1838] 



Royal Asiatic Society. 



S91 



ciety had taken some pains to demonstrate the impolicy of this 

 suspension, and had effected so much, that permission was granted that 

 the works in progress should be completed, and should go before the 

 public in a perfect form. Whether the printing should continue to be 

 altogether suspended, rested with the Governor-General of India, as 

 the authorities at home would wait for his answer before they decided. 

 This suspension of Oriental studies in India was of great importance. 

 Without cultivating the native tongues, we could not arrive at an ac- 

 curate and useful knowledge of the manners, habits and customs of 

 the people. The Government were most anxious to urge the introduction 

 of the English language, as well as our improved civilization, amongst 

 the natives. But experience had proved that this could behest effected 

 by paying respect to their languages and national feelings. He trusted 

 that the encouragement given to the study of the Oriental tongues, 

 might not be withdrawn, but that the enligtened policy of former times 

 might be continued. The expediency of this course w^as deeply felt by 

 Sir C. Wilkins, who was the first among Europeans that successfully 

 studied the Sanskrit language, and whose translations of the Bhagavat 

 Gita and Hitopadesa were the first fruits of his success, and to whom the 

 world is indebted for originating the translation of the Laws of Menu, a 

 work afterwards completed by Sir W. Jones. Itwastobe hoped that 

 the Government would see the impolicy of stopping the. printing of those 

 wwks, which, in the opinion of sound judges, served to draw closer the 

 ties which connected the two countries. The Right Hon. the Chairman 

 of the Committee of Correspondence, in his admirable address, had 

 expressed some fears as to the hostile intention* of Russia. No doubt* 

 many persons in that country as well as others, entertained ambitious 

 views; but when he considered the intimate union which had existed 

 between that country and England for more than one hundred years 

 with little intermption, he was convinced in his own mind that a greater 

 security for a continued peace was afforded by the strong mutual 

 commercial interests which so closely connected them, than by any 

 political alliance which could be formed. When the aberration of the 

 Empei^f^Paul had for a short period interrupted the harmony whic^^ 

 existed between the two countries, notwithstanding every opposition, 

 the usual commerce did in fact go on, until the catastrophe took place 

 which violently finished the Autocrat's reign, and put an end to the 

 disunion between Russia and this country. Such were the general 

 remarks he deemed it right to make on the objects of the Society. With 

 aspect to particular points for consideration, the state of ths finance* 

 called loudly for increased exertion. 



