JUSTICE IX N'EPIL. 



95 



Mr. Hodgson is the first who has enabled us to obtain something like 

 a precise and practical view of this complex subject. He has acquired his 

 knowledge bv dint of painful perseverance in submitting repeated written 

 interrosatories to indiriduals who had either previously filled, or were then 

 filhns. the first judicial situations in jVepal. These individuals gave 

 written answers to his inquiries : arid from various motives they might 

 be presumed to speak out fairly. One of these persons presided for many 

 years with a high reputation for ability over the Supreme Court of Justice 

 at Kathmandu. Another was the present DharmadJiUcdri of Nepal, a 

 Brahman of great and various acquirements, and, from his situation, fami- 

 liar with the legal administration of the country. 



The information thus obtained was recorded by Mr. Hodgson, and 

 transmitted by him to the Governor General in the form of a literal trans- 

 lation of the questions and their answers: to which were added, at separate 

 times, several supplementary papers containing the restilt of his own local 

 observation and research. The Governor General deemed the information 

 collected by Mr. Hodgson of sufiicient interest and importance to authorize 

 its publication. 



In attempting to arrange these valuable materials m a more connected 

 and systematic form, any alterations or omissions in the original text have 

 been scrupulously avoided, which might perhaps hazard the correctness of 

 the details, or bv taking from their freshness diminish their chance of 

 interest with the earnest enquirer. 



Some of the more remarkable features of the Hindu system of juris- 

 prudence seem to call for notice in these preliminary lines, if only for the 

 purpose of drawing the reader's attention to the subject, and furnishing 

 him with an inducement, perhaps, to enter on an enquiry that promises 

 well to reward any attention bestowed upon it. 



The jiidicied system of the Xipalese appears to diifer from our Euro- 

 pean system in liaving no separate jurisdictions or modes of proceeding 

 for criminal trials and civil suits, Of the four Central Courts, as well as of 



