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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1877.
ever strong might be the claims of India to an old Mr. Fergusson's History of Architecture first and high civilization, there were no material evi- appeared in 1855, as part of his well-known Handdences of it which could claim a place beside the Book. A new edition, very liberally enlarged, similar memorials of Egypt, Assyria, and Greece. Appeared in 1862, also as part of a similar general
This achievement was accomplished by the History of Architecture in all Countries. The labours of Buchanan, Wilson, Sykes, Mackenzie, present is therefore a third revision; but it has and Prinsep,--not to mention other names nearly borne such an entire remodelling, and has been so as great; but it was reserved for a later writer, considerably added to, that it is practically and Mr. James Fergusson, to leave the limited field professedly a new and distinct work. The bulle of more or less provincial inquiry, and to bring of it, or more than 600 pages out of 750, is taken up together, in one comprehensive body, the com- by the Indian styles, to which the following replete results of all that had been effected by the marks will almost exclusively refer; but the sections several preceding investigators.
devoted to Burmah, Siam, Cambodia, Java, and When one considers the influence the religions China are quite as complete as existing materials of the Indian races have on all their actions and permit, and important as the best extant authority aspirations, and the aid to a proper comprehension for the architectural history of the countries to of such influence which is afforded by an intelli- which they refor. gible acquaintance with the architectural remains The great features of the work are that it does of the country, the Government and the public not confine itself to the mere technicalities of alike are under a deep debt of obligation to one architectural science, and that it expresses small who has done, and is doing, so much in this im- sympathy with those who look at the knowledge of portant sphere of knowledge. And the feeling of the exterior phases of structural art merely as so obligation must be accompanied by a large ad- many means of aesthetic enjoyment, and as ends miration for the learning and energy of a writer in themselves. On the contrary, while fully satis. who has effected single-handed, without Govern. fying the reader who may take up the work with ment assistance, not only the first popular in no higher objects than those we have indicated, troduction of the subject to the European and it aims at the broader and deeper task of illusAsiatic public, but who, after a lapse of upwards of trating and explaining, in the full spirit of thirty years, still maintains his position as the sole modern architectural inquiry, the entire body and most able instructor of the world in this of Indian history and progress. To effect this is section of antiquities. The effect which the writ- a Titanic operation, demanding a very familiar ings of Mr. Fergusson have had on the knowledge comprehension of the varied results of the philoand taste of the present generation is admittedly logical, ethnological, and mythological research great; numbers must owe to his architectural of the last century, as well as a personal acworks their first awakening from the ignorance quaintance with much of the Aren of a great or indifference about the country and its peoples country still insufficiently supplied with communiwhich distinguishes but too many of the European cations; but, vast as the toil involved may be, it residents of this country.
has been gone through with nerer-flagging freshThe learned societies of Europe and the East ness, and with results which speak plainly for have long acknowledged all this by every means themselves. in their power; but the general public has few To proceed to particulars : the illustrationsopportunities of doing so, and we have therefore which, with a few exceptions, are of the extreme thought fit to preface this brief notice of the beauty and accuracy of the earlier editions--have work under review with some tribute of admira. been increased in number from 200 to 400, and tion and respect for one who has done so much there are two good maps in which the principal to aid in the intelligent government of India, and non-Muhammadan architectural localities are plainto render attractive the country in which so many ly laid down in colours. If we mistake not, these thousands of his countrymen have to find their maps are the first of their kind, and will be found homes.
of the utmost value. The body of the text is It is impossible to deal here in any adequate preceded by an Introduction in which the origin,
preceded by an Introduction in way with the snbject-matter of a work of this de- movements, and statistics of the pagan rnces are scription. The space of the Quarterly Review clearly and laboriously disentangled from the rewould scarcely allow that to be done. It will only pelling difficulties in which they have, so far as be practicable to refer briefly to the more marked the general reader is concerned, so long lingered ; features of the book, and to point out its unique and at the end of the book about 50 pages are deand indispensable character for the purposes alikevoted to the disputed points of Indian chronology, of the resident and of the European traveller. which necessarily affect so closely the whole
