392 



Proceedings of Societies: 



The Members should endeavour to procure new subscribers. Unless 

 more than usual efforts were made, the necessary repairs of the house 

 would cause them to encroach upon the fund of the Society, which was 

 laid by for particular purposes. He would direct the attention of all 

 the Members to this important subject, in order to stimulate them to 

 exertion. Since last year, the society had to deplore the loss of Mt, 

 Colebrooke, who had always been so zealous a promoter of its interests. 

 That distinguished gentleman had occupied the chair of the Society at 

 its first sitting. He had recommended him (Mr. Williams Wynn) to fill 

 the office of President of the Society. This should not be deemed a 

 compliment to an individual, but as a mode of showing that a connexion 

 existed between the Society and the Government, and to prove to those 

 who were in India, that the Government were anxious to countenance 

 and assist any means for producing good to the inhabitants. His 

 Boyal Master, George the Fourth, approved of the suggestion, and had 

 graciously declared himself the Patron of the Society, at the same 

 time directing that the First Commissioner for the affairs of India 

 should officially hold the office of Vice-Patron, and thereby supply 

 a constant channel of communiation between the Society and the 

 Government. His present Majesty had also accepted the office of 

 Vice-Patron when Duke of Clarence, and since his accession had not 

 only succeeded his Royal Brother as Patron, but had distinguished 

 the Society by a mark of his particular favour, as selecting the late Sir 

 Charles Wilkins and Sir Graves Haughton as companions of the Guelphic 

 Order. As the situation which Mr. Colebrooke had occupied as Director, 

 was to be filled up, it became necessary to procure a successor. An ap- 

 plication was made to Sir Graves Haughton, who occupied a distinguish- 

 ed place in Oriental literature, to fill the vacant chair. Ill-health pre- 

 vented that gentleman from complying ; and it was perhaps a matter of 

 congratulation to him, as his private friend, that he had not consented. 

 Zeal for the interests of the Society might have produced extraordinary 

 exertion, which might prove too much for a weekly state of health ; and 

 %e Society would then have to deplore the loss of another eminent indi- 

 vidual. Application was next made to Mr. Professor Wilson, who stood 

 conspicuous as the first Sanskrit scholar of the day, and was distinguished 

 by holding the situation of Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Ox- 

 ford. It was felt, in recommending this gentleman to the Council, that 

 not only was he the most ehgible person, from the services which might 

 naturally be expected from him ; but that a lustre would be added to the 

 Society in every country in Europe and in the East, by possessing so dis- 

 tinguished a scholar amongst their Members. 



