In 1774 Sir. Jones was called to the bar. Feeling the importance of devoting his whole time to his legal studies, ho left all his Oriental books and manuscripts at Oxford, and diligently attended the courts of common law. During this time he wrote an essay on the law of bailments, which has since been republished. The work is characterised by Jones's usual perspicuity and ease of expression; so far as concerns the arrangement and matter, we are not aware that it contains any thing original, and it is sufficient to read it to be convinced that the author had not a mind adapted to seize with precision the fundamental principles which form the science of law. Jones's panegyric on Black stone is sufficient to show in what manner he had studied law.
In 1780 he became a candidate to represent the University of Oxford in parliament, but finding that be had no hope of success in conse quence of his opposition to the ministers of the day, and his condem nation of the American war, he withdrew from the contest. His opinions on political subjects are given in his ' Enquiry into the Legal Mode of Suppressing Riots,' in his ' Speech to the Assembled Inhabit ants of Middlesex,' &c., in his Plan of a National Defence,' and in his 'Principles of Government ;' which are printed in the eighth volume of his works (8vo edition). After an interval of six years, when he had acquired great reputation iu his profession, he again resumed his Oriental studies, and employed the leisure hours of tho winter of 1780-1 in translating some ancient poems of the highest repute in Arabia, which era called Moallakat, or suspended,' because they are hung up iu the Temple of Mecca. la 1783 he was appointed, through the influence of Lord Ashburton, a judge in the supreme court of judicature at Fort William in Bengal; on which occasion he was knighted. A few weeks after he married Miss Shipley, the eldest daughter of the bishop of St. Asaph.
Sir William Jones arrived at Calcutta at the close of the year ; and from this time to that of his death, a period of eleven years, he devoted all his leisure time to the study of Oriental literature. Almost imme diately after his arrival he induced those persons who had paid attention to Oriental literature to unite in forming a Society "for inquiring into the history and antiquities, the arts, sciences, and literature of Asia." To the 'Asiatic Researches,' which were published by this society, of which Sir William Jones was the first president, Oriental scholars in Europe are indebted for much of their knowledge of the literature and antiquities of the Hindoos. Sir William Jones contributed the
following treatises to the first four volumes of the 'Asiatic Researches :' eleven 'Anniversary Discourses' on the different nations of Asia, &c. ; ' A Dissertation on the Orthography of Asiatic Words in Roman Letters ;" On the Gods of Greece, Italy, and India ;" On the Chrono logy of the Hindus ;" On the Antiquity of the Indian Zodiac ;" On the Second Classical Book of the Chinese ;" On the Musical Modes of the Hindus;' ' On the Mystical Poetry of the Persians and Hindus,' containing a translation, of the Gltagovinda by Jayadeva; ' On the Indian Game of Chess;' The Design of a Treatise on the Plants of India ;' and many other treatises of less importance.
The study of Sanskrit principally engaged the attention of Sir William Jones during the first three or four years of his residence in Bengal. When he had attained sufficient proficiency in this language he proposed to the government to publish a copious digest of Hindoo and Mohammedan law ; he offered to superintend the compilation, and to translate it. This offer was willingly accepted, and Sir William Jones laboured for many years on the work. It was unfinished at the time of his death ; but has siuce been completed under the superintendence of Mr. Colebrooke. The laws of Menu, on which the whole system of Hindoo jurisprudence is founded, were translated by Sir William Jones, and published separately in 1794. Those who are interested in Hindoo literature are also indebted to Sir William Jones for a translation of Sacuntala„ a dramatic poem by Cedidasa, which appeared for the first time at Calcutta in 1789 [ClunIsa] ; and also for a translation of the Hitopadesa, which appears to have been tho original of the celebrated collection of Persian fables known under the name of Pilpay or Bidpai. But while he was indefatigable in the pursuit of literature, he never neglected his duties as a judge ; and "the inflexible integrity," remarks Lord Teignmouth, "with which he discharged the solemn duty of this station, will long be remembered in Calcutta, both by Europeans and natives." He died at Calcutta, on the 27th of April 1794, after a few days' illness.