IX.—Proceedings of the Asiatic Society.
Wednesday Evening, the let August, 1838.
The Honorable Sir EDWARD RyAn, President, in the chair. Mr. WILLIAM EDWARDS, C. S. and Major WILLIAM GRROORT, Bengal Army, proposed at the last meeting were elected members of the Society. Sir Ga.avas Haoonxoic wrote to thank the Society for the Sauskrit works presented to him. “It was my good fortune, he writes, to be I. London at the time the council appealed to the home authorities against the sweeping and extraordinary decision of the Bengal Government regarding the publication of native work. by the Committee of Educatloa I made a point of collecting all the documents I could, and of laying them before our President. I have reason to think that my efforts were of some use in preparing the way for the success of the deputation which afterwards waited on the President of the Board of Control.” Reed the following report of the special Committee appointed for considering the expediency of printing the Sarira J’.dya. R. The Committee appointed in your letter of the 20th Instant, beg leave to state that they have duly investigated the several questions you have proposed and that they consider, lit. That the translation of Boopg’. anatomist’s Vade Mecuin having been al ready made and paid for, that work should be adopted as the basis of the proposed volume for the use of the native medical pandita of India. 2.4. That several additions, alteration. and explanation. are Indispensable to render the volume accurate or Instructive. 3rd. That a few Wlegrephic drawings on the scale of the wood cuts In PAxyop’s work would materially add to the value of the publication. 4th. The Committee have had the advantage of the advise and opinion of Dr. Goo.v. on the subject, and Dr. Gooneva has kindly offered to examine the corrections proposed by MODHOSODUN GooprA and to give his general superintend. cute In the progress of the work. This liberal offer the committee consider should be at once tbanktully accepted. Per the labor of correction and supervision the Committee think MOuusouw GoorrA ahou)d.recelve a moderate remuneration, the amount of which the Committee scarcely think it their province to suggest. Medical CeUqe, Cakuua, W. B. O’SHAUGHNESSY, Slit July, 1838. 1 Secretary to ComnsiUee. The President thought that the report omitted to touch upon one point of considerable importance, viz, the estimated expense of the publication. The Committee leemed to concur in recommending the Sartra Vidye, becasse the translation had beea paid for, and because Mr. Morn’. bonn. of 1000 rupees would cover the printing :— but he perceived from the Secretary’s notice at the last meeting, that 2000 rupees more might still be required to complete it, including the plates and additions it was proposed to supply. Under these circumstances the aspect of the question was materially changed; and he would put it to the meeting whether it would be justifiable for the Society to expend so muck upon a San.krit translation which but a very limited class could readfowhen the money might be so much better employed in unparting the same or other knowledge to the great body of the people in their own vernacular tongue. He therefore moved, seconded by Mr. HARS, That a fresh reference be made to the special Committee begging their opinion, whether it be expedient for the Society to expend any portion of its funds on publishing a &in,krit translation of the rode Mecum, rather than to devote the amount to the imparting of instruction to the maas of the people in the Hindustfod language, even though in so doing it forfeit the advantage of Mr. Mont’s bonus, and of the translation already made. The Secretary explained that the Sorira Vidys had become the Society’s pro. perty by transfer from the Committee, on condition of its being printed. He had merely reserved it until the more important Sanskrlt works should be completed. Be could not have anticipated any objection on the score of inutility. It was intended to convey to the medical pundits throughout India, who are an exclusive caste of hereditary monopolists in their profession, and all study their art iii Sas. ikrit, a more correct notion of human Anatomy. Originally the Sarira Vidye had been also destined to become a class-book in the medical branch of the Sanakrlg College, but that class bad since been abolished, and the teaching of the medical let limited exclusively to English. 40
