and profeffed, he could not fuffer the attack to pass without reprehenfion, and he grounded it on premises, which his opponents could not difpute, nor did they venture to anfwer.

From Hinzuan to the Ganges, nothing material occurred, and he landed at Calcutta, in September 1783. His reputation had preceded his arrival, which was anxiously expected, and he had the happiness to find, that his appointment had diffused a general fatisfaction, which his prefence now rendered complete. The Students of the Oriental languages were eager to welcome a scholar, whofe erudition in that branch of literature was unrivalled, and whofe labours and genius had affifted their progress; while the public rejoiced in the poffeffion of a magistrate, whofe probity and independence were no less acknowledged than his abilities.

With what rapture he himself contemplated his new fituation, may be more eafily conceived than described. As a magistrate of the fupreme court of judicature, he had

new that opportunity, which he ever ardently defired, of devoting his talents to the fervice of his native country, and of promoting the happiness of the community in which he refided; while the hiftory, antiquities, natural productions, arts, fciences, and literature of Afia, opened an extenfive and almost boundless field to his enquiries. He was now placed amidst a people, whose pretenfions to antiquity had hitherto eluded refearch, and whofe manners, religion, and customs, ftill retained the fame characteristical peculiarities, by which they were originally distinguished. Time, who spreads 'the veil of oblivion over the opinions and works of mankind, who annihilates empires and the records of their existence, had spared the doctrines and language of the followers of Brama, and amidst the ravages of conqueft and oppreffions of tyranny, feemed to protect with parental care fome of the earliest monuments of his reign. The Hindoos in fact prefented to the observation of Sir William Jones, a living picture of antiquity:

and although the colouring might be fomewhat faded and obfcured, the lineaments of the original character were ftill difcernible by the moft fuperficial obferver, whilft he remarked them with difcrimination and rapture.

In December 1783, he entered upon his judicial functions, and, at the opening of the feffions, delivered his firft charge to the grand jury. The public had formed a high eftimate of his oratorical powers, nor were they disappointed. His addrefs was elegant, concife, and appropriate; the expofition of his fentiments and principles was equally manly and conciliatory, and calculated to infpire general fatisfaction, as the known fincerity of his character was a test of his adherence to his profeffions. In glancing at diffentions, which, at no remote period, had unfortunately prevailed between the fupreme executive and judicial powers in Bengal, he fhewed that they might and ought to be avoided, that the functions of both were dif tinct, and could be exercifed without danger

of collifion, in promoting what should be the object of both, the public good.

In the intervals of leifure from his profeffional duties, he directed his attention to fcientific objects; he foon faw that the field of research in India, was of an extent to baffle the industry of any individual; and that whatever fuccefs might attend his own indefatigable labours, it could only be explored by the united efforts of many. With these ideas, he devised the inftitution of a fociety in Calcutta, on the plan of those established in the principal cities of Europe, as beft calculated to excite and facilitate the enquiries of the ingenious, as affording the means of preferving the numerous little tracts and effays, which otherwise would be loft to the public, and of concentrating all the va luable knowledge, which might be obtained in Afia. The fuggeftion was received with the greatest fatisfaction by several gentlemen to whom he communicated it, and the members of the new affociation affembled for the first time, in January 1784.

The repetition of a narrative, which has already appeared in feveral publications*, may be deemed fuperfluous; but a detail of the circumstances attending the formation of an Institution, of which Sir William Jones was not only the founder, but the brightest ornament, cannot with propriety be omitted· in the memoirs of his life.

It had been refolved to follow, as nearly as poffible, the plan of the Royal Society in London, of which the King is the patron, and at the first meeting, it was therefore agreed, to address the Governor-General and Council of Bengal, explaining the objects of the fociety, and foliciting the honour of their patronage, which was granted in the most flattering terms of approbation. The members next proceeded to the nomination of a president: and as Warren Haftings, Efquire, then Governor-General of India, had distinguished himself as the firft libéral promoter of useful knowledge in Bengal, and especially

* Asiatic Researches, vol. i. Introduction. The account is omitted in the works of Sir William Jones.