PREFACE. xv
such a gentleman, and I gladly avail myself of tendering to him my obligations for the intelligent assistance which he has afforded me in this respect.
No attempt is made to disguise the fact that the small- ness and somewhat peculiar shape of the type are open to objection; but I may, perhaps, be permitted to explain that elegance has been sacrificed at the shrine of economy, as, for reasons which could scarcely be understood by an uninitiated reader, considerable space and time, and con- sequent cost, have been saved by the use of a fount of letters specially designed for works, of the nature of a Dictionary, where Oriental and English characters are continuously printed side by side.
It is a pleasant duty to express my warmest gratitude to Sir Frederic Goldsmid, who has not only from time to time afforded me the benefit of his experience and advice, but has invariably lent me that encouragement which can only be appreciated by those who have toiled for years at a work which, though a labour of love, is none the less, of necessity, more or less tedious and disheartening. Nor must I omit to tender my best thanks to Dr. Rost, the librarian of the India Office; not the least of the many advantages with which I have been favoured has been the privilege of a constant reference to that gentleman, whose profound learning and vast experience are only equalled by his courtesy and readiness to afford to others advice, the soundness and value of which it would be difficult to overrate.
The debt of gratitude which I owe to Lieut.-Colonel Ross and Mr. Monro Binning may be measured by the extent to which they have assisted me in my labours. I have endeavoured to explain fully the important part they have played in the preparation of the accompanying work, and I trust I have not claimed for myself any merit which is their due. That I should freely avow the extent to
