90 
Proceedings of Societies. 
[March, 
VIII. — Proceedings of Societies. 
1. — Asiatic Society. 
Wednesday, the 9th March. 
The President, Sir C. Gre) r , in the Chair. 
The Reverend Mr. Robertson, and the Reverend Mr. Proctor were elected Members. 
Letters were read from the Royal Asiatic and the Geological Societies of London, 
acknowledging the 1st Part of the Transactions of the Physical Class. Also one 
from Mr. Pakenham, and another from Mr. Bilderbeck, on the subject of the 
publication of a History of Goa, by the latter. 
The following resolutions moved by Dr. Grant, and seconded by Mr. Baillie, 
were adopted: — 
That, where circumstances admit of it, the subject of the papers to be read, be 
stated in the Circular calling the Meeting. 
That the names of the Members to be balloted for, be also specified in the same. 
Resolved, upon the motion of the Secretary, seconded by Sir C. Grey — That it 
shall be optional with Members, who have subscribed for twenty years and upwards, 
to continue their pecuniary contributions. 
A letter was read from the Secretary to the Physical Class, forwarding a Report 
from the Sub-Committee appointed to superintend the works carried on in the 
Fort, for the discovery of a fresh water spring, and requesting a further pecuniar)’ 
grant in aid of the same. Resolved, upon a motion made by Sir Edward Ryan, 
seconded by Dr. Grant — That, with reference to the Report just read, and the pro- 
gress of the boring experiment now carrying on in Fort William, a further advance 
of 1,000 Rupees be placed at the disposal of the Physical Class, for the continuance 
of the same. 
The Secretary announced his intention of submitting through the Committee, 
the names of four foreign gentlemen for election, as Honorary Members of the 
Society. It was resolved, that the Committee take into consideration also, and 
Report at the next meeting, how far it may be expedient to extend admission to the 
Society to residents in India as non-subscribing members. 
Read a letter from Dr. Reuselaer, presenting the continuation of the Annals of 
the Museum of Natural History at New York. The following books were present- 
ed— 1st Volume of a Dictionary, Bengali and English, by Baboo Ram Comul Sen. 
I he Mahabharat, in Hindee, by Laldiinarain Pundit. Journal Asiatique Nos 27-28, 
by the Asiatic Society of Paris. Third Volume of the Transactions of the Society of 
Commerce and Agriculture, at Caen, by the Society. Twelfth Vol. of the Transac- 
tions of the Batavian Society, by the Association. Ashbach’s History of the 
Ommiades in Spain, by the Author. The Meteorological Registers, for November, 
December, and January, from the Surveyor General’s Office. A paper by the 
Secretary was then read, entitled Notes on the portion of the Dionysiacs oi Nonnus, 
relating to the Indians. * 
tiJ n n he IXth V f ! xT pa ° G 93 ’ ° f thc , Research es, the late Colonel Wilford, quoting 
the of Nonnus, asserts that they “ are really the history of the Maha- 
y fc gre f - var ^ A , Cert f l . n l Dionysius, he continues, wrote also a history of 
the Mahabharata in Greek, which is lost, but from the few fragments remaining, 
woTXJnvl 11 tS IT 11 ' 17 ’ 1110 Same , With that 0f Nonnus, and he entitled his 
oik Bassanca. The Dionysiacs supply deficiencies in the Mahabharata in San- 
scrit, such as some emigrations from India, which it is highly probable took place 
“ conseauence of the hW,„ Sir William Jones, Vtonftod 
a different notion ot the Dionysiacs, although bp n ^ , „ 
parallel between them and a Hindu poem— the disposed to draw a 
confident that an accurate comparison oT thetwo^ 5 expressing himself 
identity of Dionysius, and the elder Rama WOuld establish 
the analogies traceable between the Poem of Norm/" C \ ? roceeds to .e* 3 ™! 16 
That any affinity between Dionysius and R um i« p S ? nd ,^ e great Indian Epic- 
compared with the Ramayana, is an assertion he thi Y lnce ^ the Dionysiacs, a® 
scarcely justify. assertion, he thinks, which a comparison will 
‘ There is uo resemblance between the hernia 
,'£? , Ai d “ t !* «?»'«* itself into whatever lik’eieL "I 
" morn, that the work of Nonnus is the histo v nftlL n 7 «, n Bca «eiy admit wnu 
any deficiencies in the Sanscrit composition ’ Y f 1 G at War » or tl)at lt supplies 
of tlie° two* Ind ian Epii" id ZZ X’t Wils °" briefly ,o the subjects 
V^siaca as relate to the events, of which bttoVtte^offte^ P<>rti0 “ ° f ^ 
