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ASIATIC SOCIETIES.
OCTOBER, 1882.]
Vajji or Vajjians of Vesâli are the same as the Yue-chi of the Chinese. This identification is founded on a comparison of the term used in the Chinese (Beal's Dhammapada, p. 165) for the Vajji (Sans. Vriji) spoken of in the Mahdparinibbána Sutta (Rhys Davids' Buddhist Suttas, p. 1). Why Mr. Beal has spelt the word "Vaggi" we cannot understand, unless it be from a misconception of Max Müller's new system. If so he ought to write "Likhavis" also. M. Léon Feer in his "Sutra of 42 Articles" had also suggested the identity of the Vriji with the Yue-chi.
Prof. B. Jülg gives an interesting review "On the present state of Mongolian Researches." Prof. Monier Williams gives the Sanskrit Ode addressed to the Berlin Congress of Orientalists by "the Lady Pandit Ramâbât," with a translation. We hardly see why the pages of the Asiatic Society's Journal should be cumbered with matter of this sort.
Mr. T. Kingsmill's paper on "The Intercourse of China with Eastern Turkestan and the adjacent countries in the Second Century B.C." is full of information drawn from the original Chinese of Sze-ma T'sien's (B.c. 163) Shi-ki, and shows what a rich field of knowledge respecting the early condition of Central Asia may yet be opened up in Chinese Literature.
The last article is philological-"Suggestions on the formation of the Semitic Tenses-a comparative and critical study," by G. Bertin.
The April part opens with a paper "On Tartar and Turk," by Dr. S. W. Koelle, of the Church Missionary Society, in which he shows that Tartar (not Tatar) is a regularly formed Tartar word signifying wanderer, nomad,' and was in use from the very earliest times among themselves. Turk or Tirk is a verbal noun derived from some verb which he does not fix upon, and is also applied to a wanderer, or vagabond. Thus in poetical language the sun is called "the Turk of China" (i. e. the east), "the Turk of the sky," &c.. The latter part of the paper notices the race in the light of their name as embodied in the politico-religious Nomadian of Islam.
The second paper is a "Notice of the Scholars who have contributed to the extension of our knowledge of the Languages of Africa," by R. N. Cust, but the subject is far too large to be handled with any effect in 16 pages, and much of the paper consists of mere lists of languages, and writers who have compiled grammars, vocabularies, &c.
The "Grammatical Sketch of the Hausa Lan. guage," by Rev. J. F. Schön, is an exceedingly well arranged and able paper. The resemblance between certain Hausa and Hebrew words (pp. 181-184) is probably due to Arabic influences.
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Mr. A. Lillie's short paper on "Buddist Saint Worship" is shallow to a degree, and the two plates that illustrate it are most unsatisfactory, as may be seen at once by comparing them with the photographs in Fergusson's Tree and Serpent Worship, plate lxxxi, fig. 1, and pl. lxii. The author cannot have seen a Tirtha, and has not informed himself what they really are, or he would not have enquired if they are places like Stonehenge; nor does he know Buddha's image from a Nâga's, or he would not have taken that behind the throne and relic-casket on Fergusson's plate lxii for Buddha.
Mr. H. W. Freeland gives renderings of two short Arabic poems, and Mr. H. C. Kay follows with a good historical and epigraphical paper on the gates of Al Kâhirah (Cairo).
Mr. Edwin Arnold's contribution on "How the Mahabharata begins," is light and sketchy, and M. H. Sauvaire's paper on Arab metrology (in French) is a translation of the tract of Ed Dahaby, a modern authority.
The July Part opens with a paper by Prof.. Monier Williams on "The Vaishnava religion with special reference to the Siksha-patri of the modern sect called Svâmi-Narayana." The greater portion of the article is devoted to Vaishnavism and its sects generally; then follows a very brief sketch of the life of Svâmi-Narayana, which accords in the main facts with that given in the Indian Antiquary, vol. I, pp. 331-336, but with less detail. The Sikshd-patri, translated in the Appendix to Briggs's Cities of Gujarashtra, is promised in a future part. Sir W. Muir adds a note on his paper on the Apology of Al-Kindy, in which he gives information forwarded by Prof. Ignatius Guidi of Rome, regarding a MS. of the work in the Propaganda Library, and Zotenberg's account of the Paris MSS.,-from which it appears that there are two distinct families of MSS.: the Arabic proper, handed down by the Nestorians, is perhaps the original form of it; and the Karshuni or Arabic in Syriac character handed down with certain modifications in their own favour by the Jacobite church.
Mr. W. Simpson contributes a careful paper on "The Buddhist Caves of Afghanistan," and a note on "The Identification of the sculptured Tope at Sânchi" (Tree and Serpent Worship, plate xxviii, fig. 1)-in the latter of which he shows that the Nimchas and Chugunis, on the borders of Kafiristân, wear similar leggings to those depicted in the sculpture. Both papers are illustrated.
Sir E. Clive Bayley has a scholarly paper-the first of a series "On the genealogy of Modern Numerals," in which he brings to bear on their
