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Sanscrit dramas. The Indian origin of the Fables of 
Pilpay lias been already mentioned ; but some even of the 
tales of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments have been 
traced to the voluminous Sanscrit collection of stories, called 
Vrihatkafha. 
Of the Hindoo systems of philosophy, Sir Wm. Jones 
has said, " we now live among the professors of those 
philosophical tenets, which the Ionic and Attic writers 
illustrated with all the beauties of their melodious language. 
In retired scenes, in groves, and in seminaries of learning, 
we may perceive the Brahmans and the Sarmanes, men- 
tioned by Clemens, disputing in the forms of logic, or 
discoursing on the vanity of human enjoyments, on the 
immortality of the soul, her emanation from the eternal 
mind, her debasement, wanderings, and final union with 
her source. The six philosophical schools, whose principles 
are explained in the Dersana Sastra, comprise all the 
metaphysics of the Old Academy, the Stoa, the Lyceum ; 
nor is it possible to read the Vedanta, or the many fine 
compositions in illustration of it, without believing that 
Pythagoras and Plato derived their sublime theories from 
the same fountain with the sages of India. 11 (3d Disc.) 
" The little treatise, in four chapters, ascribed to Vyasa, is 
the only philosophical Sastra, the original text of which 
I have had leisure to peruse with a Brahmin of the Vedanti 
school. 11 The commentary of Sancara on the Vedanta, " not 
only elucidates every word of the text, but exhibits a 
perspicuous account of all other Indian schools, from that 
of Capila to those of the more modem heretics. It is not 
possible, indeed, to speak with too much applause of so 
excellent a work ; and I am confident in asserting, that, 
until an accurate translation of it shall appear in some 
European language, the general history of philosophy 
must remain incomplete. (Jones. 11th Disc.) The autho 
