PREFACE. 



V 



Contributors may be assured that there is every cer- 

 tainty of their productions becoming extensively known. 

 Besides a wide circulation of the Journal in India, a copy is 

 presented to every Society, in this country and in Europe, 

 established for the promotion of Oriental Literature ; also to 

 a great number of public literary and scientific institutions, 

 in Great Britain and on the Continent of Europe, and to 

 many public journalists throughout the world. 



When the Journal was first set on foot it was anticipated 

 that some pecuniary defalcation might occur ; and this risk 

 was cheerfully encountered by the Society, on the consi- 

 deration that the outlay would conduce to the encouragement 

 of literary and scientific tastes among the British residents 

 within the proper sphere of its circulation, and that, the circle 

 widening, our native fellow subjects might be induced to enter 

 on the same pursuits ; and thus a great deal of information might 

 be collected and disseminated, which would otherwise not have 

 come to light at all. There is no doubt that, a ready medium 

 once afforded for communication with the world, intelligent 

 persons are induced to observe and reflect on matters, which 

 would otherwise obtain only a passing notice : and thus in- 

 teresting discoveries are brought to light. The circumstance, 

 too, of a literary and scientific periodical circulating among a 

 widely spread community, like that comprized in the various 

 public services in India, the individuals of which are all more 

 or less known to each other, forms a grand incentive to 

 intellectual emulation, and imparts an interesting character to 

 the work, which ought to render every one desirous of con- 

 tributing to its success and augmenting and extending its 

 usefulness. With these claims on the grateful notice of the 

 Madras Public, it is natural and proper to anticipate a conti- 

 nual accession of literary contributors, and a great increase 

 to the subscription list. The Society, which publishes the 

 work with no other view than the increase and diffusion of 

 knowledge, has a well grounded right to call upon all en- 

 lightened persons to aid them in the attainment of such use- 

 ful objects. It is unjust that the projectors should incur any 



