The sun., 1900-06-17
yONE NEW BOOKS.
Sauskrit Literature.

the World" series il a volume of some $50 pages
entitled History Of Sdnskrd Literature. by
ARTHUR A. MACDoNfLL. the Boden pro-
fessor OF Sanskrit in the University Of Oxford
Appletons). The appearance OF this book
bears witness In striking way to the immense
advance In the knowledge OF Sanskrit that
has been made in the Inst half century. II iS
but little more than a hundred years since
Sanskrit literature may be said TO have been
discovered, so far as Western Europe is con-
cerned II Is true that after Alexander =
Invasion the Greeks became, TO some extent,
acquainted with the learning Of the Indians
the Arabs in the Middle Ages introduced the
knowledge of Indian science 10 the west a
few European missionaries from the six teen tn
century onward acquired some familiarity
with the ancient language OF India. and Abra-
ham Roger even translated Sanskrit poet
into Dutch AZ early as 1851. Nevertheless,
until about 1880 there WAS no authentic inlor-
nation In Europe about Sanskrn literature
but only vague surmise, finding expression IN
stories touching the wisdom Of the ancients'
The enthusiasm with which Voltaire greeted
the lore set forth in the "Ezour Vedam. work
brought from India in the middle OF the last
century, was premature. for the book was
proved later TO be a forgery made In the seven.
teenth century by Jesuit missionary. The
scepticsm justified by this fabrication survived
far into the present century Dugald SfeNar',
the philosopher, wrote an essay to prove that
not only Sanskrit literature, but also the San
skirt language, was a forgery made by crafty
Brabmans on the model of Greek after Alex
snders conquest, This view WAS elaborately
defended by a professor at Dublin US lately IA
the year 1888 The first impulse 10 the study
OF sanskrit by Englishmen was given by Warren
Hastings, who. when Governor General Of
Bengal, caused a number Of Brahmans TO pre-
pare digest of lIndoo laws and customs based
on the beat ancient legal authorities. An Eng
lish version Of this Sanskrlt compilation, made
through the medium Of Persian Translation
WAS published In i77G The Introduction TO
this work besides giving specimens OF the
Sanskrit script' for the first time Supplied sora
Trustworthy Information about the ancient
Indian language and literature,
The earliest step, however toward making
Europe acquainted with actual Sanskrit writ
iings was taken by Charles wilkins, who having
acquired consider able knowledge ~ Sanskrit nj
Benares published In i7sS translation of tho
Bhagavadgita. or "The Song Of the Adorable
One and two wears later n version of the col
lection of fables entitled "Hitopadeca." or
"Friendly Advice" Sir William Jones 074e-eD
was however, the pioneer OF Sanskrit studies
In the West. II was he who. during a career
OF eleven years In India, first aroused "A keen
interest In the study Of Indian antiquity by his
literary activity and by the foundation Of the
Aslatc Society of Bengal In l7a Having
rapidly acquired an accurate knowledge OF
Sanskrit he published In 1850 n translation or
"Cakuntala." the finest Sanskrt drama. which
was greeted with fervOr by Goethe and Herder
This was followed by translation OF the Code
of Manu-" the most important Of the Sanskrit
law books. To Sir William Jones also belongs
the credit Of having been the first man who
ever printed an edition OF Sanskrit text This
was short lyrical poem. entitled Cycle Of the
Seasons published In 1902. We next come to
Henry Thomas Colebrooke (l7s5- 1890. man Of
extraordinary industry. combined with clear
ness OF intellect and sobriety OF judgment.
The first TO handle the Sanskrit language and
literature on scientific principles. he published
many texts, translations and essays. dealing
with almost every branch OF Sanskrt learning
thus laying the foundations on which later
scholars have built. In the early years Of the
present century an accident led 10 the intro
duction OF a practical knowledge OF Sanskrit
on the Continent Of Europe. Alexander Ham
iton. an Englishman, who had acquired in
India good knowledge Of Sanskrit happened
20 be passing through France on his way home
In 1902. Hostilities presently breaking out.
q decree Of Napoleon directed against all Eng
lishmen In the country. kept Hamilton prls-
oner In Paris During hts long involuntary
stay In that city he taught Sanskrit TO some
French scholars and also TO the German poet.
Friedrich Schlegel. One of the results Of these
studies was the publication by Schlegel OF his
work "on the Language and Wisdom Of the
Indians" tiSOS. This book produced q revolu-
tion in the science OF language by the intro
ducton OF the comparative and the historical
methods. II led to the foundation Of the science
of comparative phllology by Franz Bopp in his
treatise on the conJug,tional system Of Sans
krit In comparison with that Of Greek. Latin.
P'rsan and German Nsis), Schlegel's work,
moreover. aroused so much zeal for the study
OF Sanskrit In Germany that the vast progress
made since his day In this branch OF learning
has been due mainly to the labors OF his CONN
trymen