330 



Brahmans, and the fen tribes. 



The Hebrew is by no means a language commonly known in Eng- 

 land. How a medical man came to have time and inclination to 

 acquire it, has caused me a doubt. Dr. M. must have made some 

 decree of acquaintance with it ; but looking at the version of the 

 engraving on Feroz's pillar I cannot help thinking that he reckoned 

 on the ignorance of the greater portion of his readers ; and was dis- 

 posed to risk consequences as to the small remainder. 



The Greek is more within the line of a physician. Medical men 

 in their technicalities, affect the Greek even to barbarism. In this 

 language also Dr. Moore has failed, for the Greek legends on 

 Bactrian coins are not dealt with fairly ; but twisted in a singular 

 manner : the more surprising, as more certain of detection, and ex- 

 posure than Hebrew transliterations. I do not enlarge on this 

 point, because I have seen some remarks by the Editor of the M adras 

 Journal &c. on one of the legends ; and I trust that gentleman (in a 

 note or addendum) will state his own views on the subject. His 

 estimate of the book, I believe, is very similar to my own. 



Were the Literary Journal a Review it would not be unsuitable 

 to take out a few poetical or descriptive passages, wherein Dr. Moore 

 appears to the greatest advantage ; but the ethnological and archaeo- 

 logical are properly the only portions suitable to a secular and scien- 

 tific Journal. Considering that the Bauddhists and Brahmans were 

 originally one people, Dr. Moore perhaps has not wholly missed his 

 mark ; since it is my opinion — for which I have elsewhere* given 

 some reasons, and have more in reserve — that the Brahmans are 

 descendants of the Beni-Israel, or ten tribes of the great captivity 

 under Shalmaneser king of Assyria. I agree with Dr. Moore in his 

 estimate of a book an the lost ten tribes by Dr. Asahel Grant, an 

 American : Dr. Grant was however probably right as to the location 

 of the first small captivity under Tiglath Pileser of Assyria. — It is 

 an interesting subject ; and if public attention can be turned in that 

 direction, it is one which may issue in unlooked for discoveries, 



* Vide — Introduction to Vol. 2 of a Catalogue Raisonne of Govern- 

 ment M. S. iS. Articles, Saiva, Vaishnava and Theological. 



