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Reviews
333
HERMANN OLDENBERG : KLEINE SCHRIFTEN, Teil 3, edited
by Hanns-Peter Schmidt, Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart ; 1993; Pp. VIII + 1571-2103 + (Register) 17.
TI
The first two parts of H. Oldenberg's Kleine Schriften appeared in 1967 ( 2nd edition 1987). They were edited by K. L. Janert. The two parts bring together only papers of H. Oldenberg to the exclusion of his monogra. phs and reviews. In addition, however, Janert gives at the begioning of Part 1, a complete Bibliography of Oldenberg's writings indicating simultaneously which of those writings find place in the two parts. Oldenberg's writings fall into the following five sections : 1. Kleine Schriften; 2. Monographien ; 3 Einzelbeiträge zu Sammelwerken; 4. Textausgaben und Übersetzungen : 5. Rezensionen.
The present third part in this series of Oldenberg's Kleine Schriften is edited by H. P. Schmidt. It forms a complement to the first two parts in the sense that it brings together under two heads three of Oldenberg's Monographs (Vedaforschung, Indien und Religionswissenschaft, and Zur Geschichte der altindischen Prosa ), one Excursus from his book on Buddha, and some selected reviews. Besides, in the first section Schmidt also publishes Oldenberg's replies to Mommsen's enquiries on the oldest criminal law.
Schmidt states in his Vorwort his reasons for bringing together the above writings as follows: (1) The monograph on the history of old Indian prose is closely related to two of his papers on narratives containing prose and poetry. (2) The monographs on Vedaforschung and Indien und die Religions. wissenschaft describe and justify Oldenberg's methodological standpoint. (3) The excursus "Über das geographische Verhältnis der vedischen und buddhistischen Kultur" does not appear in the subsequent editions of Oldenberg's book on Buddha, and it deserves to be saved from oblivion. (4) Oldenberg's replies to Mommsen's queries is not mentioned in Janert's Bibliography appearing in Part 1. (5) Several of Oldenberg's reviews, since they make positive contributions to the subject, are as good as independent papers,
Schmidt makes good one more deficiency in Janert's Bibliography by publisbing Oldenberg's review of Pischel-Geldner's “Vedische Studien, 1. Heft".
In his Vorwort Schmidt mentions two entries conveyed to him by Janert which should have figured in the Bibliography.
One need have no hesitation in agreeing with Schmidt for publishing the third part of Oldenberg's writings for the reasons stated by him. Scholars
Madhu Vidya/713
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