pursuits to give her the advantage of presenting, without embellishment or caricature, the subjects of the Hindû chissel, which she had been fortunate enough to preserve, when many other drawings were lost on her passage homeward from the East. With much diffidence she takes leave of her little book to send it forth to the world, certain that it requires much indulgence, but trusting that the motives of the undertaking will cancel some of its many faults. CONTENTS. LETTER III. Prosody-Poetry-Poems-Mahabarat Ra- mayuna-Sisupola bad'ha-Ciratarjunya Nais- had'hiya-Cumara-Raghu-Megadata-Dra- matic Writings-Sacontala-Malah'Mad'hava- LETTER IV. Lyric Poetry-Amatory Poems- Mixed Writings-Bards of India-Music and Musical Instruments-Ancient Hindû Music-Mytho- logy of Music-Fine Arts, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Civil, Religious, and Military... 42 of the Vedantas, Sanc'hyas, and Nyayas...... 67 LETTER VI. Morals-Laws-Government-Usages LETTER VIII. Ancient Systems of Geography-India as known to the Western Ancients-Ten Native Kingdoms-Twelve Soubas of Hindostan Pro- LETTER XI. Mussulmans in India-Mahomed Sebectaghin and the Gaznavides-Mahomed Seif edien and Gaurides-Mahomed Shah and Khouaresmians -Invasion of Genghis Khan-Patans-Invasion of Tamerlane-Foundation of the Kingdom of Bejapoor-Establishment of the Moguls....... 191 LETTER XII. Babershah-Houmaioun - Akbar Jehan- ghire-Shah Jehan Aurengzebe-Successors of Aurengzebe till Mr. Hastings' Government...... 228 LETTER XIII. Division of Castes-Missionaries ............. 271 LETTER XIV. Manners and Customs-Women-Ceremo- nies-Eating-Prayers-Ablutions-Oblations -Sacrificial Fire-Rites of Hospitality-Mar- LETTERS ON INDIA. MY DEAR SIR, ALLOW me to congratulate you on your recent appointment; and on the accomplishment of the wish you have so often expressed to visit the East. I feel highly flattered by your applying to me for information concerning the country you are so soon to see, and to judge of for yourself; but conscious of my inability to satisfy you as I could wish, on many subjects relating to it, I had once thoughts of referring you to such books as contain the best accounts of the country, its customs, and its inhabitants. However, on reflecting that your time must be too fully occupied in preparations for your voyage, to allow you to engage in the perusal of very voluminous works, I have, though with considerable diffidence, determined to send you the abstract you request, of the notes made for my own use. I perfectly agree with you that many of the evils complained of in the intercourse between the European residents and the native inhabit B |