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and conquest, but the happiness which the people of the realm enjoyed in the reign of Phra Ramkamheng, what he did for the culture of the people, how he understood the Buddhist religion, what are the maxims of Government by which he was guided, how he was the first to use the written Thai characters for records. The inscription already shows all the characteristics of later Siamese, its fondness for poetry and couplets so that also in this respect it is a most valuable document. Of course attempts have been made to explain it. We have first a version given by Professor Bastian in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. XXXIV. (1864). He simply recorded what the scholars in King Mongkut's reign told him; no attempt was made to elucidate doubtful points, and he did not publish the original version by which to control it. We have also in Bowring's Siam a short reference to this inscription. But the first scholar who seriously attempted an explanation was the late Père Schmitt. He gave two different versions, first in the Excursions et Reconnaisances vol. VII, and later in the Mission Pavie, Paris, 1898. There are small differences in the translation, and we must admire the diligence bestowed on it, but the Rev. Father can scarcely escape the reproach that in his explanations he was influenced by the Aryan Theory. Siamese versions and explanations have likewise been published but, unfortunately, as we all know, for the western scholar things written in Siamese, Graeca sunt non legitur. The real value of the inscription will be shown to us by Professor Bradley in his paper.
Professor Bradley then read his paper.
At the conclusion of the paper the President said:—In the very interesting paper to which we have just had the pleasure of listening, and for which in the name of this Society it is my duty to express to Professor Bradley our heartful thanks, Professor Bradley has shown in one concrete example, certainly the most prominent one of which we know at present, what treasure is still unexplored, what rich harvest may still be found in the deserted cities of Siam, to serve as documents for the history of progress and civilisation. He has shown us, I take it, also, the necessity which exists to collect these inscriptions and to incorporate them in the Corpus tionum
