1847.] 



Notices, 



171 



on the Statistics of the Netherlands possessions in the Archipelago 

 ' by the celebrated naturalist Temminck. 



We strong-ly recommend this valuable publication to ourreaders.'*' 



Hindu 'Remains in the Eastern Archipelago. 



Throughout the Indian Archipelago, particularly among the true 

 Malayan and Javanese races, marked and permanent traces of a 

 Hindu civilization have been distinctly recognized in the language, 

 manners and religion of the modern population, while the same cha- 

 racter is still more permanently impressed on ancient edifices and 

 other remains still extant. 



The intolerant spirit of Islamism, now the prevailing faith of 

 these regions, has had the effect of obliterating and rendering fainter 

 the features of early foreign influence, but in one island that of Bali 

 the Hindu religion has continued undisturbed up to the present time 

 and that too, under its two most prominent and antagonist forms of 

 Buddhism and Brahmanism, which are here seen still to flourish in 

 peace and harmony, long after the deadly struggle for superiority 

 has terminated in the annihilation of one or other of them in all the 

 other places where they once co-existed. The few remains still ex- 

 tant of the ancient sacred language, — the Kawi, — in which the Hindu 

 writings are contained— are so little known, as to be sealed books in 

 Java, but it is hoped that not only will more numerous compositions 

 be met with in Bali but also that a door will be opened for the suc- 

 cessful cultivation of this ancient tongue. A favorable opportunity 

 has recently been offered for prosecuting the researches commenced 

 by RafHes and Crawford into the curious phenomenon exhibited by 

 this little island, and the Dutch savans have not allowed it to pass. 

 Advantage was taken of the recent invasion of the island by the 

 Dutch Government to chastise the Rajah of Billing, — to attach to 

 the force, M. Friederich, a member of the Batavian Society of Arts 

 and Sciences, with instructions to collect all Kawi and Balinese 

 MSS., to obtain inscriptions either original or copied; to trace the 

 antiquity and history of the Kawi language and in particular to 

 inquire whether it was derived from Java or from India ; to procure 

 images and other articles illustrative of the existing religion; and 

 ^0 engage the services of a Balinese Pundit for the Batavian Society. 



* The Agents for the work in Madras are Messrs. Pharoah and Co., and the annual 

 subscription is 13 Rs. payable in advance. 



