37 
tradition, are beyond all praise. His English translation of the 
frequently obscure texts, as a German scholar has justly said, 
i( betrays throughout a master’s hand.” To insure accuracy in his 
interpretation of difficult passages, Muir would save himself no 
trouble, but would write letters upon letters to Sanskrit scholars 
who he thought might be able to clear up his difficulties. I 
have sometimes heard it remarked that, in dealing with important 
questions, Muir too often contents himself with stating the conflict- 
ing views of others, without giving any decided opinion of his own 
one way or the other, when he was at least as competent as any 
other scholar to pronounce on these points. To a certain extent 
this is no doubt true ; but it is only what might be expected from 
so cautious and conscientious an inquirer, whose sole aim was to get 
at the truth ; and who, while ever anxious to allow every one a fair 
hearing, shrank instinctively from committing himself to a definite 
alternative where the available data appeared to him insufficient for 
forming a conviction. His mind, indeed, was singularly open to 
argument ; it was as free fiom preconceived ideas as it was disin- 
clined to hasty conclusions. As in his literary inquiries regarding 
the bygone ages of Indian belief, so in his own religious views, 
which, it would seem, were somewhat modified, in his latter years, 
by a close study of modern theological writings. Liberty of research 
and teaching, in whatsoever department of human science, was to 
him an article of faith, which neither his natural reserve, nor out- 
side considerations of any kind, could keep him from vindicating. The 
powerful impetus imparted to the study of the Vedic texts, some 
thirty years ago, gave rise to an animated discussion as to the degree 
of authority to be assigned to the traditionary interpretation of the 
sacred lyrics, as handed down in the native commentaries. Into 
this literary warfare Muir threw himself with the full weight of his 
scholarship, in a manner showing how well he knew to fight for the 
principle of free research, so dear to him. A distinguished Sanskrit 
scholar had given his opinion to the effect that “ in the pre- 
sent stage of- Yaidik studies in Europe, it seemed to him the 
safer course to follow native tradition rather than to accept too 
readily the arbitrary conjectures which Continental scholars so often 
hazard.” This remark drew forth, after a few weeks, Muir’s excel- 
lent paper “On the Interpretation of the Veda ” (Jour, of the Roy. 
