ERRATA. Page xxiv. Read the last line but three thus: " which arises from those pits of stagnant water and other nuisances," i Page 11, 69, Line 4, add "the" before" Kishkindhya.". 8, for shuts read coves. 183, 15, for council read counsel. 200, 22, add, after "side," " of the cocoa-nut." 314, 20, for Bŭrigoo read Bhrigoo. 27, for Bhoguvutee read Bhŭguvŭtee. 316, 21, read Brůmhŭ-Duttů. 324, 22, for gŭgŭt read jŭgŭt. 326, 27, dele h in Koilashů. 327, 29, for Krya read Kriya. 328, 2, for Kshntryŭ read Khshůtriyů.. 19, read Kupalŭbhrit. 330, 16, read mrityoonjŭyŭ and mrityoo. 337, 33, dele h in Părăm-Hăngshŭ and ŭugshů. PREFACE.... CONTENTS. Page xvii INTRODUCTION. DIFFICULTY of tracing the origin of the Hindoo uation-their high antiquity —whole ages of information lost-fabulous history a proof of the poverty and vanity of mankind-true history may be mixed with the Hindoo fables, i.-Certain prominent facts in Hindoo history throw some light on their early state as a nation-the style of the védŭs, and other concurring circumstances, afford room for the conjecture, that the most ancient parts of these works were written about the time of David, or about 1050 years before the Christian era-that the Original Sentences, on which the Hindoo philosophers built their different systems, were written not much later, and that the Institutes of Munoo, the Ramayŭnü, and their best philosophical and astronomical works, must have been written before the era of Aristotle, when the Greek learning had arrived at its highest state of perfection; that Krishnŭ lived about 200 years later, and that between his era and the incarnation, it is probable, the Mühabharütů and the Shrēē-Bhagŭvŭtŭ, two works in which the fame of this hero is celebrated, as well as some of the best minor poems, were composed; and that during this period also the arrangement of the védŭ by Vyasŭ was made;-these ideas corroborated by those of the best writers on the subject, iii.-The Hindoo history commences with the work of creation-the divisions of the earth-Prit❜hoo the first Hindoo king-he leads men to a knowledge of some of the arts-the earth named from him-the seven sons of this monarch noticed one of them, Agnidrů, obtains India-the inheritance of his eldest son receives the name Bharŭtŭ-Vŭrshŭ, or Hindoost'hanŭ, extending from Himalayŭ to the sea, iv.-The family of the sun noticed, which became extinct in the third age-the descendants of the moon reign. in another part of India—the first of this race married to a grand-daughter of the first monarch of the race of the sun-the dynasties down to the extinction of the Hindoo monarchy noticed-the lists of kings found in the pooranus no guide for the chronologist, vi.-Names of fifty-three separate kingdoms in India, from the Shŭk tee-Sŭmbliédů —more particufar accounts very desirable-a plan suggested for obtaining them-the state of Hindoo society in ancient times, so far as these accounts afford infor- *able coincidence with the customs of the ancient Saxons, xxiii.—Remarks on the features, dress, polite manners, and houses, of the Hindoos-no poultry—no kitchen garden-the eldest son succeeds to the place of the father, xxv.-Hospitality within the rules of the cast-remarks on towns -notice of the contents of the last thirty pages of the third chapter, xxvi. ib. The Institutes of Munoo formed from the védů found in the boat given to Swayŭmbhoovů, ........ ........ The various divisions of the earth given to the seven sons of Priyŭ-Vrütü, Prit❜hoo, the first Hindoo king, His division of the earth, and teaching sundry arts,. jb. ib. ib. Description of the seven divisions of the earth,. Division of Jumboo-Dwēēpŭ, by Agnidrŭ, The kingdom of Bhŭrůtů, designated Bharütu-Vürshů, or India,, Notices respecting the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth mun- Voivŭswůtů, the first munoo of the present, or seventh münwüntürü, 14 Ikshwakoo, his son, the first king of the race of the sun, His history, and that of his posterity down to the end of the sutyŭ yoogů, 15 Story of Hurishchŭndră, one of these kings,.... .......... ib. ib. Names of the kings of the race of the sun reigning in the dwapŭrŭ yoogŭ, 19 Kings of the race of the moon in this yoogŭ,. . . . . . . Vishwamitrů, a kshŭtriyů, advanced to bramhŭnhood, Arrival of Admiral Watson and Col. Clive,.. ib. Battle at Hoogley, and defeat of Kasŭm-alēē-khah.......... Family of Japhŭr-alēē-khah pensioned, Extravagance of the Hindoos in their chronology,. Remarks on the proneness of the Hindoos to the marvellous, Remarks on the preceding history, Ditto on the military prowess of the Hindoos, Matrimonial alliances between the families of the sun and moon, Extract from Munoo illustrative of the nature of the Hindoo juris- View of the civil polity of the Hindoos under their ancient kings,. Extract from Sir W. Jones on the origin of the Hindoos,.. Proofs that the whole system was the invention of the bramhŭns for .... Six hundred thousand bramhuns entertained at one feast,..、、、、、、 Every circumstance of life converted into a source of gain to the bram- |