Discourse by LORD MINTO, Governor IF (Concluded from our last, p. 195.) Gentlemen of the College of FORT- F I have been silent, hitherto, on the acknowledged merits of the Professors and other Officers of the College, it is because I feel, that the excellence of the scholar is the best praise of the master; and that the favourable sentiments I have been so happy as to express, concerning the general and increasing proficiency of students, conveyed in the least questionable, and perhaps the most acceptable form, the panegyric of the Preceptor. I have great satisfaction, however, in saying distinctly, that the skill, assiduity, and learning of the Professors and their coadjutors, have never been more conspicuous than in the present year. I feel myself, indeed, responsible for having, in one instance, withdrawn from the College, one of its most distinguished and efficient members. —— But if I have despoiled one temple of its ornaments, it has been for the decoration and service of another. If the familiar and universal knowledge of Dr Leyden in the numerous languages of the East, and yet much more, if his profound researches into the science of Eastern philology be considered, we should ascribe such extensive erudition and acquirements to the severe labour of a long life; while in reality, their sudden and rapid attainment has resembled rather the gift of tongues, or some peculiar privilege of his own, than the slow process and long vigils of human study. The regrets of learning, however, which follow the transfer of Dr Leyden to other functions, April 1809. will, I am persuaded, yield to the reflexion, that the same acute, informed, upright, and delicate mind, is enlisted in the service of the highest and dearest interests of society. I pass, now, to the notice of those accessions to the literature of the East, which have been already made, and of immediate connexion with the college those which are in progress, either in of Fort William, or associated to it, by a similarity of liberal tastes and pursuits in their authors. A printing press has been established by learned Hindoos, furnished with complete founts of improved Nagree types of different sizes, for the printing of books in the Sanscrit language. This press has been encouraged by the College to undertake an edition of the best Sanscrit dictionaries, and a compilation of the Sanscrit rules of Gram mar. The first of these works is completed, and with the second, which is in considerable forwardness, will form a valuable collection of Sanscrit philology. It may be hoped that the introduction of the art of printing among the Hindoos, which has been thus begun by the institution of a Sanscrit press, will promote the general diffusion of knowledge among this numerous and very ancient people; at the same time that it becomes the means of preserving the classic remains of their literature and sciences. The compilation of an Alphabetical Sanscrit Dictionary, from the principal vocabularies of the language, and other authorities, had been undertaken soon after the institution of the College, by learned natives, employed for that purpose. The work, which comprizes the etymology as well as interpretation of each term, together with examples from classical writers, has been lately completed, and a copy has been deposited in the Library of the College A dictionary, Sanscrit and English, consisting of the text of the celebrated Amera Amera Cosha, with a translation and notes, the value of which will be understood, when I say, that they are the work of Mr Colebrooke, late President of the College Council, has been long in the Press. The work is now completed, and may be expected to be published in a few months. A plan of a Comparative Vocabulary of Indian languages, in imitation of that which was executed under the orders of the Empress Catherine, for the provinces composing the Russian Empire, was proposed in the preceding year, by Sir James Macintosh, who adorns and improves the short leisure of a laborious station, with learning and the promotion of learning.His proposal was founded on a very just view of the value and importance of the information which such a comparison may be expected to afford. A more extensive plan for the compilation of Grammars and Dictionaries of Asiatic languages had been also suggested by Dr Leyden, who had it in contemplation to undertake himself the task of conducting the compilation. This plan being, however, deferred, the Council of the College adopted a different arrangement, with the view of furnishing the information sought by Sir James Macintosh, and at the same time forming a useful collection of Vocabularies of all provincial languages and dialects of India. For this purpose, a Vocabulary in Persian and Hindoostanee, and another in Sanscrit and Bengalee, have been prepared, and will be printed and circulated, for the purpose of being filled up by competent persons with the corresponding terms in other languages in use in India. The printed Vocabularies will be soon completed: and as it cannot be doubted, that assistance will be rendered by every gentleman, whose local situation enables him to forward this useful undertaking, the successful issue of it may be confidently anticipated. Meer Sheer Ulee, the head Moon shee, in the Hindoostanee department of the College, having compiled and arranged, in the Hindoostanee language, a work on the History and Geography of India, has been encouraged by the College to print it for publication. The dissemination, by means of the press, of works composed by Natives eminent for their knowledge and practical skill in this dialect, must gradually polish, and fix a standard of excellence in a language, which, though long employed as an elegant medium of colloquial intercourse, and as the vehicle of poetical imagery, has hitherto been little used for prose composition. The College Council, and the Asiatic Society, who formerly resolved to support Mr Carey and his assistants in a translation of the Rámayán, have since determined to extend a similar support to the publication, by the same persons, of the text book of one of the systems of Hindoo philosophy, entitled Sánc'hyá. This will constitute a further step towards the attainment of the interesting object of making known, by means of literal versions, those works in the ancient language of India, which are held in great estimation by the Hindoos themselves. A Dictionary of the Marhatta language, compiled by Mr Carey, and printed by him in the Marhatta character, has been some time in the press. It is a work which has been long wanted, and the publication of this, with the grammar before prepared by Mr Carey, furnishing the means of acquiring a very useful language, will be found of essential benefit, by the junior servants of the Company, on the establishments of Fort St George and Bombay. We are indebted to Mr H. P. Forster, for two works of great labour, learning, and utility in Sanscrit Philology. The first, of which about 400 pages are already printed, contains-1. Ån essay on Sanscrit Grammar, with ta bles bles of inflections, 2. A dissertation on Sanscrit roots. 3. A translation of the Mugdabodha, a celebrated treatise on Sanscrit Grammar, in which the enigmatical expressions of the original are fully illustrated, and the rules exemplified. Mr Forster's second work, which is nearly ready for the press, consists of a Dictionary in the Sanscrit and Bengalee Languages. The words are arranged alphabetically, with a translation into English. The etymologies are pointed out, and where necessary, confirmed and illustrated by examples. Mr Francis Gladwin has contributed to the stock of Indian Philology, a Dictionary of Persian, Hindoostanee, and English, in three parts, composing three octavo volumes. The first part contains words in familiar use, including Synonyma. The second, Arabic and Persian words that occur chiefly in books; compound and metaphorical allusions. The third, supplies Indexes to the different languages. In this enumeration, I must not omit a work of Mirza Kazim Ali Juan, entitled, an Historical Account of the Bhamini Dynasty of the Dekhan, being nearly a translation into Hindoostanee of that portion of Ferishta's Persie history. There are two languages which, although included within the comprehensive scheme of Oriental study embraced by the College of Fort William at an earlier period of the institution, are not provided for in the modified plan of instruction to which the College is now restricted. Both languages, however, are spoken within the Company's possessions, and one of them occupies many regions scattered over a great space, which is not only the seat of an active and extensive commerce, but the theatre often of other important and interesting transactions. The languages to which I allude are the Malay, and the Affghan or Pooshta. Although on the present scale of Oriental studies at the College of Fort William, other languages undoubtedly have deserved a preference to its immediate support and patronage, yet I cannot think either of those I have mentioned entirely devoid of interest; in the first place, as branches of the general and liberal pursuit of Eastern learning which we profess; and in the next place, as bearing either a present and immediate, or in the many chances of human vicissitude, a prospective, and, perhaps, not remote affinity to our affairs. Under these impressions, I have not deemed it wholly foreign to the occasion, that I should notice any progress that may have been made in the cultivation of these tongues. I shall begin with the Affghan, which is spoken as well in Rohilkund, and all the Affghan districts in our possession, as in Affghanistan proper. The first steps, in facilitating an access to that language, were made, I understand, by Emir Mahummed, a native of Peshawer in Affghanistan, who at the instance of Dr Hunter, formed a Vocabulary of this language, accompanied by translations into Pooshta, of a few short tales, in prose. The field, however, did not long remain in his single occupation. He was joined by a zealous Orientalist of our own country, who, invited by these first specimens of Affghan produce, was tempted into this new province of Philology. The fruits of this association were, the extension of Emir Mahummed's vocabulary into a considerable dictionary; an essay in Affghan grammar; and a more finished version of the prose compositions. The progress did not stop here. The interest of the Affghans, awakened to the honour of their language, by the curiosity and exertion of stran gers; and Mohubbut Khan, a chieftain of Rohilkund, a learned man, and son of the celebrated Hafiz Ramut, roused by the researches of Colonel Collins concerning the Affghan com position ary of the Pooshta language, which, with the assistance of his own learned Affghans, he accomplished in the space of one year; a work, which I am able to say, on better authority than my own, does high credit to the spirit and exertion, as well as to the learning and capacity of the Rohilla chief. The Malay language is that of trade and general intercourse on the shores of the Eastern Isles, as well as on the Malay Peninsula. In our settlements on the Prince of Wales's Island, and on Sumatra, it is of the same importance as the Hindoostanee and Persic taken together, in this part of India; for, in addition to its being the language of general intercourse, it is also that of deeds, official papers, and records 'It is, therefore, satisfactory to know, that this medium of human knowledge is not entirely neglected. At Penang, Mr Shaw has made considerable progress in publishing a grammar of the Malay language. This work, by the accounts of it which have reached me, will be found to contain a considerable mass of every valuable material. Mr Shaw has sought for his information at the fountain head; both in the most approved Malay compositions, and at the courts of the Rajahs of that country, where he has the merit of having resided for the laudable purpose of improving his knowledge of the language. them, by the short and I position, set about compiling a diction- I shall scarcely seem to transgress easy transition thence, to the language of China. am in truth strongly inclined, whether regularly or not, to deal one encouraging word, to the meritorious, and I hope not unsuccessful effort, making, I may say, at the door of our College, though not admitted to its portico, to force that hitherto impregnable fortress, the Chinese language. The means we all know, that, in the present circumstances, can be employed in that difficult undertaking, are very inconsiderable. The honour is so much the greater to those, whose enterprize seems already to have opened at least a prospect of success. Three young men, I ought, indeed, to say, boys, have not only acquired a ready use of the Chinese language for the purpose of oral communication, which, I understand, is neither difficult nor rare, amongst Europeans connected with China; but they have atchieved in a degree worthy of admiration, that which has been deemed scarcely within the reach of European faculties or industry; I mean a very extensive and correct acquaintance with the written language of China. I will not detail the particulars of the examination which took place on the 10th of this month at Serampore, in the Chinese language, the report of which however I have read with great interest, and recommend to the liberal notice of those whom I have the honour to address. It is enough for my present purpose to say, that these young pupils read Chinese books and translate them; and they write compositions of their own in the Chinese language and character. A Chinese press too is established, and in actual use. In a word, if the founders and supporters of this little College have not yet dispelled, they have at least rent and admitted a dawn of day through that thick and impenetrable cloud, they have passed that oceanum dissociabilem, which for so many ages has in The same language has been successfully cultivated by Mr Raffles, Secretary to the Government of Prince of Wales's Island, who, much to his honour, has been long employed in compiling a Code of Addat Malaya, or Malay Laws, from the best authorities in the Malay and Bouguese language. If I have not passed beyond the legitimate bounds of this discourse, in ranging to the extremity of those Countries, and to the furthest island of that vast Archipelago in which the Malay language prevails, sulated, sulated that vast Empire from the rest of mankind. Let us entertain at least the hope, that a perseverance in this or similar attempts, may let in at length upon those multitudes, the contraband and long-forbidden blessings of human intercourse and social improvement. I must not omit to commend the zealous and persevering labours of Mr Lassar, and of those learned and pious persons associated with him, who have accomplished, for the future benefit, we may hope, of that immense and populous region, Chinese versions in the Chinese character, of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, throw ing open that precious mine, with all its religious and moral treasures, to the dargest associated population in the world. It is impossible to be silent to-day on the change which has removed from your chair the eminent scholar, who, speaking in the scale of human rank, now fills a higher place. I cannot, however, condole with you on that event, because, in reality, while additional honours have fallen on the heads of your two most distinguished Members, no substantial alteration is experienced by your learned body.The promotion of Mr Colebrooke will not be found to withdraw him from the cultivation, the protection, or the encouragement of learning. To operate such a revolution, it is not enough to pass Mr Colebrooke, from one honourable station to another. He must be made a new man, and divested of himself. He who, in Asiatic letters, facile princeps, surrounded by illustrious scholars, has held, by acclamation and general consent, the highest place, can neither abdicate that precedence, nor lay down either the practice of study or the literary affections and solicitudes which are its attributes. The benefit which the state is to receive from the seat he now occupies is not detracted from you.His new honours are new ornaments to your society, and his additional rank and authority augment his power, without diminishing his zeal to serve your cause. But if in literal truth it must be said, that one golden branch has been broken off from your tree, non deficit alter. Your chair is again filled by a distinguished scholar, and an upright and an able magistrate. In both characters, I am bound to-day, to present to Mr Harrington, the acknowledgements of the College and the public, for the Analysis of Mahomedan Law, with which he has enriched them both. A work, to which the scholar and the judge seem, as if in emulation, to have brought their choicest contributions. It is, indeed, fitting in all countries, but indispensable in this, that those two characters should meet on the benches of our highest tribunals. Nothing can better illustrate the gains that accrue to all, by the kindly traffick amongst men of reciprocal benefits, than this work. While Mr Harrington, as a man of letters, has gathered the flowers of literature from the native volumes of Mahomedan jurisprudence, he makes a rich return to our native subjects, in the pure dispensation of a law which they love and are accustomed to revere. That the learned forms of our College may long supply such magistrates, and that the venerable benches of our tribunals may long return such scholars to preside in your Council, is the wish of one, who, unlearned himself, is an ardent lover, both of learning and justice. I am desirous, before I conclude, to address a few words to the younger part of my audience. In doing so, I should wish to lay down my authority, or if it must be maintained, let it be that of a parent, tempered with indulgence and affection. Two objects are proposed by these, solemnities: First, The mere and pure satisfaction of justice. That merit may not be defrauded of its due reward; but ma |