he is at peace with the Siamefe, he may be a good neighbour, and we may be gainers by

the religious men of the age, one of whom, by name Budder, resorting to his place of residence, was solicited by the Rajah to appoint some one for the purpose of instructing him in religious rites, and Shawhmany was ac cordingly appointed agreeably to the Rajah's requisition; at this time it rained from Heaven, gold, silver, and precious stones, which were buried under ground in charge of the above priest, whose house was of gold and silver workmanship, to which the people resort, and worship the deities; and the Rajah kept a large establishment of servants, and of slaves at the temple, for the service of travellers and passengers; and his time was engaged in the studying of the five books, and he always refrained from immoral practices and deeds interdicted by his religion, and the priests, &c. abstained from the flesh of geese, pigeons, goats, hogs, and of fowls; and wickedness, theft, adultery, lying, drunkenness, were unknown in that age. I likewise pursue a line of conduct and religion similar to the above; but previous to my conquest of Arracan, the people were as snakes wounding men, a prey to enmity and disorder; and in several provinces there were eaters of the flesh of men, and wickedness prevailed amongst them, so that no man could trust his neighbour. At this time one Bowdah Outhar, otherwise Sery Boot Taukwor, came down in the country of Arracan, and instructed the people and the beasts of the field in the principles of religion and rectitude, and agreeably to his word the country was governed for a period of 5000 years, so that peace and good-will subsisted amongst men; agreeably hereto is the tenor of my conduct and government of my people: as there is an oil, the produce of a certain spot of the earth, of exquisite flavour, so is Life-V. II.

I

his gold and ivory; but I have no inclination to tafte his fweet and delicious petroleum, which he praises fo highly; I am fatisfied with the smell of it, and with its fingular pro

my dignity and power above that of other Rajahs; and Taffloo Rajah, the high priest, having consulted with the others of that class, represented to me on 15th Aughur 1148, saying, do you enforce the laws and customs of Sery Boot Taukwor, which I accordingly did, and moreover erected six places of divine worship, and have conformed myself strictly to the laws and customs of Sery Tamah Chucka, governing my people with lenity and justice.

As the country of Arracan lies contiguous to Chittagong, if a Treaty of Commerce were established between me and the English, perfect amity and alliance would ensue from such engagements; therefore I have submitted it to you, that the merchants of your country should resort hither for the purpose of purchasing pearls, ivory, wax, and that in return my people should be permitted to resort to Chittagong for the purpose of trafficking in such commodities as the country may afford; but as the Mugs residing at Chittagong have deviated from the principles of religion and morality, they ought to be corrected for their errors and irregularities agreeably to the written laws, insomuch as those invested with power will suffer eternal punishment in case of any deviation from their religion and laws, but whoever conforms his conduct to the strict rules of piety and religion, will hereafter be translated to Heaven. I have accordingly sent four elephant's teeth under charge of 30 persons, who will return with your answer to the above proposals and offers of alliance.

perty of reftoring the scent of Ruffia leather.. I am told he is an able man; but from all I can learn, I fufpect him to be an ambitious dog, who would act the lion if he could, and end, as he is faid to have begun, the Aurenzeb of the Indian peninsula.

We are pretty well, and hope that you are now in good health. You will not (though you diflike medicine) object to my prescrip

tion :

Take a concerto of Corelli,

An air of Leo, or Pergolesi,

a trio of Haydn, &c. Mixtura fiat.

Would I could be as good a physician to you, as I am, &c.

Sir William Jones to J. Shore, Efq.

May 12, 1787.

You have sent me a treasure,

which will enable me to fatisfy my mind at least on the chronology of India; need I say, that I fhall ever be happy in the converfation of fo learned a man as Rhadacaunt? Before I return to Calcutta, I fhall have read his interesting book, and shall be better able to con

verse with him in Sanfcrit, which I fpeak continually with my pundit.

I can easily conceive all your feelings, but confider, my dear friend, that you are now collecting for yourself (while you ferve your country) thofe flowers which will give a brighter bloom even to the valleys of Devonshire, that you are young and have as fair a profpect of long happiness as any mortal can have. I predict, that when I meet you a few years hence at Teignmouth, where I hope to spend many a season with all that my foul cherishes in this world, I fhall hear you confefs, that your painful toil in India, conduced in the end to your happiness. That you may enjoy as much of it as human life affords, is the fincere wish of, &c.

Sir William Jones to J. Shore, Esq.

June 24.

*

I am well, rifing constantly

between three and four, and ufually walking two or three miles before funrife; my wife

is tolerably well; and we only lament, that the damp weather will foon oblige us to leave our herds and flocks, and all our rural delights on the banks of the Baghiratti. The business of the court will continue at least two months longer, after which I purpose to take a house at Bandell or Hugli, and pass my autumnal vacation as ufual with the Hindu bards. I have read your pundit's curious book twice in Sanfcrit, and will have it elegantly copied; the Dabistan also I have read through twice with great attention; and both copies are ready to be returned, as you shall direct. Mr. R. Johnston thinks he has a young friend who will tranflate the Dabistan, and the greatest part of it would be very interefting to a curious reader, but fome of it cannot be tranflated. It contains more recondite learning, more entertaining history, more beautiful specimens of poetry, more ingenuity and wit, more indecency and blafphemy, than I ever faw collected in a fingle volume: the two laft are not the author's, but are introduced in the chapters on the heretics and