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( ६८ )
HIGH ROADS OF INDIAN HISTORY,
The so-colled refutation, by the publishers of the above book, of the objections raised by Jains to the misleading, incorrect and unfounded statement regarding the Jains and Jainism as published in the above o ok, is clearly a piece of special pleading, and when closely examined serves to demonstrate the strength and gravity of the objections.
2. The initial suggestion that the objections have been raised "at the instigation of some interested person, is obviously baseless and without the slightest founda. tion If you have a weak case, absuse your adversery" may be a trick of the trade, but it is a vile and dirty trick indeed. The publishers have not stated a single fact from which any ill--will, self-interest, or rashness of the objections can possibly be inferred. The selfinterest of the Publishers, on the other hand, is quite obvious, and it is clear why they should defend the unpardonable features of the book.
3. The quotations from Mrs. S. Stevenson, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Dr. Vincent Smith and Mr. J. L. Jaini, themselves show that the absolute unqualified assertion in the book that Mahavira founded Jainism is unfounded, and wrong and should not have been made in derogation of what has been universally
