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fomewhat more interefting, by accompanying it with an account of the principal events and revolutions, to which the country has given birth. I am but too confcious of the deficiency of this part of my performance. Befides, many of the events are related fo differently by different people, who pretend to an equal knowledge of the circumftances of them, that it will be no matter of surprise if I am found (by those whose knowledge of eastern languages has gained them accefs to authentic records) to be often miftaken. In whatsoever cafe this may happen, I make no doubt but that I shall experience the exercise of their candour, as to the motives by which I was actuated, when I adopted any particular opinion, or mode of relaThe present disputes concerning fome recent hiftorical facts in this and the neighbouring countries, fhew how extremely difficult it is to come at the truth, even when the researches after it, are made under every favourable circumstance that can poffibly attend them.

tion.

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INTRODUCTION.

INDOOSTAN, has by the people of modern Europe,

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been understood to mean the tract fituated between the rivers Ganges and Indus, on the east and weft; the Thibetian and Tartarian mountains, on the north; and the fea on the fouth. But. ftrictly speaking, the extent of Hindooftan is much more circumscribed, than thefe limits convey an idea of: and the name ought to be applied only to that part of the above tract, which lies to the north of the parallels of 21° or 22°. The Nerbudda river, is indeed, the reputed fouthern boundary of Hindooftan, as far as it goes; and the southern frontiers of Bengal and Bahar, compofe the remainder of it. The countries on the fouth of this line, according to the Indian geographers, go under the general name of DECCAN: and comprise nearly one half of the tract generally known by the name of the Mogul empire. But as the term HINDOOSTAN has been applied in a lax sense to this whole region, it may be necessary to distinguish the northern part of it, by the name of Hindoostan proper. This tract has indeed the Indus, and the mountains of Thibet and Tartary, for its western and northern boundaries: but the Ganges was improperly applied as an eastern boundary; as it interfects in its courfe, fome of the richest provinces of the empire: while the Burrampooter, which is much nearer the mark, as an eastern boundary, was utterly unknown. In this circumfcribed. state, the extent of Hindooftan proper, is about equal to France, Germany, Bohemia, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, and the Low Countries, collectively: and the Deccan and peninfula, are

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about equal to the British Islands, Spain, and Turkey in Europe. I have here called the tract which lies on the fouth of the Kiftna river, the peninfula; in conformity to general practice; although its form does by no means warrant it. The term DECCAN, which fignifies the SOUTH, is applied (as before-faid) in its most extenfive fignification, to the whole region that lies on the south of Hindooftan proper: I apprehend, however, that in its proper and limited fenfe, it means only the countries fituated between Hindooftan proper, the Carnatic, the western fea, and Oriffa: that is, the provinces of Candeish, Dowlatabad, Vifiapour, Golconda, and the western part of Berar.

The term INDIA, by which this country, as far as it was known, is distinguished in the earliest Grecian hiftories, appears to be derived from HIND, the name given it, by the ancient Perfians; through whom, doubtless, the knowledge both of the country and its name, were tranfmitted to the Greeks. We have the strongest affurances from Mr. Wilkins, that no fuch words as HINDOO, or HINDOOSTAN, are to be found in the Sanfcrit Dictionary. It appears that the people among whom the Sanfcrit language was vernacular, styled their country BHARATA *; a name, which is, I believe, quite novel to the ears of the learned in Europe. It is probable then, that the word HIND furnished that of INDIA, to the Greeks and the termination STAN, fignifying country in the Perfic, is of more modern date: for we find it joined to many of the ancient Perfian names of countries; as to Dahæ, whence Dahestan :

See the notes to the Hectopades or Fables, recently tranflated from the Sanferit (or Sanfcreet) by Mr. Wilkins, page 332. This gentleman has the merit of being the firit European who acquired the knowledge of the Sanfcrit language: which was that of ancient Hindooltan (or Bharata) but which ceafed to be the vernacular tongue, foon after the Mahomedan conquest, in the 11th century A few years ago, it was known only to the Pundits or learned Bramins; who religiously kept it from the knowledge of all but their own order: it being the facred depofitary of their religious inftitutions, and myfteries; and which it was inconvenient to communicate to the vulgar, otherwife than through the medium of their own comments, and interpretations. The honour done Mr. WILKINS on this occafion, reminds us of the communications made to HERODOTUS, by the Egyptian Pricfts and it is a fair inference, that the perfonal merit of both of thefe men, had a principal fhare in obtaining to diftinguished a preference.

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and Tapuri, is Taberi-ftan; Corduene, Curdi-ftan: together with many others. It has happened in the application of this name, INDIA, as on fimilar occafions; that is to fay, it has been applied, not only to the country originally defigned by it, but to others adjacent to, and beyond it *: for the countries between Hindooftan and China, came to be called the further India; or India extra Gangem: whereas, Hind, or India, properly belonged only to the country of the people called Hindoos; or thofe of India intra Gangem. The name is as ancient as the earliest profane hiftory extant : and this may serve among many other inftances, to prove the high antiquity of the Perfian language.

India has in all ages excited the attention of the curious, in almost every walk of life. walk of life. Its rare products and manufactures, engaged that of the merchants; while the mild and inoffensive religion of Brama, and the manners inculcated by it, attracted the notice of philofophers. The structure of its language too, is remarkable; and has a claim to originality. It had been happy for the Indians, if they had not attracted the notice of a clafs of men more inimical to the happiness of mankind: for the foftness and effeminacy induced by the climate, and the yielding nature of the foil, which produces almoft fpontaneously, invited the attacks of their more hardy neighbours; and rendered them an easy prey to every foreign invader. Hence we find them fucceffively conquered by the Perfians, Patans, and Moguls and it is probable, that, like the Chinese, they have feldom had a dynasty of kings, from among their own countrymen. The accounts of 22 centuries ago, represent the Indians as a people who stood very high in point of civili-zation but to judge from their ancient monuments, they had not

• The term LYBIA belonged at firft only to the countries of Africa, that were colonized by the Greeks: but was afterwards applied by them to the whole continent. The Romans, in a fimilar manner, extended the name of AFRICA, which originally belonged only to the territories of Carthage, to the whole continent: or, at leaft, to as much as they knew of it.. ASIA was applied at firft only to Natolia ; which took the name of LESSER ASIA, afterwards, when ASIA was applied to all the known parts of that continent..

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carried the imitative arts to any thing like the degree of perfection attained by the Greeks and Romans, or even by the Egyptians. Both the Hindoos and Chinese appear to have carried the arts just to the point requifite for ufeful purpofes; but never to have approached the fummit of perfection, as it refpects tafte, or boldness of defign.

The principal monuments of Hindoo fuperftition are found in the peninfula. Some have concluded from this, and from other circumstances, that the original feat of the Hindoo religion, was there. Others, perhaps with more appearance of probability, fuppofe it to have originated on the banks of the Ganges. Monuments of a superstition, apparently anterior to the Hindoo, exift in the caves of Salfette and Elephanta, two iflands on the western coast of India: these confist of apartments of extenfive dimensions, excavated from the live rock, and decorated with figures and columns.

India was but little known to the Greeks until Alexander's expedition, about 327 years before Chrift. HERODOTUS, who wrote about 113 years before, appears to have heard but indiftinctly, of any but the western part of it; and that only, by its being tribu'tary to Perfia. He informs us (Book IV.) that Darius Hyftafpes had dispatched Scylax of Caryandra to explore the Indus, about 508 years before Chrift; and that he departed from Cafpatyrus and Pactya, which were fituated near the head of the Indus. Herodotus continues to fay, that the Indians who inhabit towards the north, and border on thefe territories of Cafpatyrus and Pactya, refemble the Bactrians, (that is, their neighbours) in manners: and are the most valiant people of all India. The eastern The eastern part of India, fays he, is rendered defert by fands: which defcription applies only to the country lying eaft of the Indus, and fouth of the PANJAB *: and this fhews pretty evidently, that Herodotus's knowledge of India, as to particulars, extended no further, than to the above tract and a collateral proof, is, that he does not mention

The country watered by the 5 eaftern branches of the Indus. See page So of the Memoir.

the

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