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diseases, with the peculiarities of the vegetation, and the 
nature of the products it affords. The soil and climate 
where salutary or unwholesome plants grow, or those 
abounding in juices, or such as yield resins or oil, are 
likewise indicated ; so the particular seasons are specified, 
when the different parts of officinal plants should be 
collected. Whether their knowledge of animals extended 
beyond mere acquaintance with their external forms, and 
the names by which they were known, I have no means 
of determining : but it is remarkable that the incarnations 
of their god Vishnu, should be in conformity to the modern 
views respecting the gradation of animal forms, as displayed 
in ascending from the less to the more highly developed ; 
so the incarnations proceed from the fish to the tortoise, 
thence to the pachydermatous boar, the carnivorous lion, 
dwarf, Rama, &c. 
From their Sciences we may proceed to the Fine Arts. Of 
these, the early cultivation of Poetry among the Hindoos 
has been already noticed ; as well as their earliest Archi- 
tecture for its resemblance to the Egyptian. Their later 
and more ornate style, is rich, beautiful, and peculiar ; it 
may be seen in some still very ancient temples, and is repre- 
sented in a few works, as Prinsep's Views of Benares, 
and the Treatise on Hindoo Architecture, by Ram Raz. 
Sculpture also early attracted the attention of the Hindoos ; 
but though they never attained any great eminence in this 
department, their older are more perfect than their 
modern performances ; for even in the ancient, nearly sea- 
covered, city of Mahabalipuram, some of the sculptures 
are stated by Bishop Heber to be very beautifully executed. 
Their Painting, known of course only in its modern state, 
does not proceed beyond indifferent likenesses, and faithfully 
copying what is put before them. But Music must be very 
ancient among the Hindoos, as it is treated of in one 
