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OCTOBER, 1894.]
BOOK-NOTICE.
299
3........... kopura[kesarivarmmar=ana Tribhuva[na chakravarttiga]! sri-Vikrama-Chola[de]varkku [s][]du aiñja[vadu] Mi[thu]na-nayarru půrvva-pakshattu saptamiyum Nasyi]rru-kkilamaiyum Attamum=ana na! munnurruDA!(padispjal.
"In the fifth year of the reign) of king Parakesarivarman, alias the emperor of the three worlds śr-Vikrama-Chbladeva,...... on the three-hundred-andfortieth day, which was (the day of the nakshatru) Hasta and Sunday, the seventh tithi of the first fortnight of the month of Mithuna."
To Mr. Dikshit I am obliged for the following calculation of the date No. 4.
"Assuming that Vikrama-Chola began to reign in A. D. 1112, his 5th year would be about A. D. 1116. Having made calculations for 1115, 1116 and 1117, I find that A. D. 1116 is the only year which corresponds with the details of the given date. In that year, Åshadha bukla 7 ended on Sunday, the 18th June, at about 21 hours after sunrise. This was the 25th day of the solar month Mithuna. On this day, at sunrise, the nakshatra was Uttara-Phalguni, which ended at 7 hours 48 minutes after sunrise, when the nakshatra Hasta commenced. As this was the 340th day of the 5th year of Vikrama-Chôļa's reign, the 1st day of the 5th year falls on the 14th July, A.D. 1115, which was the 18th day of the solar month Karkataka. Accordingly, the 1st day of his 1st year, i.e. the day of his accession to the throne, was Sravana sukla 6, Friday, the day of the nakshatra Chitra, which corresponds to the 18th day of the solar month of Karkataka, and to the 14th July, A. D. 1111, and which was, by the rules of astrology, an auspicious day for the accession of a king."
BOOK-NOTICE. AN ORIENTAL BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY by T. W. of about twelve years, had carried out a close
BEALE, edited, revised, and enlarged by H. G. and serious revision of his text. We much regret KEENE, C. I. E. (W. H. Allen & Co., 1844).
! to find, however, that there are still as many Our welcome to a second edition of this work doubtful, and even erroneous, statements as there must not be considered the less sincere, because we were before, and that the little labour required to cannot join in the praise that has been given to diminish the number of imperfectly told biograit for its chronological exactitude. The labourers phics has not been bestowed upon the book. in this field are so few, that we should be sorry to We are glad to observe that at least one reviewer discourage any one, on the ground that his work is holds the opinion, which we have entertained ever imperfect. Least of all do we desire to cast any since we first knew the book, that its usefulness is reproach upon Mr. Keene, to whom all students greatly reduced by the non-quotation of authoriof Indian History are indebted for a series of ties. If these had been added to each notice, as charming works. Would that his zeal and
is generally done in such works, the value of the enthusiasm had found more imitators ! But book to students would have been quadrupled. Mr. Keene, as editor of a work of reference, With regard to the remarks which follow, we must provokes a curious sense of the incongruous. As
begin by pointing out that they are restricted fittingly might we yoke Pegasus to the plough. entirely to one class of entries. The work covers
We have used his Calcutta Edition ever since an immense expanse both in space and time, no it appeared, and we have found it of much help. less than the whole Muhammadan world during The most valuable notices are, no doubt, those of
the thirteen centuries that have passed since the Indian saints, poets, and learned men of all ages,
Flight. As to much of this vast subject we
claim no right to speak. We confine ourselves and those referring to Indian notables of the present century. Of the latter Mr. Beale had
to the Indian notices, and among them to those personal knowledge, and thus recorded many
belonging to the comparatively brief periods facts, which it is impossible to find elsewhere.
between the years 1100 A. H. and 1200 A. H. At the same time, it was quite obvious, even on
For this portion of the Dictionary we have cursory perusal, that much of the matter needed
noted, without having resort to any elaborate reconsideration and revision. We therefore began
research, the statements, which, from our own to look through the new edition in the confident reading, we know to be doubtful or incorret. expectation that Mr. Keene, during an interval Mr. Keene has not, we dare say, much respect
