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CEYLON BRANCH ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



technicalities of science and the set words of art, I say, let 

 him lay these aside, as David did the armour of Saul, and let 

 him send his communications in the way he is most familiar 

 with. 



From what has been said it will be evident that the pre- 

 sent Society does not profess to, look beyond the Island, or to 

 regard literature and the arts otherwise than as they affect 

 the Island. This circumstance will, I think, impart to the 

 Society a unity of character and singleness of purpose, favour- 

 able at once to its usefulness and permanence; and it may be, 

 that as every bone of every animal gives some indications of 

 the general form and organisation, and these again point out 

 its character, habits and place, so a like relationship may 

 exist among the several parts of the physical world and 

 of the universe,— demonstrating the hand of him, who in the 

 expressive language of scripture, put the mountains in scales 

 and the hills in a balance, and weighed the waters by 

 measure. 



Such is the view I take of this Society, its nature and 

 objects ; and so viewing it, I trust I may be allowed to ex- 

 press a confident hope that it will receive a general and 

 cordial support. 



