fitions, I could fcarcely fail of being alfo correct in my deductions. 、 By a train of forcible arguments, strengthened by an ingenious aftronomical calculation, that equally zealous and judicious explorer into the genuine antiquities of Afia has fixed the period of the first promulgation of Menu's Inftitutes to that of the establishment of the first monarchies in Egypt and Afia, which could not have taken place many ages pofterior to the deluge; and their first publication, as a code of written laws, to about the year 1289 before Chrift. Now when we read in that code of the engraving and piercing of gems, and particularly of diamonds, an art only recently known in Europe, we know they muft neceffarily have had the use of those fine fteel inftruments without which that operation could not poffibly have been performed, and confequently that they must have been very excellent metallurgifts as early after the deluge as can well be conceived. Again, when, in the fame book, we read of a particular caft, or class, whose fole occupation it is to attend filkworms, we can afcertain, however difputed in favour of the Chinese at a later date, the very early period when filk-weaving flourished in India. To the fame decifion we are irresistibly led in respect to the art of making pottery and porcelain, which induced me to determine that the ancient Murrhins were not chrystal or agate, but a fine kind of porcelain, and I rejoice to hear that so good a judge of the fubject as Dr. Vincent, whose book I have not yet feen, confirms the fact contended for. The portion of my book, in which that affertion ftands, was printed off long prior to the appearance of his. A variety of fimilar proofs may be brought of their having been, in those ancient periods, good chemifts, aftronomers, architects, geometricians, and even anatomifts, an affertion so often and ftrenuously denied; and, for these proofs, I refer the reader to the parts of the Differtation that relate to those facts. Such, Gentlemen, is the fpecies of entertainment which I have endeavoured gratefully to provide for yourselves and the indulgent public in the present volume of Indian Antiquities; and, while I take a final adieu of a fubject that has engroffed fome years of my life, moft fervently do I hope that that my humble effays may only be the forerunner of fome grander effort more fully and effectually to difplay them, fince my mind is eternally impreffed with the conviction from which, indeed, I have uniformly acted, that every additional research into their early annals and history will ultimately tend (not to weaken and subvert, as the fceptic vainly prefumes, but) to ftrengthen and fupport the Mofaic and Chrif tian codes, and, confequently, the highest and beft interefts of MAN. I have the honour to be, GENTLEMEN, with the trueft respect, your ever obliged and faithful fervant, THOMAS MAURICE. British Museum, AD. ADVERTISEMENT. T HE frontispiece of this volume, exhibiting the famous peacock-throne of the Mogul emperors of India, the fubjoined account of that throne by the Baron Tavernier, who faw it about the end of the last century, will probably prove acceptable to the reader. He fpeaks of one peacock only, but two appear in this print, which was drawn, at Delhi, by an European artist in the train of Nadir Shah, who, on the plunder of that city in 1739, broke it to pieces, and carried the jewels that composed it into Perfia, whence they have been scattered through Afia and Europe. "The Great Mogul has feven thrones, fome fet all over with diamonds; others with rubies, emeralds, and pearls. But the largest throne is erected in the hall of the a firft first court of the palace; it is, in form, like one of our field-beds, fix feet long and four broad. I counted about a hundred and eight pale rubies in collets about that throne, the leaft whereof weighed a hundred carats, but there are fome that weigh two hundred. Emeralds I counted about a hundred and forty, that weighed fome threescore, fome thirty, carats. "The under part of the canopy is entirely embroidered with pearls and diamonds, with a fringe of pearls round the edge. Upon the top of the canopy, which is made like an arch with four panes, ftands a peacock, with his tail fpread, confifting entirely of fapphires and other proper coloured ftones: the body is of beaten gold, enchafed with numerous jewels; and a great ruby adorns his breaft, to which hangs a pearl that weighs fifty carats. On each fide of the peacock ftand two nofegays, as high as the bird, confifting of various forts of flowers, all of beaten gold enamelled. When the king feats himfelf upon the throne, there is a tranfparent jewel, with a diamond appendant of eighty or ninety carats weight, encompaffed with rubies and emeralds, fo fufpended |