European philologists would call adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections; but which Sanscrit grammarians consider as indeclinable nouns. The last chapter of the Amera cosha, is a treatise on the gender of nouns. Another vocabulary by the same author is often cited by his commentators, under the title of Ameramala. Numerous commentaries have been written on the Amera cosha. The chief object of them is to explain the derivations of the nouns, and to supply the principal deficiencies of the text."

The Amera cosha, gives a very incomplete list of words that have various acceptations. This defect is well supplied by the Medini, a dictionary so named from its author Medinicar. It contains words that bear many senses, arranged in alphabetical order by the final consonants; and a list of homonymous indeclinables is subjoined to it. A similar dictionary, compiled by Maheswara, and entitled Viswapracasa,* is

* See Jones's Oriental MSS. No. 44, and the Manu

much consulted, though it be very defective, as has been justly remarked by Medinicar. It contains, however, a very useful appendix on words spelt more than one way; and another, on letters which are liable to be confounded, such as v and b; and another again, on the gender of nouns. These subjects are not separately treated by Medinicar; but he has on the other hand specified the genders with great care in the body of the work."

"Amera's dictionary does not contain more than ten thousand different words. Yet the Sanscrit language is very copious. The insertion of derivatives, that do not at all deviate from their regular and obvious import, has been very properly deemed superfluous. Compound epithets, and

scripts in the Royal Library at Paris, No. cii.-See also the Catalogue of Sanscrit Manuscripts in that Library, by Messieurs Alexander Hamilton, (Member of the Asiatic Society at Calcutta, and now Professor at the East India College in Hertfordshire) and L. Langlès, (Member of the Institute of France, and keeper of the Oriental Manuscripts in the Royal Library,) p. 78.

other compound terms, in which the Sanscrit language is peculiarly rich, are likewise omitted; excepting such as are especially appropriated, by a limited acceptation, either as titles of deities, or as names of plants, animals, &c. In fact compound terms are formed at pleasure, according to the rules of grammar; and must generally be interpreted in strict conformity with those rules. Technical terms too are mostly excluded from general dictionaries, and consigned to separate nomenclatures. The Ameracosh then is less defective than might be inferred from the small number of words explained in it. Still, however, it needs a supplement. The Haravali may be used as such. It is a vocabulary of uncommon words, compiled by Purushottama, the author of an etymological work, and also of a little collection of monograms, entitled Ecacshara."

The remaining deficiencies of the Ameracosh are supplied by consulting other dictionaries and vocabularies; such as Helayudha's, Vaches pati's, the Dharanicosha,

or some other. Sanscrit dictionaries are indeed very numerous."-The learned author of this article, after mentioning several of them, adds: " "the school of Benares now uses the Siddhanta caumudi, and other works of Bhattoji, as the same school formerly did the Casica Vritti.* The Pracriya caumudi, with its commentaries, maintains its ground among the learned of Mithila, or Tirhut. In both places, however, and indeed throughout India, the Mahābhāshya continues to be the standard of Sanscrit grammar. It is therefore studied by all who are ambitious of acquiring a critical knowledge of the language."+

* This grammatical treatise was printed at Serampore, in 1811, with Devanagari types, but without translation or notes.

+ On referring to the article in the Asiatic Researches, (vol. iv. p. 199, et. seq.) whence the preceding extract is taken, the reader will find many of these and other works on language mentioned and explained.

A printing press has been established at Calcutta, for the purpose of printing works in the Indian and Oriental languages in general. The printing Sanscrit, and

From what has been hinted respecting the proscription of the works of Amera Sinha, author of the Amera-cosha, it may be expected that the cause of that proscrip

other Hindu languages, was committed to the care of learned Pundits, who were furnished with complete founts of Deva-Nagari types in different sizes. Early in 1808, a Sanscrit Dictionary, composed from the best authorities, was printed. It contains the etymology of terms, with an interpretation of them, together with examples from classical writers; and afterwards another Dictionary in Sanscrit and English was composed, the Sanscrit after the text of the Amera Cosha, the English, an exact translation of it, with notes; both by Mr. Colebrooke.*

At the 'College of Calcutta the Sanscrit is studied as the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, in the Colleges of Europe; the Mahratta, Hindustanee, Bengalee, Persian, and Arabic, as the languages still in use. Disputations are held in all these; discourses are pronounced in them, and prizes annually bestowed on those, who may have been judged to have merited them. This noble and useful institution was originally instituted by the Marquis of Wellesley, when he was governor-general of India; and we earnestly hope that it will continue to be liberally supported and encouraged.

* See discourse of the Governor-General, Lord Minto, to the College of Calcutta, 2d March, 1808.