hands, it may not perhaps be amifs to add some others. But, as Mr. Swinton has fuggefted, that he has fome oubts about the fate of the writings of the old Perfians, I think

in 1755, for the purpose of acquiring the ancient language of Persia, and that of the Bramins. His ardour for this undertaking was so great, that he engaged himself to the French East-India Company as a private soldier, as affording the speediest means of accomplishing the voyage, but some friends procured his discharge, and a small pension for him from the Crown of France. He arrived at Pondicherry, in 1755, and, after travelling over various parts of India, by the assistance of the Government of Bombay, was enabled to return to Europe in an English vessel, and landed at Portsmouth, in November 1761. He brought with him many Oriental manuscripts, which he afterwards carried to France, and in 1771 published three quarto volumes, containing an account of his travels, and the information which he had obtained in the course of them, under the general title of Zind-Avesta, Ouvrage de Zoroaster.

In a discourse addressed to the Asiatic Society at Calcutta, in 1789, Sir William Jones speaks of him, as "having had the merit of undertaking a voyage to India in "his earliest youth, with no other view than to recover "the writings of Zeratusht (Zoröaster) and who would "have acquired a brilliant reputation in France, if he had "not sullied it by his immoderate vanity and virulence "of temper, which alienated the good-will even of his ἐσ own countrymen." In the same discourse, he affirms, that M. Anquetil most certainly had no knowledge of Sanscrit.

In 1798, M. Anquetil published a work, entitled,

you would do well to confult him, before you publish your English translation.

I am glad you intend to oblige the world with an English tranflation of your letter; and if, among the anecdotes which Mr. Swinton fent you, you will be fo good as to insert that, wherein he says, that he was prefent all the time that Perron was with me, but does not remember that I ever told him that I understood the ancient Perfian language, I fhall be much obliged to you. I am fure I never pretended, nor could pretend, to any further knowledge of it, than that of the alphabet, as given by Dr. Hyde.

I am, &c.

THOMAS HUNT.

L'Inde en rapport avec l'Europe, which is more remarkable for the virulence of its invectives against the English, and for its numerous misrepresentations, than for the information which it contains, or the soundness of the reflections which it conveys. In the summary of its contents, stated in the title-page, he professes to give a detailed, accurate, and terrific picture of the English Machiavelism in India, and he addresses his work in a ranting bombast dedication to the manes of Dupleix and Labourdonnais. It does not appear that the temper of Mr. A. has been meliorated, although he had then nearly attained his 70th year.

The small volume of poems*, confifting chiefly of tranflations from the Afiatic languages, with two profe differtations annexed, was published in 1772. We may be allowed to fmile at the folicitude, which Mr. Jones expreffes in his correfpondence on the subject of this publication, to avoid the imputation of devoting that time to the Muses, which belonged to his profeffional ftudies, whilft we participate with pleasure the effects of his devotion to the objects of his admiration; but his anxiety for his literary reputation, in deferring the publication of his poems until they had received all the improvements which care and attention, affifted by the criticisms of his friends, could beftow, is highly praifeworthy.

On the 30th of April, 1772, Mr. Jones was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and admitted on May the 14th of the fame year. He does not appear to have communicated any paper for the Philofophical Tranfactions.

* Works, vol. x. p. 195.

From the first entrance of Mr. Jones into the University, until Michaelmas 1768, when he took the degree of A. B., he had kept the terms regularly; from that period to 1773, only occafionally. in the Eafter term of that year, during the Encænia, he took his mafter's degree. It was on this occafion, that he compofed an oration with an intention, which he did not execute, of speaking it in the Theatre. The fpeech was published ten years after, and exhibits a striking memorial of independent principles, and well-cultivated abilities: to vindicate learning from the malevolent afperfion of being destrustive of manly fpirit, unfavourable to freedom, and introductive to flavish obfequioufnefs; to fupport the honour and independence of learned men, to display the transcendant advantages of the University of Oxford,-were the topics, which he had propofed to difcufs; but on which the limits prefcribed to his oration, forbad him to expatiate.

The animation of his language fhews, that thefe topics were ever near his heart: an ar

dent love of liberty, an enthusiastic veneration. for the University, a warm and discriminate eulogium on learned men, who devoted their talents and labours to the cause of religion, fcience, and freedom, characterise his difcourse; of which, part has been lately quoted with applaufe by Dr. Parr*,

The kindness of a contemporary ftudent has communicated an anecdote in proof of his particular averfion to the logic of the schools, that, in an oration which he pronounced in University-Hall, he declaimed violently against Burgerfdifcius, Cracanthorpius, and the whole body of logicians in the College of Queen Philippa, his opposite neighbour. Of his uncommon induftry, many proofs might be enumerated, and among others the ccying of feveral Arabic manufcripts, of which one was the entertaining romance of Bedreddin Haffan, or, Aladdin's Lamp, from a most elegant specimen of Arabian calligraphy.

Nor was he lefs remarked for an affectionate attention to his mother and fifter, who re*Notes to Spital Sermon, p. 136.