recorded, should indifputably be made publick; but let us not expect any new methods, or the analysis of new curves, from the geometricians. of Iran, Turkistan, or India. Could the works of ARCHIMEDES, the NEWTON of Sicily, be restored to their genuine purity by the help of Arabick verfions, we might then have reason to triumph on the fuccefs of our scientifical inquiries; or could the fucceffive improvements and various rules of Algebra be traced through Arabian channels, to which CARDAN boafted that he had access, the modern Hiftory of Mathematicks would receive confiderable illustration.

The Jurifprudence of the Hindus and Mufelmans will produce more immediate advantage; and, if some standard law-tracts were accurately tranflated from the Sanfcrit and Arabick, we might hope in time to fee fo complete a Digest of Indian Laws, that all difputes among the natives might be decided without uncertainty, which is in truth a disgrace, though fatirically called a glory, to the forenfick science.

All these objects of inquiry muft appear to you, Gentlemen, in so strong a light, that bare intimations of them will be fufficient; nor is it neceffary to make ufe of emulation as an incentive to an ardent pursuit of them: yet I cannot forbear expreffing a wish, that the activity of the French in the fame pursuits may not be fuperior

to ours, and that the researches of M. SONNERAT, whom the court of Versailles employed for seven years in these climates, merely to collect fuch materials as we are seeking, may kindle, instead of abating, our own curiosity and zeal. If If you affent, as I flatter myself you do, to these opinions, you will also concur in promoting the object of them; and a few ideas having presented themselves to my mind, I prefume to lay them before you, with an entite fubmiffion to your judgement.

No contributions, except those of the literary kind, will be requifite for the fupport of the fociety; but, if each of us were occafionally to contribute a fuccinct description of such manuscripts as he had perused or inspected, with their dates and the names of their owners, and to propose for solution fuch questions as had occurred to him concerning Afiatick Art, Science, and Hiftory, natural or civil, we should poffefs without labour, and almoft by imperceptible degrees, a fuller catalogue of Oriental books, than has hitherto been exhibited, and our correfpondents would be apprised of those points, to which we chiefly direct our investigations. Much may, I am confident, be expected from the communications of learned natives, whether lawyers, phyficians, or private scholars, who would eagerly, on the first invitation, fend us their Mekámát

and Rifalahs on a variety of fubjects; fome for the fake of advancing general knowledge, but most of them from a defire, neither uncommon nor unreasonable, of attracting notice, and recommending themselves to favour. With a view to avail ourselves of this difpofition, and to bring their latent fcience under our infpection, it might be advisable to print and circulate a fhort memorial, in Perfian and Hindi, fetting forth, in a style accommodated to their own habits and prejudices, the defign of our inftitution; nor would it be impoffible hereafter, to give a medal annually, with infcriptions in Perfian on one fide, and on the reverfe in Sanferit, as the prize of merit, to the writer of the beft effay or differtation. To inftruct others is the prescribed duty of learned Brahmans, and, if they be men of fubftance, without reward; but they would all be flattered with an honorary mark of diftinction; and the Mahomedans have not only the permiffion, but the pofitive command, of their law-giver, to fearch for learning even in the remoteft parts of the globe. It were fuperfluous to fuggeft, with how much correctnefs and facility their compofitions might be tranflated for our use, fince their languages are now more generally and perfectly understood than they have ever been by any nation of Europe.

I have detained you, I fear, too long by this

addrefs, though it has been my endeavour to reconcile comprehenfivenefs with brevity: the fubjects, which I have lightly sketched, would be found, if minutely examined, to be inexhauftible; and, fince no limits can be fet to your refearches but the boundaries of Asia itself, I may not improperly conclude with wishing for your fociety, what the Commentator on the Laws, prays for the conftitution, of our country, that

IT MAY BE PERPETUAL.

THE THIRD

ANNIVERSARY DISCOURSE,

DELIVERED 2 FEBRUARY, 1786.

BY

THE PRESIDENT.

IN the former difcourfes, which I had the honour of addreffing to you, Gentlemen, on the inftitution and objects of our Society, I confined myself purposely to general topicks; giving in the first a diftant profpect of the vast career, on which we were entering, and, in the second, exhibiting a more diffuse, but still fuperficial, fketch of the various discoveries in Hiftory, Science, and Art, which we might justly expect from our inquiries into the literature of Afia. I now propose to fill up that outline fo comprehensively as to omit nothing effential, yet fo concisely as to avoid being tedious; and, if the ftate of my health fhall fuffer me to continue. long enough in this climate, it is my design, with your permiffion, to prepare for our annual meetings a feries of fhort differtations, unconnected in their titles and fubjects, but all tending