46 
JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON), [VOL. XVIII. 
Votes of Thanks. 
8. The Hon. Mr. S. C. Obf.yesekere said he had much pleasure in 
moving a hearty vote of thanks both to Mr. Pohath and Mr. Pieris 
for their valuable Papers. 
9. Advocate Mr. E. W. Perera seconded the motion. As regards 
the first Paper, the remarks made by Mudali^ nr Grunawardhana did not 
by any means prove that the documents were forgeries. He had based 
his attacks upon the genuineness of the grants on two points. The 
first was thnt the dates were incorrect, as judged by a calculation from 
the computations of Sir Alexander Cunningham. Among the Sii^halese 
there were several computations, and he thought in dealing with dates 
they should have independent computations. But apart from that 
he should very much like to know in what respect the Sinhalese 
characters of the seventeenth century differed from those of the nine- 
teenth century. Saruias of the fifteenth century and sixteenth century 
differed not greatly from the writing of the present day.* 
In regard to the second Paper, Mr. Pieris would greatly oblige the 
Society with a copy of the original manuscript from which he had made 
that translation. He believed there was not a copy in the Museum 
Library. In that connection he said there was in Kandy the original of 
a letter, which accompanied a grant sent by the King of Siam along 
with an Embassy, and that would give them valuable information and 
supplement Mr. Pieris's Paper. In regard to what w^as said about the 
correctness of the Paper, he should say the information was correct. 
The question asked by Mr. Poles Avould have been unnecessary if Sir 
John Maundeville had written the Paper. He, of course, would not 
have drawn the line at the incredible. These Sinhalese Ambassadors, 
however, while describing the ceremonies, seem to have drawn the 
line fairly. Human nature was, of course, the same all the world over. 
He had very great pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks. 
The President declared the vote of thanks carried. 
10. The Hon. Mr. J. Ferguson said : The pleasant duty had been 
accorded to him of proposing a cordial vote of thanks to their Presi- 
dent for his services to the Society,, and at that late hour he would be 
very brief in doing so. He regretted that during this first year of 
their President the Society should have been so barren of Papers ; but, 
Irish-like, their gratitude took the form of lively anticipation of 
favours. The presidential influence, he trusted, would mean for them 
very soon some useful Papers from Members of the Scientific Corps 
in the Public Service up and down country. The gentlemen, for 
instance, who had been so successfully fleshing their maiden swords as 
lecturers elsewhere, might now come to the aid of this good old 
Society in its Ceylon Branch, and he was glad to know that at least 
one of them had a Paper on the stocks. Meantime they were 
fortunate as to their President, and tendered him hearty thanks. 
(Applause.) 
* See supra pp. 15, 16. Experience of Sinhalese scvnnas. sitpi.ko., proves 
that dates in these old native documents (and even in lithic inscriptions) 
are often hopelessly irreconcilable with Calendars and Tables of Dates. 
Careful and full collation, knowledge of contemporary history, literary 
style, and the forms of character in vogue, and— not least — self-restraint 
against tendency to too hasty condemnation, are essential to "expert" 
treatment of ancient writings. — B.. Hon. Sec, 
