DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.34827#0144
r 28 ^ 77 77 AV 77^7 7^/ cn. xiv.
must certainly be you. Now do you think that by a plan such
as I have mentioned many valuable inscriptions might be got
with accuracy enough to make them useful? and could you
have time and inclination to look over the proceedings of the
rest, and to select inscriptions for translation and publication ?
You will probably have leisure in your present retirement to
consider this subject, and (if you think the object attainable)
to draw up some notes of instructions. One grand object would
be to endeavour to get some clue to the characters used in the
cave inscriptions, which might possibly throw some light on
the state of the south and west of India before the complete
and exclusive establishment of the Brahmins and the Sanscrit.
For this purpose, Sanscrit inscriptions, contiguous to others in
the unknown characters, would be carefully collected, as likely
to throw light upon the latter. Grants of land in the un-
known character are to be found on copper plates, and will be
valuable from the assistance which a knowledge of the subject
would give in deciphering them, and from the chance of
Sanscrit for a character, sunnuds to the same effect being
preserved in the same family. What you say of the desir-
ableness of collecting the words in each of the Indian languages
which are derived from some other root besides Sanscrit,
suggests the question how far it would be possible to do any-
thing in furtherance of Sir James Mackintosh's plan for
collecting vocabularies. Vocabularies might easily be got,
and I fancy were got at that time. I for one sent six or
seven languages from Nagpoor, but for want of some arrange-
ment they were formerly lost if sent, and would be so again,
unless some one would class them, and enter them in books to
be printed, or to have copies sent to one or two learned societies,
as was thought best. This would be a tine accompaniment for
your proposed collection of alphabets ; but it is much easier
to project than to execute, and you may not be able to pitch
on any person likely to take so much trouble as even to arrange
the vocabularies. It is a pity that an appointment devoted
to scientific objects like Dr. Marshall's should be allowed to
die away when once founded. A person in such a situation
must certainly be you. Now do you think that by a plan such
as I have mentioned many valuable inscriptions might be got
with accuracy enough to make them useful? and could you
have time and inclination to look over the proceedings of the
rest, and to select inscriptions for translation and publication ?
You will probably have leisure in your present retirement to
consider this subject, and (if you think the object attainable)
to draw up some notes of instructions. One grand object would
be to endeavour to get some clue to the characters used in the
cave inscriptions, which might possibly throw some light on
the state of the south and west of India before the complete
and exclusive establishment of the Brahmins and the Sanscrit.
For this purpose, Sanscrit inscriptions, contiguous to others in
the unknown characters, would be carefully collected, as likely
to throw light upon the latter. Grants of land in the un-
known character are to be found on copper plates, and will be
valuable from the assistance which a knowledge of the subject
would give in deciphering them, and from the chance of
Sanscrit for a character, sunnuds to the same effect being
preserved in the same family. What you say of the desir-
ableness of collecting the words in each of the Indian languages
which are derived from some other root besides Sanscrit,
suggests the question how far it would be possible to do any-
thing in furtherance of Sir James Mackintosh's plan for
collecting vocabularies. Vocabularies might easily be got,
and I fancy were got at that time. I for one sent six or
seven languages from Nagpoor, but for want of some arrange-
ment they were formerly lost if sent, and would be so again,
unless some one would class them, and enter them in books to
be printed, or to have copies sent to one or two learned societies,
as was thought best. This would be a tine accompaniment for
your proposed collection of alphabets ; but it is much easier
to project than to execute, and you may not be able to pitch
on any person likely to take so much trouble as even to arrange
the vocabularies. It is a pity that an appointment devoted
to scientific objects like Dr. Marshall's should be allowed to
die away when once founded. A person in such a situation