do not fully know me, would think that I expected fome advantage either of fame or patronage, by purposing to be made the Juftinian of India; whereas I am confcious of defiring no advantage, but the pleasure of doing general good. I fhall confequently proceed in the work by my own strength, and will print my digeft. by degrees at my own expense, giving copies of it where I know they will be useful. One point I have already attained; I made the pundit of our court read and correct a copy of Halhed's* book in the original Sanferit, and I then obliged him to atteft it as good law, fo that he never now can give corrupt opinions, without certain detection.

May your commercial bloffom arrive at maturity, with all the vigour of Indian vegetation!

My foul expands, like your blossom, at the idea of improved commerce; no fubject is to me more animating.

I have a commercial idea for you, not a

A translation by N. B. Halhed, Esq. of the code. compiled by pundits, by the direction of Mr. Hastings.

bloffom, but as yet a germ only. What if Perfia fhould now flourish! and what if the prefent king, Jaffier Khan, be really as great a man as reprefented! Perfia wants many manufactures of India, and her king would be a valuable ally.

*

thanked you for your

*

I have already

kind attentions to Emin,

and I beg to repeat them.

will be equally thankful.

Many in England

He is a fine fel

low; and if active service should be required, he would feek nothing fo much, as to be placed in the most perilous edge of the battle.

*

*

*

*

In this letter we fee the unabated activity of a vigorous mind, uniting recreation with improvement, and collecting in its progress through the gardens of literature, the flowers

of every foil. A detailed account of the daily ftudies of Sir William Jones would surprise the most indefatigable, and it may not be impertinent to mention in proof of this obfervation, that he found time during his fhort refidence at Chatigan, in addition to the occu

pations which he has defcribed, to perufe twice the heroic poem of Ferdofi, the Homer of Perfia, fuppofed to contain fixty thousand couplets. Of the fentiments expreffed in his correspondence, it is fufficient to remark in general, that they do no lefs honour to his heart than to his judgment. I cannot but with that he had found time to write the ample defcription which he mentions.

Few perfons have paffed through a greater variety of hardships, and perilous adventures, than the perfon mentioned by Sir William Jones, under the name of Emin. Born at Hamadan, in Perfia, of Armenian parents, and exposed during his infancy to uncommon difafters, while a mere youth he followed his father and ruined family to Calcutta. He had there an opportunity of obferving the superiority of Europeans, in arms, arts, and fciences, over the Afiatics, and the impreffion which he received from it, inspired an invincible defire in Emin to acquire the knowledge which they poffeffed. For this purpofe, he determined, at all hazards, to vifit England, and

after a long oppofition from his father, having obtained his reluctant affent, he adopted the only means left for the accomplishment of his purpose, by working his paffage as a common failor in one of the ships belonging to the EastIndia Company. After his arrival in England, he loft no time in beginning to acquire the inftruction which he fo anxiously defired, but his progrefs was retarded by the narrownefs of his circumstances, and he was compelled to fubmit to menial occupations, and laborious employments, to procure a subsistence. Fortune favoured his perfeverance, and in a moment of despair, he was accidentally introduced to the notice of the Duke of Northumberland, and afterwards to that of many gentlemen of rank and fortune, by whofe affiftance his views were prcmoted *.

* Previous to his introduction to the Duke of Northumberland, Emin had become acquainted with Edmund Burke, whom he accidentally met in the Park. After some conversation, Mr. Burke invited Emin to his apartments, up two pair of stairs at the sign of Pope's head, at a bookseller's near the Temple. Emin, ignorant of the name of the gentleman who had treated him with

The great object of Emin, was to obtain a knowledge of military tactics, in the hopes of employing it fuccefsfully, in refcuing the liberty and religion of the country of his anceftors from the defpotifm of the Turks and Perfians. After ferving with the Pruffian and English armies in Germany, he procured

so much courtesy, begged to be favoured with it, and Mr. Burke politely answered, " Sir, my name is Edmund "Burke at your service; I am a run-away son from a "father as you are." He then presented half-a-guinea to Emin, saying, "upon my honour this is what I have at present; please to accept it."

Mr. Burke the next day visited Emin, and assisted him with his advice as to the books which he should read. He introduced him to his relation, Mr. William Burke; and for thirty years Emin acknowledges that he was treated with unceasing kindness by both.

At the period of the commencement of his acquaintance with Mr. Burke, Emin had little left for his maintenance, and the prospect of accomplishing the purpose of his voyage to England became daily more gloomy. "Had "not Mr. Burke consoled him now and then (to use the "words of Emin) he might have been lost for ever through "despair; but his friend always advised him to put his "trust in God, and he never missed a day without seeing "Emin. He was writing books at the time, and desired "the author (i. e. Emin) to copy them; the first was an "Imitation of the late Lord Bolingbroke's Letter; the se"cond, The Treatise of Sublime and Beautiful." Life of Emin, London edition, p. 93.