The Works of Sir William Jones

attempt of the Hindûs, to impofe upon Sir William Jones, a forged Sanfcrit book on oaths.

The fame fagacity which detected the

"adulterous legend. In books of some antiquity, it is "not uncommon to see a few new leaves inserted in the << room of others that were wanting.

"To conceal the more numerous impositions of the "third class, he had the patience to write two volumin"ous sections, supposed to belong, one to the Scanda"Purana, and the other to the Bramánda, in which "he connected all the legends together, in the usual ແ style of the Puranas. These two sections, as he wrote "them, consist of no less than 12,000 slocas or lines, "the title of which he borrowed."

The above is an extract from Mr. Wilford's Essay, and affords a remarkable though not a singular instance of industry and ingenuity in literary forgeries. I shall only add, from the same Essay, the following lines immediately applicable to the passage which has occasioned my remarks.

"A few instances of the impositions of my pandit, "will exemplify his mode of proceeding. The first is a "legend of the greatest importance, and is said to be "extracted from the Padma. It contains the history. " of Noah and his three sons, and is written in a mas

terly style. But unfortunately there is not a word "of it to be found in that Purana. It is however " mentioned, though in less explicit terms, in many "Puranas, and the pandit took particular care in point"ing out to me several passages, which more or less "confirmed this interesting legend."

Life-V. I.

fraud in this inftance, might have discovered the forgery of the pundit employed by Mr. Wilford, if the original document had been submitted to the inspection of Sir William Jones. In this country the fabrications of a Chatterton, escaped for a season, the penetration of the learned and acute.

In the Poftfcript to the Memoirs, I have omitted to mention in its proper place, that a monument was erected at Oxford to the memory of Sir William Jones, by a subscription of the gentlemen refiding in Bengal, who had received their education at the university there and at Cambridge. The inscription on the elegant monument executed by Flaxman, at the expense of Lady Jones, and placed in the anti-chamber to the Chapel of Univerfity College, Oxford, is annexed to the Preface.

It has frequently been remarked, that the characters of very eminent men cannot be clofely examined without a confiderable di-. minution of the respect, which their general fame has excited.

From whatever fource this remark may have proceeded, or to whatever degree of truth it may be entitled, I cannot but exprefs a folicitude, that it may derive no confirmation from the work now prefented to the public. Impreffed with admiration, refpect, and esteem for the memory of Sir William Jones, whether I contemplate his genius, his learning, or his virtues, I wish to transfer my own feelings to the minds of my readers; but whilft I diftruft my own efforts, I am equally anxious to guard against extravagant expectations in them, and any want of discernment in myself.

TEIGNMOUTH.

ag. S.

GVLIELMI. JONES. EQVITIS. AVRATI,

QVI.CLARVM.IN. LITERIS. NOMEN.A. PATRE. ACCEPTVM, MAGNA.CVMVLAVIT. GLORIA.

INGENIVM.IN. ILLO. ERAT. SCIENTIARVM.OMNIVM.CAPAX, DISCIPLINISQVE.OPTIMIS. DILIGENTISSIME.EXCVLTVM. ERAT.INDOLES. AD. VIRTVTEM. EXIMIA,

ET.IN. IVSTITIA. LIBERTATE. RELIGIONE. VINDICANDA,

MAXIME. PROBATA.

QVICQVID. AVTEM.VTILE. VEL. HONESTVM CONSILIIS.EXEMPLO.AVCTORITATE. VIVVS. PROMOVERAT, ID.OMNE.SCRIPTIS. SVIS. IMMORTALIBVS,

ETIAM NVNC. TVETVR. ATQVE.ORNAT.
PRÆSTANTISSIMVM. HVNC. VIRVM,

CVM.A. PROVINCIA. BENGALA,

UBI.IVDICIS. INTEGERRIMI. MVNVS

PER.DECENNIVM. OBIERAT,