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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1886.
résumé of recent research into the subject. Every gratis, and it is therefore a pleasure to note, statement is vouched for, chapter and verse, in from the cover of Part XXI., that such munici. footnotes, and there is a useful index.
ficent pecuniary support has recently been given by His Highness the Nizam, H. H. the Maharaja
Gaikwar of Baroda, H. H. the Maharaja Holkar, BURXA, AS IT W44, AS IT 18, AND AS IT WILL BE, by T. and Their Highnesses the Maharajas of Faridkote, G. Scort (Shway Yoe) London: Bedway.
Jeypore, Dhar, and Rewah. With such examples This little book is the outcome of a lecture de- as these before them, we may confidently hope livered before the Society of Arts, and is in reality that the work is in no chance of languishing from a rapid popular sketch of the History, Country want of recognition by the leading Native repreand People of Burma, written with literary skill sentatives of the country whose ancient legendary and in the lively style that distinguishes its history is thus being made so practically available author.
for the researches of general readers all over the There is, of course, little that is new in it; but world. And we are glad to take this opportunity the chapters on the Country and the People are of recommending the general work of the Society written as only he can write who has a close prac to the support of patrons of literature in Europe tical acquaintance with both, and come therefore and other countries. with a force that the mere student of books can never hope to rival. The historical chapter is a rapid--and withal an accurate-survey of the
ASIATIC RESEARCHES (Popular Edition), VOL. I. A
reprint by Brojendro Lall Doss, Calcutta. 1884-85. known facts about the history of the Burmese, Royal 8vo. pp. 383. which belong to the useful sort. They remind us
This reprint represents the first results of a very much of those sections marked History' in an
very commendable desire on the part of the Indian Gazetteer or Settlement Report, where the
publishers to reproduce in a handy, compact, and ancient history is dismissed in a very few words
cheap form the valuable series of volumes known and we are brought at once to events which
as the Asiatic Researches, which comprise many will directly elucidate modern facts. The book
of the writings, belonging to the latter part of is, however, readable throughout; much of it
the last and the early part of the present century, contains, as we have above observed, information
of Sir William Jones, Sir Charles Wilkins, and at first hand, and all its pages bear the stamp
other well-known Oriental Scholars, who gave the of a careful consultation of the best authorities
first start to the study of Indian Archæology, procurable. Can we say anything better of a
and carried it on so successfully until the Bengal purely popular work P
Asiatic Society was established. The original volumes have long been out of print, and can be
obtained only at an almost prohibitive price; and THE MAHABHARATA OF KRISHKA-DVAIPAYANA-VYASA; Translated into English Prose. Published by
the present enterprise of reprinting them will, PROTAP CHANDRA BOY; Bharata Press, Calcutta. therefore, supply a real public want, and has The last instalment that has been issued of every chance of success, if subsequent volumes are this extremely useful work is Part XXII., carry. only turned out as carefully and as well as the ing us down to the commencement of Section
one under notice. The plates of the present 295 of the Vana-Paroa. The translation has
volume do not altogether stand the test of comnow attracted much favourable notice by the parison with the originals from which they have Press, both in this country and in Europe; and
been reduced; and succeeding volumes will be it is almost impossible to say too much in eup. capable of some improvement in this respect. But port of an undertaking which, in addition to the more important part, of course, is the lettermaking the contents of this interesting Epic press; and this appears to be reproduced throughavailable to students unacquainted with Sanskrit,
out with Borupulous fidelity and care. On the is of the greatest practical use to Sanskrit scholars whole, the publishers are decidedly to be conalso, who, unable to find time to search the ori. gratulated on the general appearanoe of their first ginal text for passages that they require to look volume, and we may hope, from this specimen, that up, have now. a quickly progressing means of ready
.the others will be equally up to the mark. It is reference being provided for them. The under. much to be wished, though, that the publishers taking is one that involves a very heavy expen
would bring the work out in larger, or at least diture on the supporters of it, the Datavya.. more frequent, parts. At the present rate it will Bharata-Kavyalaya, or Society for the Presenta- take twenty years to complete, which, for the tion of the Bharata; since, like all its other worke, majority of students of such books, is rather too this Translation is distributed almost entirely long a time to have to wait.
