The illustration of the antiquities of In dia is more difficult, but discoveries are still making in that vast extent of coun try. To that great patriot, philosopher, and legislator, Sir William Jones, we are greatly indebted for much valuable infor mation on this subject. Mr. Halhed, in deed, in 1776, gave the first specimen which appeared of the early wisdom of the Indians, and their extensive skill in jurisprudence. In the year 1785, the Bhagvat Geeta was edited by Mr.Wilkins. The theological and metaphysical doc trines oftius work were represented to be of the profoundest kind, and it was said to contain all the grand mysteries of the Hindoo religion, and laid claim to the an tiquity of 4000 years. Other works of high reputation have succeeded ; among these are the " Indian Antiquities," by Maurice, which have, in a great measure, cleared the ground for the student, and given him a sort of clue for farther inves. tigations. By his labours, the ancient ge ographical divisions of India, according to the classical writers of Greece and Rome, and of Hindostan, according to the Hin doos themselves, are reconciled; the ana logies of the Brahmanic with other sys tuns of theology considered, and the grand code of civil laws, the original form of government, and the literature of Hin dostan, are compared with the laws, go vernment, and literature of Persia, Egypt, and Greece. From Sir William Jones's papers, published in the several volumes of the "Asiatic Researches," much solid. information on Indian antiquities may be Rau in a short compass. By that great man, whose loss cannot be sufficiently lamented, a society was formed for in quiring into the history, antiquities, arts, sciences, and literature of Asia. Having founded the institution, he gave it celebri ty hy his own admirable discourses ; of these the first was on the orthography' of Asiatic words in Roman letters, a want of attention to which had occasioned much confusion in history and geography. Not contented with pointing out radical de fects, he proposed a system, which was useful to the learned, and essential to the progress of the student. His other dis sertations, to which the reader may be referred, were all, in a greater or less de gree, connected with the antiquities of India. By India is meant the whole ex tent of country in which the primitive re ligion and language of the Hindoos pre vail at this day, and in which the Nmgari letters are still used, with more or less deviation from their original forrn. Its inhabitants have no resemblance, either in their figure or manners, to any of the na tions contiguous to them. Their sources of wealth are still abundant. In their ma nufactures of cotton they suma.ss the other nations of the world ; and though now degenerate and abased,there remains enough to show, that in some early age they were well versed in arts and arms, happy in government, wise in legisla tion, and eminent in various branches of knowledge.
In this place we may briefly notice the Sanscrit langmage, which, whatever may be its antiquity, is of a very singular struc ture ; more perfectthan the Greek, more copious than the Latin, and more refined than either, yet bearing' to both a stronger affinity, both in the roots of verbs, and in the forms of grammar, tha.n could possi bly have been produced by accident. Of their philosophy it has been observed, that in the more retired scenes, in groves, and in seminaries of learning, we may perceive the Brahmans and the Sarmanas of Clemans disputing in the forrns of lo gic, or discoursing on the vanity of human enjoyments, on the immortality of the soul, heeemanation from the eternal mind, her debasement, wanderings, and final union with her source.
The ancient monuments of Hindostan arc very mtmerous, and ofvarious descrip tions, exclusive of the tombs zutd other edifices of the 1+•fahometan eonquerors. Some of the most remarkable are, excal a ted temples, statues, relievos, tke. in :in island near Bombay ; but the most mag nificent and extensive are near the town oat' Ellora, about two hundred miles cast of Bombay. The latter are minutely describ ed, and illustrated with plates, in the sixth volume of the Asiatic Researches. The
idols represented seem clearly to belong to the present mythology- of Ilindostan but at what period these edifices were modelled,whetherthree hundred orthree thousand years ago, cannot be easily as certained. Several ancient grants ofland, some coins, and seals, have also been found, which, however, do not greatly correspond with the exaggerated idea_s entertained concerning the early civiliza tion of this rent:At-tied country; while the Egyptain pyramids, temples, and obelisks, strongly confivm the accounts preserved by ancient hiStorians. Though the my thology of the Hindoos may pretend to great antiquity, yet their present form of religion is supposed to vary considerably front the ancient. It is inferred, that while the religion ofBoodha, still retained hy the Birmans and other adjacent na tions, was the real ancient system of' Hitt dostan, the religion of the Hindoos is art fully interwoven with the common offices of life ; and the different casts are sup posed to originate from Brahma, the im mediate agent of creation, under the Su preme Power.
The remains of architecture and sculp ture seem to prove an early connection between India and Africa. Of the ancient arts and manufactures little is known, excepting the labours of the Indian loom and needle. The Hindoos are said to have boasted of three inventions, viz the method of instruction by " apologues," " the decimal scale," and " the game of chess " Of the antiquities of Greece and Rome much lift.s been written that merits the attention of the student in litemture : these are subjects, in which every well educated youth is made conversant at an early period. They are taught in all our schools, as necessary to the elu cidation of those works that are read in the attainment of the ancient languages. Potter on the Greek antiquities, and Ken net and Adarns on those of Roman, are familiar to every ear: in their kind they are truly respectable, though they may be regarded only as elementary treatises,cal ciliated rather to excite taste for the study, than to satisfy the inquirer in pur suit of knowledge.
The first accounts of Greece are derived from ages long before the common use of letters in the country. so that it is difficult to distinguish where fable concludes, and real history begins. Prom the Phoenician and Egyptian colonies, the Greeks first received the culture of humanity. By the Phoenicians, they were instructed in trade, navigation, and the use of letters; and by the Egyptians in civil wisdom, the politer sciences, and religious mysteries. The antiquities of such a country, which became in after ages so illustrious in the annals of mankind, cannot fail to have ex cited a considerable degree of interest in every age : they have accordingly been carefully and minutely investigated, by writers celebrated alike for their erudition and industry. Ofthese we can enumerate but a small portion, in comparison of the many that have treated on the subject. Bishop Potter, to whom we have already referred, Bos, and others, have drawn up systems or abridgments of the whole, or at least of whatever relates to the religion, the gods, the vows, and the temples of Greece : on the public weal and magis tracy, Stephanus and Van Dale are well worthy of notice : on the laws and punish ments of Greece, we have Meursius and Petit: on military concerns, Arrian and are well known : on their gymnas tic art, and exercises, Joubert and Faber may be mentioned on the theatres and scenic exhibitions, Scaliger and the abbe Barthelemy haVe written: besides these, we have many writers on their entertain ments, on their marriages, the education of their children, and their funeral cere monies. The best relics, %which display the former splendour ofthe Grecian states, have been preserved by Stuart in his Athens : in the Ionian Antiquities, and in the Voyage Pittoresque de la Greece. The finest specimens of its sculpture, in this country, are to be found among the Townly marbles : and of its coinage, in the cabinet of Dr. Hunter.