Indian Antiquary Vol 51

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 212

204
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ OCTOBOR, 1922
BOOK-NOTICES. THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE HINDUS, by S. B. way round. Such mistakes will, it is hoped, be MOOKERJEE, BAR.-AT-LAW. "The Book on corrected when a second edition of the book is
published.
D. R. B. India's Regeneration ", Foreword by SIR P. C. RAY, D.Sc. Price Re. I nett.
REPORT ON THE TERMINOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATIONS
OF GRAMMAR. Oriental Advisory Committee, This is a publication of the Indian Rationalistic
Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1920. Society : a non-political body " for the propagation
The origin of the Report and of the Committee of knowledge on the basis of science and truth."
that framed it is set out in the first paragraph of In the foreword, the book has been called by Sir
the Introduction : "Encouraged by the success P. O. Ray as "the look on India's Regeneration"
of the movement in favour of uniformity of Gramand ho further commends "this thesis" to the
matical terminology as applied to English, Latin. maturo consideration of his countrymen. The
Greek, French and German, and the recent (1918) author tries to trace the history of India from the
endorsement of the principle by the Government , Vedio times downwards, which, according to him,
Committee on Modern Languages, the Standing is but the history of its gradual decay and stag.
Committue on Grammatical Reform decided in nation. He tries to analyse its possiblo causes
1919 to extend the field of its operation and to and suggests remedies. He makes a passionate and
invite the co-operation of Orientalists in the work touching appeal for social reform, and advocates
of applying the scheme to Sanskrit and the modern the education and uplift of the womanhood and
vernaculars of Sanskritic origin. The present the depressed classes of India. He speaks rather
Advisory Committee came into being in November warmly against the custom of early marriage,
1918, and it has held fifteen meetings since that which the author characterises as "love-less lust".
date." The Chairman was Emeritus-Professor Obviously, this is a book written by a layman, E. A. Sonnenschein of Birmingham University. but he is a layman who has tried to acquaint him. The members were, in alphabetical order of names : self intimately with the ancient history and culture J. D. Anderson, L. D. Barnett, W. Doderet, George of India. On the whole, it is very interesting | A. Grierson, A. A. Macdonnell, J. W. Neill, D. C. and odifying reading, though here and there it is Phillott, E. Denison Rose, R. O. Temple, F. W. interspersed with bold conclusions. Of course,
Thomas and M. de Z. Wickeremasinghe. when he says that there was no pardd system in The object of the Committee was to devise a the Mahabharata times (p. 46) and that a general terminology which should as far as possible be persecution of the Buddhists took place with the common to all the languages to which it could be rise of the Sunga power (p. 71), he may perhaps applied, and thus to greatly facilitate the teaching find some scholars agreeing with him. But when of them. In carrying out their task the Committee he says that Chanakya was thoroughly pro-Bud- selected six typical Indian Languages: Vedio, dhistic even though he was a Brahmana by caste Sanskrit, Hindostani, Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali, (p. 89) or that 200 B.. to 600 A.D. was a record And they illustrated by example the common of chaos in India (p. 70), I am afraid he will not grammatical terminology they recommended. find any scholar agreeing with him. There are, The experiment is well worth a practical trial again, some statements which are evidently wrong. on a large scale by those who would teach these Thus he makes Bimbisára, son of AjAtabatru and the allied languages in Indian Schools and who murdered him (p. 53). The truth is the other Colleges.
R. O. Tecla.
NOTES AND QUERIES. NOTES FROM OLD FACTORY RECORDS.
factorys and save the use and loss of plates. Its 89. Pewtor Table Plato.
therefore orderd that Six peice of Ordinary ** June 1891. Consultation Ford 86. Goorge.
Perpetuan os durable woollen fabrio] bo want A gort of Metall platos (ial made in China of Tin
thither for a quantity of plates and diabes by Ms.
John Biggs on the Ouriana now bound for Canton. and Tatonague (utenaga, spelter, very hard and
(Recorde of Port St. George.- Diary and Consul. M Bllver, which will be very handsome and useful
tation Book, 1691, p. 91) for the Honblo. Companyes table here &oa.
R. O. TEELE