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CONTENTS.

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Patron and Vice-Patrons

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Report of the Proceedings of the Third Annual Meeting of the Subscribers to the Oriental Translation Fund .....

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Patron:

His Most Excellent Majesty

KING GEORGE THE FOURTH.

Vice-Patrons:

His Royal Highness the DUKE of CLARENCE.

His Royal Highness the DUKE of SUSSEX.

His Royal Highness the DUKE of CAMBRIDGE.

His Royal Highness the DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. His Royal Highness PRINCE LEOPOLD of SAXE COBURG.

His Grace the LORD ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURY.

The Right Honourable the LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR.

His Grace the DUKE OF WELLINGTON.

The Most Noble the MARQUESS of LANSDOWNE.

The Right Honourable the EARL SPENCER.

The Right Honourable the EARL AMHERST, late Governor-General of India.

The Right Honourable LORD W. H. C. BENTINCK, G.C.B., Governor-General of India.

The Right Honourable LORD VISCOUNT MELVILLE.

The Right Honourable LORD VISCOUNT GODERICH.

The Right Honourable LORD GRENVILLE, Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

The Right Honourable LORD ELLENBOROUGH, President of the Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India.

The Right Honourable C. W. WILLIAMS WYNN, M.P., President of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

The Right Honourable SIR ROBERT PEEL, Bart., M.P.

The Right Honourable HENRY GOULBOURN, M.P.

The Right Honourable S. R. LUSHINGTON, Governor of Madras.

Lieutenant-General SIR E. BARNES, K.C.B., Governor of Ceylon.

Major-General SIR JOHN MALCOLM, G.C.B., Governor of Bombay.

H. T. COLEBROOKE, Esq., Director of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

A 2

OF

THE PROCEEDINGS'

OF THE

THIRD ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SUBSCRIBERS

TO THE

ORIENTAL TRANSLATION FUND.

AT a Meeting of the Subscribers to the ORIENTAL TRANSLATION FUND, held on MONDAY, the 14th of JUNE, 1830, at the House of the Royal Asiatic Society,

The Right Honourable the Earl AMHERST in the Chair:

The Right Honourable Sir GORE OUSELEY, Bart., informed the Meeting, that he was authorized by His Royal Highness the Duke of SUSSEX, to express his sincere regret, that His Majesty's lamented illness prevented his taking the Chair on this occasion.

The Minutes of the Proceedings of the last Anniversary Meeting were then read by the Secretary, and confirmed.

The Right Honourable Sir GORE OUSELEY, Bart., Chairman of the Oriental Translation Committee, having read the Report of the Committee's proceedings since the last anniversary, and the Auditor's Report of the Receipts and Expenditure of the Oriental Translation Fund for the year 1829:

It was moved by the Right Honourable Lord SELSEY, seconded by D. POLLOCK, Esq., and Resolved Unanimously,

"THAT the Committee's and Auditor's Reports be approved and printed."

Some amendments in the Sixth and Ninth Regulations for the Committee having been proposed by Sir ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, and seconded by JAMES ALEXANDER, Esq., M.P., It was Resolved Unanimously,

"THAT the proposed amendments in the Regulations be adopted."

The Right Honourable the Earl AMHERST, then, in His Majesty's name, and accompanied by appropriate addresses, presented one of the Royal Medals to the Rev. Professor LEE; and the other to the Chairman of the Committee, as the Representative of J. F. DAVIS, Esq.; and one of the Institution's Medals to Sir WILLIAM OUSELEY, as the Representative of Major DAVID PRICE.

The Chairman having left the Chair,

It was moved by the Right Honourable the Earl of CARLISLE, seconded by Count de LASTEYRIE, Vice-President of the Asiatic Society of Paris, and

Resolved Unanimously,

"THAT the warmest thanks of this Meeting be given to the Right Honourable the "Earl AMHERST, for his able conduct in the Chair."

WILLIAM HUTTMANN,

Secretary.

THIRD REPORT

OF THE

ORIENTAL TRANSLATION COMMITTEE.

1830.

THE Members of the Oriental Translation Committee, in offering this their Third Annual Report to the Members of the Royal Family, the Nobility, and the Gentlemen who have so generously patronized and munificently supported this long-wished-for Institution, entertain sanguine hopes that the simple recital of the incidents, labours, and acts of the past year will convince the Subscribers, in a gratifying manner, that the interesting objects for which they have so nobly granted their fostering protection, are in as flourishing a state of progress as they could have hoped for, and will obviate the necessity of their soliciting the attention of the Subscribers to more than a simple statement of Facts.

In the first place, the Committee have the grateful task of announcing to the Subscribers the gracious and munificent act of His Majesty, who, shortly after the last Meeting, with his usual beneficent protection of literature, on being presented with the five Works then printed at their expense, ordered Two Gold Medals, of the value of Twenty-five Guineas each, to be annually bestowed upon those learned Translators who may be considered worthy of this royal gift. A suitable device and motto having been agreed on by the Committee, and submitted by the Chairman to His Majesty, they have now the honour of placing before the Subscribers, for their inspection, the Medal of which the King has graciously condescended to express his approbation.

Although the Committee feel and regret the absence of a most active and zealous colleague, Colonel Fitz-Clarence, they avail themselves of the circumstance of his not being present at this Meeting, to express to the Subscribers, without wounding his modesty, their unqualified admiration of the persevering zeal, successful exertions, and eminent talent with which he has advanced the dearest objects of the Institution, during his sojourn in the "Eternal City;" and they feel confident that the resolution of thanks for, and confirmation of, his acts, which the Committee have unanimously come to, will be joyously re-echoed by the Subscribers.

Although the Colonel suffered much at first from the climate of Rome, which disabled him for all exertion, he made up amply for it, as soon as the state of his health permitted. A copy of the learned Professor Lee's translation of Ibn Batuta's Travels, he presented, in person, to his Holiness the Pope; who not only received it most graciously and thankfully, but, to mark his approbation of the establishment of the Oriental Translation Fund, immediately gave orders that the literary treasures of the Vatican library should be thrown open to the Colonel's researches. To this was added every assistance from the celebrated scholar, Monseigneur Angelo Mai, who, by the well-judged selection of the Papal Government, since sanctioned by the approbation of the European Republic of Letters, had been constituted Librarian; with permission to transcribe any manuscript contained in it, at the wish of the Committee.

To avail himself of the fruits of this most desirable acquisition, and at the same time to fulfil the wishes of the Committee, in establishing a permanent connection with Rome, Colonel Fitz-Clarence exerted his best ingenuity towards selecting such individuals for a "Branch Corresponding Committee at Rome," as, in addition to their eligibility on the score of excellent character, profound learning, and high attainment in Oriental literature, were sure to be approved of by the Pontifical Government.

It naturally suggested itself to the Colonel that our countryman, the Reverend Dr. Wiseman, an accomplished Orientalist, and the Head of the English College at Rome, who besides his fitness for the office by station and talent, possesses a hearty zeal for the cultivation of Eastern lore, and every other qualification, should be solicited to accept the office of Chairman. In this grand desideratum he has been successful; as also in appointing two learned colleagues to Dr. Wiseman, viz. the Reverend Dr. Cullen, Sub-Rector of the Propagandâ Fide establishment, a gentleman equally well qualified by ability and learning; and an English gentleman, Mr. Lewis, an excellent Arabic scholar, who passes his time in the cultivation of literature, between Rome and Sienna. Letters from the Committee, confirming the above arrangement, will be immediately forwarded to Rome, similar to those addressed to the Indian Presidencies, which are already before the Subscribers; and we entertain the most sanguine hopes that this appointment will be of the utmost utility to the main objects of the Society, as well as to our Lexicographers and Philologists, for whom we can obtain many lights in colloquial knowledge, from the natives of so many different Eastern countries as are assembled in that city.

It is almost unnecessary to draw the attention of the Subscribers to the very great advantages which this Institution must derive from the meritorious exertions of our zealous colleague at the Roman capital. It will at once suggest itself that Rome possesses many celebrated Orientalists; that its constant and direct communication with many parts of Western Asia, and the influx of learned natives of Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Abyssinia, who flock to the Propagandâ Fide, to study for the priesthood, afford great facility for the attainment of the objects of this Society, and that the Vatican and other libraries offer almost inexhaustible means for the cultivation of Eastern literature.

The Committee feel bound in justice to add, that the zeal of Colonel Fitz-Clarence in advancing the objects of the Society, has been fully equalled by the address and talent with which he made the necessary arrangements-secured the sanction and approbation of the Roman Government, and obtained the active and willing co-operation of the various learned bodies in that city, and their erudite members, as also in acquiring the aid of that powerful institution the Propagandâ Fide.

The heads of that college, in a most liberal manner, expressed their willingness to proceed conjointly with us in our desirable undertaking, and placed at our disposal the use of their founts and presses for the Oriental texts of such works as we may wish to publish in the original character; and the assistance of their Professors and Resident Orientalists, for composition and correction. They have also presented the Committee with specimens of their various types; and from Colonel Fitz-Clarence's calculation, a great saving must accrue in our future publica tions of voluminous Eastern texts, as contrasted with the expense incurred in England.

The learned Members of the Corresponding Committee at Rome have promised to publish in Italian, in the various periodical works circulated in Italy, a concise Prospectus of the views of our Institution; and it may be expected that ere long we shall receive numerous offers of translations from all quarters of the European continent.

In general, Colonel Fitz-Clarence found that amongst the Oriental scholars, with whom he took pains to become acquainted at Rome, the Syriac and Hebrew were more known than