at first, was only a meeting of a few literary friends at Oxford, rose gradually to that splendid zenith, at which a Halley was their secretary, and a Newton their president.

Although it is my humble opinion, that, in order to ensure our success and permanence, we must keep a middle course between a languid remissness and an over zealous activity, and that the tree, which you have auspiciously planted, will produce fairer blossoms, and more exquisite fruit, if it be not at first exposed to too great a glare of sunshine, yet I take the liberty of submitting to your consideration a few general ideas on the plan of our Society; assuring you, that, whether you reject or approve them, your correction will give me both pleasure and instruction, as your flattering attentions have already conferred on me the highest honour.

It is your design, I conceive, to take an ample space for your learned investigations, bounding them only by the geographical limits of Asia; so that considering Hindustan as a centre, and turning your eyes in idea to the north, you have on your right many important kingdoms in the eastern peninsula; the ancient and wonderful empire of China, with all her Tartarian dependencies; and that of Japan, with the cluster of precious islands, in which many singular curiosities have too long been concealed. Before you lies that prodigious chain of mountains which formerly perhaps were a barrier against the violence of the sea; and beyond them the very interesting country of Tibet, and the vast regions of Tartary, from which, as from the Trojan horse of the poets, have issued so many consummate warriors, whose domain has extended at least from the banks

of the Ilissus to the mouths of the Ganges. On your left are the beautiful and celebrated provinces of Iran, or Persia; the unmeasured, and, perhaps, unmeasurable deserts of Arabia; and the once flourishing kingdom of Yemen, with the pleasant isles that the Arabs have subdued or colonized: and farther westward, the Asiatic dominions of the Turkish sultans, whose moon seems approaching rapidly to its wane. By this great circumference the field of your useful researches will be enclosed: but, since Egypt had unquestionably an old connexion with this country, if not with China; since the language and literature of the Abyssinians bear a manifest affinity to those of Asia; since the Arabian arms prevailed along the African coast of the Mediterranean, and even erected a powerful dynasty on the continent of Europe; you may not be displeased occasionally to follow the streams of Asiatic learning a little beyond its natural boundary. And if it be necessary or convenient that a short name or epithet be given to our Society, in order to distinguish it in the world, that of Asiatic appears both classical and proper, whether we consider the place or the object of the institution; and preferable to Oriental, which is, in truth, a word merely relative, and though commonly used in Europe, conveys no very distinct idea.

If now it be asked what are the intended objects of our inquiries within these spacious limits, we answer, MAN and NATURE; whatever is performed by the one, or produced by the other. Human knowledge has been elegantly analysed according to the great faculties of the mind, memory, reason, and imagination, which we constantly find employed in

arranging and retaining, comparing and distinguishing, combining and diversifying, the ideas which we receive through our senses, or acquire by reflection; hence the three main branches of learning are history, science, and art. The first comprehends either an account of natural productions, or the genuine records of empires and states; the second embraces the whole circle of pure and mixed mathematics, together with ethics and law, as far as they depend on the reasoning faculty; and the third includes all the beauties of imagery, and the charms of inven tion, displayed in modulated language, or represented by colour, figure, or sound.

Agreeably to this analysis, you will investigate whatever is rare in the stupendous fabric of nature; will correct the geography of Asia by new observations and discoveries; will trace the annals, and even traditions, of those nations, who, from time to time have peopled or desolated it; and will bring to light their various forms of government, with their institutions civil and religious. You will examine their improvements and methods in arithmetic and geometry, in trigonometry, mensuration, mechanics, optics, astronomy, and general physics; their systems of morality, grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic; their skill in chirurgery and medicine; and their advancement, whatever it may be, in anatomy and chemistry. To this you will add researches into their agriculture, manufactures, trade; and, whilst you inquire with pleasure into their music, architec ture, painting, and poetry, will not neglect those inferior arts by which the comforts, and even elegancies of social life are supplied or improved. You may observe that I have omitted their languages, the

diversity and difficulty of which are a sad obstacle to the progress of useful knowledge; but I have ever considered languages as the mere instruments of real learning, and think them improperly confounded with learning itself: the attainment of them is, however, indispensably necessary; and if to the Persian, Armenian, Turkish, and Arabic, could be added not only the Sanscrit, the treasures of which we may now hope to see unlocked, but even the Chinese, Tartarian, Japanese, and the various insular dialects, an immense mine would then be open, in which we might labour with equal delight and advantage.

Having submitted to you these imperfect thoughts on the limits and objects of our future Society, I request your permission to add a few hints on the conduct of it in its present immature state.

Lucian begins one of his satirical pieces against historians with declaring, that the only true proposition in his work was, that it should contain nothing true: and, perhaps it may be advisable at first, in order to prevent any difference of sentiment on particular points not immediately before us, to establish but one rule, namely, to have no rules at all. This only I mean, that in the infancy of any society, there ought to be no confinement, no trouble, no expense, no unnecessary formality. Let us, if you please, for the present, have weekly evening meetings in this hall, for the purpose of hearing original papers read on such subjects as fall within the circle of our inquiries. Let all curious and learned men be invited to send their tracts to our secretary, for which they ought immediately to receive our thanks: and if, towards the end of each year, we should be

supplied with a sufficiency of valuable materials to fill a volume, let us present our Asiatic miscellany to the literary world, who have derived so much pleasure and information from the agreeable work of Kaempfer, than which we can scarce propose a better model, that they will accept with eagerness any fresh entertainment of the same kind. You will not, perhaps, be disposed to admit mere translations of considerable length, except of such unpublished essays or treatises as may be transmitted to us by native authors: but whether you will enrol as members any number of learned natives, you will hereafter decide, with many other questions, as they happen to arise: and you will think, I presume, that all questions should be decided, on a ballot, by a majority of two thirds; and that nine members should be requisite to constitute a board for such decisions. These points, however, and all others, I submit entirely, gentlemen, to your determination, having neither wish nor pretension to claim any more than my single right of suffrage. One thing only, as essential to your dignity, I recommend with earnestness, on no account to admit a new member, who has not expressed a voluntary desire to become so; and in that case you will not require, I suppose, any other qualification than a love of knowledge, and a zeal for the promotion of it.

Your institution, I am persuaded, will ripen of itself; and your meetings will be amply supplied with interesting and amusing papers, as soon as the object of your inquiries shall be generally known. There are (it may not be delicate to name them, but there are) many from whose important studies I cannot but conceive high expectations.