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it is difficult to consider this fact, but it stands indisputable, and since the scholars of the Western world have entered upon the systematic study of our his tory and our literature, they stand confessing this fact with expressions of wonder and ainazement. You will see, therefore, without enla-gement upon & matter too vast to enter upon that the mistake to which I have reffered is a serious one and reflects little honor upon those who persist in it. The character of this mistake inay be further seen when you consider the antiquity of the written history of Hindu progress, literature, religion ond civilization. It is conceded by some learned scholars, such as Prof. Max Muller, Prof. Weber and Prof. Whitney not to mention others that the Vedic hymns of India date from 1500 to 2000 before Christ, whilst the distinguished doctor, Martin Haug, gives credit for the earliest of these sublime productions to remoter date. It is true that this mistake is pardonable, when we consider that it is only within the memory of the present generation that, the scholarship of Western civilization has been able with systematic ability to trace their history with exactness of method.
I have spoken of the transmission of historical events from generation to generation by oral tradition from memory to 'memory, through many centuries before history began to be written in the Sanskrit language the oldest language in the sisterhood of languages. On this point I beg to quote a single para
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