388 
[No. 4. 
Letter on the Guptas, Sfc. 
hundred years before our era. But the Babu, like Professor Lassen, 
after silently converting him into Budhagupta and from a Buddhist 
into a Hindu, takes him to have been one with the Budhagupta of 
Eran. This identification is utterly untenable ; and the Babu had 
before his eyes the clearest evidence of its being so.* 
The Babu likewise writes, as if he were dealing with demonstrated 
historical verities, of “ Kumaragupta, several generations before 
Budhagupta assumed the royal sceptre,” and of “ Skandagupta, the 
immediate predecessor of Budhagupta.” Not to my knowledge, is 
there one particle of proof, that Kumaragupta preceded Budhagupta, 
or that Skandagupta did, whether immediately, or after an interval. 
That with Skandagupta, “ to all appearance, the glory of the Guptas 
set for ever,”f is a conclusion of mine which, till we possess ourselves 
of fresh data, is likely to hold its ground. 
In parting, I would remind the Babu, that fidelity of citation and 
reference is a negative virtue not to be contemned by any of us ; and 
that, if one is minded to build, it is well to select weather-proof 
materials. 
I have the honor to be, 
Sir, 
Your most obedient Servant, 
Puz-EowAitD Hall. 
Camp Lali ill pore, January ls£, 18G2. 
* Vide supra, pp. 143-147. 
■f Vide supra, p. 148. 
