583 
Mr. Wilkins's Catalogue , &c. 
sian language, several copies of which are to be found in our 
public libraries. The Gita , which has appeared in an English 
dress, forms part of this work; but, as it contains doctrines 
thought too sublime for the vulgar, it is often left out of the 
text, as happens to be the case in this copy. Its place is in 
the 6 th book, called Bhishma-parva. This copy is written in 
the character which, by way of pre-eminence, is called Dev a - 
nagari. Ly J. 
1. b. Ditto . 
Another copy, without notes, written in the character pecu- 
liar to the province of Bengal , in which the Brahmans of that 
country are wont to transcribe all their Sanscrita books. Most 
of the alphabets of India, though they differ very much in the 
shape of their letters, agree in their number and powers, and 
are capable of expressing the Sanscrita , as well as their own 
particular language. This copy contains the Gita , in its proper 
place. LrJ. 
2. a. Bamayana. 
The adventures of Rama , a poem in seven books, with notes, 
in the Devandgari character. There are several works with the 
same title, but this, written by Valmici, is the most esteemed. 
The suoject of all the Ramayanas is the same: the popular 
story oi Rama , surnamed Ddsarathi, supposed to be an incar- 
nation of the god Vishnu , and his wonderful exploits to recover 
his beloved Sit a out of the hands of Rdvana, the gigantic 
tyrant of Lanca. Ly J. 
2. b. Ditto. 
Another copy, in the Bengal character, without notes, by 
Valmici . Ly J. 
