WILSON. Horace HaymanWilsonwent to India in September 1808 as an Assistant-Surgeon on the Bengal Establishment, and was attached to the mint at Calcutta, in association with Dr. Leyden, then next to Henry T. Colebrooke, the most dis tinguished orientalist in India. His studies, con sistently carried through more than half a century, placed him at last the highest authority of the day upon all questions of Sanskrit literature and of Hindu theology and antiquities, as well as of the customs and social habits of the races through which that literature and religion had come down to the present generation. In 1813 he published a poetical translation of the Megha Duta, an epic poem of Kalidasa, which obtained a world-wide reputation ; and he undertook the laborious task of preparing for the press, from materials collected by Colebrooke, a dictionary of the Sanskrit lan guage with English interpretations. This was completed in 1819, and a second edition was published in 1832. It has been the key by which, mainly, the learned of Europe have obtained access to this branch of literature. His earliest article in the volumes of the Asiatic Society of Bengal was published in 1825. It was on the History of Kashmir, from the Raja Tarangini and other authorities. It attracted much attention, and was speedily translated and republished in Paris. Every subsequent volume of the Researches of this Society contains more than one contribution from his prolific pen. He compiled, in. 1827, a History of the first Burmese War. He 'WM employed by the Government of India in prepar ing a catalogue of the manuscripts collected by Colonel Colin Mackenzie in the south of India. In 1834 he published, under the title of the Hindu Theatre, a translation into English, with preli minary essay, of four Sanskrit dramas of antiquity. The work was received with very general favour ; for the dramas were found to possess much artistic Merit in the combination of incidenth and in the exhibition of character ; one especially, the Mrich hakati, or Play of Toy Cart, is a representation of the manners and habits of thought and condition of society in Central India at a very remote period. These four dramas, with the Sakuntala, previously translated by Sir William Jones, aro among the most curious relics of Indian antiquity. But his name will live in India, and especially in Bengal, for the part he took in promoting useful instruction. He introduced the study of European science and English literature into the education of the native population. He was the Secretary to the Committee of Public Instruction at Cal cutta, and he devoted himself especially to direct ing the studies of the Hindu College from the date of its establishment. In 1833, the University
of Oxford having, through the magnificent bequest of Colonel Boden, esta,blished a Professorship of Sanskrit, Dr. Wilson was selected for that liberally endowed situation, and was appointed also to the office of Librarian to the East India Company, iu succession to Dr. Wilkins. His separate works, published after his return from India, all aimed at the wider spread of knowledge in the lore which he had so thoroughly mastered,--like his essays and translations of the Vedas and Puranas ; or like his Sanskrit Grammar and Glossary of Indian Terms, for the useful purposes of instruction ; or like his edition and continuation of MilPs History of British India ; or like his Ariana Antigua, on the Antiquities and Coin.a of Afghanistan,—with the higher aim of producing a lasting record for the information of the world at large.
He translated from the Sanskrit into English the Vishnu Parana ; Mrichhakati, or The Toy Cart ; Vikrarna and Urvasi, or Tho Hero and thc Nymph ; Uttara-Rama-Charita, or continuation of tho History of Rama ; Malati aud Madhava, or The Stolen Marriage ; Madre Rakshasa, or The Signet of the Minister ; Ratna Vali, or The Neck lace. His prose writings were—a Sketch of the Religious Sects of the Hindus ; Notice of Three Tracts received from Nepal ; on tho Religioua Practices and Opinions of tho Hindus ; on the Civil and,Religious Iustitutions of tho Sikhs ; The Religjoua Festivals of the Hindus ; on Human Sacrifices in the Ancient Religion of India ; on tho Supposed Vaida Authority for tho Burning of Hindu Widows, and on the Funeral Ceremonies of the Ilindus ; on Buddha and Buddhism ; on tho Religious Innovations attempted by Akbar ; Aualysis of the Puranas ; Hindu Fiction ; on the Medical and Surgical Sciences of the Hindus ; Introduction to the Mahabharata ; Introduction and Extracts from the Dasa Kumara-Charita ; Account of the Panchatantra ; History of Man tragupta ; History of Visruta ; Review of Sir F. II. Macnaghten's Hindu Law ; Review of A. 1Y. Schlegel's Bhagavat Gita ; Review of Max Muller's History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature ; Preface to the Sanskrit Dictionary ; Notice of European Grammars and Dictiouaries of the Sanskrit Language. He also gave short accounts of the Sanskrit dramas, Mahavera - Charita ; Veni Samhara ; Malavikagni Mitra, or Agni 3litra, and Malavika; Prachandu-Pandava; Hann man-Nataka ; Dhananjaya-Vijaya; Sarada-Tilaka; Anargha-Baghava, or Murari-Nataka ; Yayati Charita ; 3Irigankalega ; Dutangada, or the Mission of Angada ; Vidagdha-Madhava ; Abhi raina-Mani; Madhurani-Ruddlia ; Kanisa-Badha ; Pradyumna-Vijaya ; Sri-Daina-Charita ; Dhurta Nataka ; Hasyarnava ; Dhurta-Samagama ; Chi tra-Yajna; Kantuka-Sarvasva.