"These three dialects, the Prakrit, the Bali, and the Zend,* are probably the more ancient derivatives from the Sanscrit. The great mass of vocables in all the three, and even the forms of flexion, both in verbs and nouns, are derived from the Sanscrit, according to regular laws of elision, contraction, and permutation of letters. Sometimes, in pursuing these analogies, they nearly coincide, sometimes they differ considerably, sometimes one, and sometimes another of them approaches nearest to the original Sanscrit. Their connexion with this parent language was perceived, and pointed out by Sir W. Jones, and has also been alluded to by P. Paulinus, who de

the Bali language by D'Herbelot, La Loubiere, Kæmpfer, P. Paulinus, Vincentio-Sangermano, and Carpanius, and in the French Encyclopedia. He had not before him La Croze, but what is said by that learned author on this subject is not important. Sangermano was an Italian priest, who resided at Ragoun.

* Il est assez probable que le Zend est un livre sacré des Parsys; voilà pourquoi on dit maintenant la langue du Zend. Cette ancienne langue a en effet une étonnante ressemblance avec le Sanskrit."-Observation communicated to the Author by M. de Langlès.

rives his information, concerning the Bali, from Carpanius and Mantegatius. The fate of these three languages is also, in some degree, similar. The Prakrit is the language which contains the greater part of the sacred books of the Jainas; the Bali is equally revered among the followers of Buddha; while the Zend, or sacred language of ancient Iran, has long enjoyed a similar rank among the Parsis or worshippers of fire, and has been the depository of the sacred books of Zoroaster. It is perhaps, however, more accurate to consider all the three rather as different dialects of the same derivative language, than as different languages; and conformably to this idea, the Bali itself may be reckoned a dialect of Prakrit. The term Prakrit, both in books, and in common use among the Brahmins, is employed with some degree of latitude. Sometimes the term is confined to a particular dialect, employed by the Jainas,*

* A sect in India that has a near affinity with the Buddha sect. See an account of it, vol. i. p. 269–276.

as the language of religion and science, and appropriated to females, and respectable characters of an inferior class, in dramas. Sometimes it includes all the dialects derived immediately from the Sanscrit, whether denominated Prakrit, Magad'hi, Súraseni, Pais'achi, or Apabhrans'a ; and sometimes it is even extended to the D'esa-b'hashas, or popular tongues of India, as Mahrasht or Mahratta, Canara, Telinga, Udia and Bengali. According to the extended use of the term Prakrit, it may certainly include both Bali and Zend; and if more extensive research should justify the idea derived from an imperfect investigation, I apprehend that the Bali may be identified with the Magad’hi, and the Zend with the Súraseni, of Sanscrit authors."

"These three dialects, the Prakrit, Bali, and Zend, have been regularly cultivated and fixed by composition. The same laws of derivation are applicable to the formation of all the three; but yet there is often considerable diversity in the forms which par

ticular words assume, as appears from the following comparative specimen."*

In this specimen, the Prakrit words are selected from the Menŏrama Vritti of Bhamaha, and the Prákritalankeswarah of Vidya Vinodha; the Bali are taken at random from the Kumárá-Bap, Chitamnan, and Hatamnán; and the Zend, from the vocabularies of Anquetil du Perron, whose orthography, since I have not been able to procure the original Zend, has been preserved, however inaccurate, in preference to conjectural emendation; though I am convinced that an orthography, more conformable to the original, would render the connexion of Zend with its cognate dialects more apparent.”—Dr. Leyden then gives a specimen of the connexion of the Bali with the Sanscrit, by quoting a passage in Bali from the Hatamnan, and which he restores into Sanscrit, without, he observes,

* Doctor Leyden gives a comparative list of a number of Sanscrit, Prakrit, Bali, and Zend words, which the reader may refer to.-Asiat. Res. vol. x. p. 284 et seq.

the radical change of a single word. The passage, he says, was chosen at random, and adds, "but considerable portions of Bali have been subjected to the same process with a similar result; and I am satisfied that it applies equally to Prakrit and Zend, though words of an origin foreign to Sanscrit, may occasionally be expected to occur in all the three dialects."*

* The passage is thus translated into English: "The Devas frequent Swurga, Kamarupa, the mountain tops, and atmosphere, in their cars; and on earth they visit the Dwipas, the fields, cities, recesses of forests, habitations, and sacred places. In inaccessible places, by land or water, the Yakshas, Gand-hervas and Nagas reside, in the vicinity of waters. Listen to me, ye devotees, while I recite the words of the Munivaras : this is the time for hearing sacred things--(the devotees reply) Say on. (the speaker proceeds) Reverence to Bhagavata Arhata, the all-comprehending. Those who hear, shall become pure of mind, and Trisara shall protect them both in this and other worlds: the Devas, earthly and unearthly, possessed of various qualities, constantly present themselves to their thoughts; and the Devas who reside on Meru, the chief of mountains, of pure gold, frequent them. In the full and perfect hearing of the words of the Munivaras, the Yakshas, Devas, and Bramhanas delight above all else."