4#8 stivWa tit's 4 ccmnt vf 
curiofity, without the means of giving more com pleat 
light concerning it. Time and opportunity may put more 
in my power on my return to India. In the mean time, I 
hope the Society will accept as a rarity, the tranflation of 
the original letter which the Tayfhoo Lama wrote to Mr. 
Hastings, by -the envoy whom he fent to foiicit a peace 
for the Deb. Rajah. It came into my hands in the courfe 
of my office, and by the permiffion of the Governor 
general I retained a copy. 
The original is in Perllan, a language which the Lama 
was obliged to employ, that of Thibet, although very 
elegant and expreffive, as it is Laid, being totally unin- 
telligible in Bengal. A letter under the fanclion of a 
character fo long talked of in the weftern world, but fo 
little known, alone renders it an objedt of curiofity; but, 
when it is found to contain l'entiments of juftice, bene- 
volence, and piety, couched in a fimple ftyle, not with- 
out dignity, and in general exempt from the high-flown 
compliments and ftrained metaphors fo common among 
the other people of the Eaft, I have no doubt of its 
being received with approbation ; at any rate, it will ferve 
as a fpecimen of the way of thinking and writing among 
a people whofe country and manners I have made the 
fubjedt of the foregoing fketch. 
'Tranflation 
