treatifes in Sanfcrit. The Sangitaderp 'an t which he alfo names among his 

 authorities, has been translated into perjian ; but my experience juftifies 

 me in pronouncing, that the Moghols have no idea of accurate tranjlation, 

 and give that name to a mixture of glofs and text with a flimfy paraphrafe 

 of them both ; that they are wholly unable, yet always pretend, to write Sanf> 

 .crib words in Ardbick letters ; that a man, who knows the Hindus only from 

 Perjian books, does not know the Hindus; and that an European, who 

 follows the muddy rivulets of M ufeiman writers on India, inftead of drink- 

 ing from the pure fountain of Hindu learning, will be in perpetual danger of 

 mifleading himfelf and others. From the juft feverity of this cenfure I ex- 

 cept neither Abu'lfazl, nor his brother Fa izi\ nor Mohsani Fa'ni k , 

 nor Mirza'khan himfelf; and I fpeak of all four after an attentive per- 

 ufal of their works. A tract on mufick in the idiom of Mafhum, with 

 feveral ciTays in pure Hinduftarn, lately paiTed through my hands ; and I 

 poiTefs a diiTertatibn on the fame art in the foft dialect of Panjab, or Pancha- 

 nada, where the national melody has, lam told, a peculiar and finking 

 ch iracterj but I am vzry little acquainted with thofe dialects, and perfuade 

 i, that nothing has been written in them, which my not be found 

 more copioufly and beautifully exprelled in the la xg ge, as the Hindus 

 perpetually call it, of the Gods, that is, of their ancient bards, philoibphers, 

 and legislators. 



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