grity, his humanity and probity, as well as his benevolence, which every living creature participated. 14. The History of India before the Mohammedan Conquest. From the Sanscrit Cashmir Histories. The History of Persia, from Authorities in Sanscrit, Arabic, Greek, Turkish, Persian, Ancient and Modern. 20. The Five Poems of Nizami, translated in Prose. CHINA. Translation of the Shí-cing. 22. The Text of Con-fu-tsu, verbally translated. TARTARY. 23. A History of the Tartar Nations, chiefly of the Moguls and Othmans, from the Turkish and Persian. Could the figure, (I quote with pleasure his own words,) inftincts, and qualities of birds, beafts, infects, reptiles, and fifh, be afcertained, either on the plan of Buffon, or on that of Linnæus, without giving pain to the objects of our examination, few studies would afford us more folid inftruction, or more exquisite delight; but I never could learn by what right, nor conceive with what feelings, a naturalift can occafion the mifery of an innocent bird, and leave its young, perhaps, to perish in a cold neft, because it has gay plumage, and has never been accurately delineated, or deprive even a butterfly of its natural enjoyments, because it has the misfortune to be rare or beautiful: nor fhall I ever forget the couplet of Ferdaufi, for which Sadi, who cites it with applause, pours bleffings on his departed spirit: Ah! spare yon emmet, rich in hoarded grain; This may be only a confeffion of weakness, and it certainly is not meant as a boast of peculiar fenfibility; but whatever name may be given to my opinion, it has fuch an effect on my conduct, that I never would fuffer the cocila, whose wild native wood-notes announce the approach of spring, to be caught in my garden, for the fake of comparing it with Buffon's defcription; though I have often examined the domeftic and engaging Mayana, which "bids us good morrow" at our windows, and expects, as its reward, little more than fecurity: even when a fine young manis or pangolin was brought to me, against my wish, from the mountains, I folicited his reftoration to his beloved rocks, because I found it impoffible to preserve him in comfort at a distance from them. I have noticed his cheerful and affiduous performance of his filial and fraternal duty: To the other virtues of Mr. Jones, (I quote the teftimony and words of profeffor Bjornfhal, who vifited Oxford whilft Sir William Jones refided there, obligingly communicated to me by Dr. Ford of Mag. Hall,) "I ought to add that of filial duty, which "he displays at all times in the most exemLife-V. II. X plary manner. I am not fingular in the "obfervation here made. Every one ac quainted with Mr. Jones, makes it likewife. "I feel a pleasure in dwelling upon a charac86 ter that does fuch high honour to human nature." The unceafing regret of Lady Jones is a proof of his claim upon her conjugal affections; and I could dwell with rapture on the affability of his conversation and manners, on his modeft, unaffuming deportment, nor can I refrain from remarking, that he was totally free from pedantry, as well as from that arrogance and self-sufficiency, which fometimes accompany and disgrace the greatest abilities; his presence was the delight of every fociety, which his converfation exhilarated and improved. His intercourfe with the Indian natives of character and abilities was extenfive: he liberally rewarded those by whom he was ferved and affifted, and his dependents were treated by him as friends. Under this denomination, he has frequently mentioned in his works the name of Bahman, a native of Yezd, and follower of the doctrines of Zoroafter, whom he retained in his pay, and whose death he often adverted to with regret. Nor can I refift the impulfe which I feel to repeat an anecdote of what occurred after his demife; the pundits who were in the habit of attending him, when I saw them at a public durbar, a few days after that melancholy event, could neither reftrain their tears for his lofs, nor find terms to exprefs their admiration at the wonderful progress which he had made, in the fciences which they profeffed*. " *The following is a translation of a Sanscrit note written to Sir William Jones, by a venerable pundit, whom he employed in superintending the compilation of Hindu law. From my own communications with the writer of the note, I can venture to assert, that his expressions of respect for Sir William Jones, although in the Oriental style, were most sincere. Trivédi Servoru Sarman, who depends on you alone for support, presents his humble duty, with a hundred benedictions. VERSES. 1. To you there are many like me; yet to me there is none like you, but yourself; there are numerous groves of night flowers; yet the night flower sees nothing like the moon, but the moon. |