sary to our purpose. They give also a not uninteresting outline of the Colonel's Indian Career.
"The first thirteen years of my life in India, may be fairly considered as of little moment to the objects pursued latterly in collecting observations and notices of Hindoo manners, of Geography, and of History; with every attachment to this pursuit, to which my attention was directed before I left England; and not devoid of opportunities in India; yet the circumscribed means of a Subaltern Officer, a limited knowledge of men in power or office, and the necessity of prompt attention to military and professionial duties, could not admit of that undeviating attention, which is so necessary to the success of any pursuit, at all times, much more so to what must be extracted from the various languages, dialects and characters of the Peninsula of India.
"In particular, a knowledge of the native languages, so essentially requisite, could never be regularly cultivated, in consequence of the frequent changes and removals from province to province; from garrison to camp, and from one desultory duty to another. Those encouragements to study the languages of the vast countries, that have come under our domination since my arrival in India, were reserved for more happy times and for those, who are more fortunate in having leisure for their cultivation; from the evils of famine, penury and war, the land was
