IF this firft Publication of the ASIATICK SOCIETY should not answer thofe expectations which may have been haftily formed by the learned in Europe, they will be candid enough to confider the disadvantages which muft naturally have attended its inftitution, and retarded its progrefs. A mere man of letters, retired from the world, and allotting his whole time to philofophical or literary pursuits, is a character unknown among Europeans refident in India, where every individual is a man of business in the civil or military ftate, and conftantly occupied either in the affairs of government, in the adminiftration of juftice, in fome department of revenue or commerce, or in one of the liberal profeffions. Very few hours, therefore, in the day or night, can be referved for any ftudy, that has no immediate connection with business, even by those who are most habituated to mental application: and it is impoffible to preferve health in Bengal without regular exercise and seasonable relaxation of mind: not to infift that, in the opinion of an illuftrious Roman, "No one can be faid to enjoy liberty, "who has not fometimes the privilege of doing nothing." All employments, however, in all countries, afford fome intervals of leifure; and there is an active spirit in European minds, which no climate, or fituation in life, can wholly reprefs, which juftifies the ancient notion, that a change of toil is a species of repose; and which feems to confider nothing done or learned, while any thing remains unperformed or unknown. Several Englishmen, therefore, who refided in a country, every part of which abounds in objects of curious and useful fpeculation, concurred in opinion, that a Society instituted at Calcutta, on the plan of those established in the principal cities of Europe, might poffibly be the means of concentrating all the valuable knowledge which might occafionally be attained in Asia; or of preferving at least many little tracts and effays, the writers of which might not think them of fufficient importance for feparate publication. The ASIATICK SOCIETY was accordingly formed on the 15th of January, 1784, by thofe Gentlemen whose names are diftinguifhed by afterifks in the Lift of Members at the end of this book; and ample materials have already been collected for two large volumes on a variety of new and interefting fubjects. By this Publication the Inftitution may be confidered as having taken root; but the plant will flourish or fade, according as the activity or remiffness of the Members and their correfpondents fhall promote or obftruct its growth. It will flourish, if naturalifts, chymifts, antiquaries, philologers, and men of fcience, in different parts of Asia, will commit their obfervations to writing, and fend them to the Prefident or the Secretary at Calcutta; it will languifh, if fuch communications fhall be long intermitted; and it will die away, if they fhall entirely ceafe for it is morally impoffible that a few men, whatever be their zeal, who have great public duties to discharge, and difficult private ftudies connected with those duties, can support fuch an establishment without the most affiduous and eager auxiliaries. Before we proceed to give a fhort history of the institution, it may be proper to declare, that the Society will pafs no decifion, in their collective capacity, on any point of literature or philofophy; but that the writers of fuch differtations, as they fhall think worthy to be publifhed from time to time, muft hold themselves individually responsible for their own opinions; a declaration which is conformable, we believe, to the practice of fimilar Societies in Europe. It having been refolved to follow, as nearly as poffible, the plan of the Royal Society at London, of which the King is Patron, it was agreed, at the firft regular meeting, that the following Letter fhould be fent to the Governor General and Council, as the Executive Power in the Company's territories: and their anfwer, which is alfo fubjoined, was received in the courfe of the next month. Το To the Honourable WARREN HASTINGS, ESQUIRE, Governor General, Prefident; EDWARD WHELER, JOHN MACPHERSON, and JOHN STABLES, ESQUIRES, Members of the Council of Fort William in Bengal. A Honourable SIR and GENTLEMEN, SOCIETY, of which we are Members, having been inftituted for the Purpose of enquiring into the History, Civil and Natural, the Antiquities, Arts, Sciences, and Literature of Asia, we are defirous that you will honour us with accepting the Title of our Patrons, and requeft you to confider this Application as a Token of the great Respect with which we are, Honourable SIR and GENTLEMEN, Your most obedient and most humble Servants, JOHN HYDE, JOHN CARNAC, WILLIAM CHAMBERS, FRANCIS GLADWIN, JONATHAN DUNCAN, CHARLES WILKINS, JOHN DAVID PATERSON, CHARLES CHAPMAN, CHARLES HAMILTON, GEORGE HILARO BARLOW. Calcutta, January 22, 1784. THE THE ANSWER. GENTLEMEN, WE very much approve and applaud your endea vours to promote the extenfion of knowledge by the means which your local advantages afford you in a degree, perhaps, exceeding thofe of any part of the Globe; and we derive great hopes of your attainment of fso important an end, from our perfonal knowledge of the abilities and talents of the Gentlemen whofe names we read in the subscription to your addrefs. We accept the title you have been defirous of conferring upon us of Patrons to your Society, and shall be happy to avail ourselves of any occafion that may occur of contributing to its fuccefs. We are, GENTLEMEN, Your most obedient humble Servants, WARREN HASTINGS, EDWARD WHELER, JOHN MACPHERSON, |