Life and Works of Alexander Csoma De Koros: Volume 50 (Trubners Oriental Series)

He wore a jacket very much like a loose shooting-jacket with outside pockets, of the common blue cotton cloth of India ; he wore a waistcoat of figured red, brown, black, or yellow stuff of Indian manufacture, and trousers of a kind of light-brown stuff, cotton stock- ings, and shoes. Now as regards his studies. The reason which induced Csoma to devote his best talents for so many years to Tibetan will become evident in due course, but it was certainly not the mistaken fancy attributed to him of having discovered a resemblance between it and the Magyar tongue.

Thirdly , we have the statement contained in Part II. There is an incident described in Baron Hiigers work voh i. It refers to the occurrence of the 18th of November , when the Baron was at Srinaggur and met two Englishmen there. Csoma reports in the letter to Captain Kennedy para. We bring this forward for no other reason but that of adding another proof of the defective nature of Baron Hiigel's data.

We have, therefore, been compelled to treat with sus- picion the statements made by this author, there being much evidence to show that they are not made with the necessary exactitude. Carls- ruhe, , have been taken from the original English, and probably also French sources, by which alone we have been guided in this part of the biography.

Critics do not omit to mention, that Csoma was quite ignorant of Sanskrit whilst engaged in his Tibetan studies. He certainly was not then a master of Sanskrit, his original or final aim of research not being India, but China, espe- cially Mongolia. But when he seriously commenced the study of Tibetan, and had also come across numerous elementary Sanskrit and Tibetan works, of which we find special mention in his writings, can it be reasonably supposed, that the ever-eager and indefatigable student, would have neglected such opportunities as presented themselves to him, and have remained entirely ignorant of the Sanskrit language for so many years, which, as he tells us at the outset of his new study, was the basis of all Tibetan learning?

So far from this being the case, his letters to Captain Kennedy furnish ample proofs to the contrary. Bor instance, in his second letter to Captain Kennedy, para. This has often served as justification for dis- paraging his unique accomplishments. In November , our traveller appeared on the north- west frontier of the British possessions, and reported his arrival to Captain Kennedy, the commanding officer at Sabathii.

The correspondence which passed at that time between the authorities and the traveller is of much interest. He is particularly introduced to my notice by Mr. Moorcroft, whose letter I herewith enclose. Csoma de Koros remains here at present, and waits the arrival of a Lama, whom he expects in a few days, to pro- ceed with him towards Tibet. Although my ecclesiastical studies had prepared mo for an honourable employment in my native country, yet my inclinations for the studies mentioned above, induced me to seek for a wider field for their further cultivation.

As my parents were dead, and my only brother did not want my assist- ance, I resolved to leave my native country and to come towards the East, and by some means or other procuring subsistence, to devote my whole life to researches which may be afterwards useful to the learned world of Europe in general, and, in particular, may illustrate some obscure facts in our own history.

But as I could not hope to obtain, for this purpose, an Imperial passport, I did also not beg for it. I took a printed Hungarian passport at N. Enyed to come on some pretended business to Bucharest, in Wallachia, and having caused it to be signed by the 'General Commandant in Hermanstadt, in the last days of November , passing the frontier mountains, entered Wallachia.

My intention in going to Bucharest was, after some acquaintance with the Turkish language, to proceed to Constantinople. There was no opportunity for my instruction, nor could I procure any mode, to go directly to Constantinople, therefore: After travelling for eight days in rapid marches, we reached Sophia, the capital of Bulgaria, whence, with other Bul- garians, I came in five days to Philipopolis, in Boumelia, or Thrace. My plan was to stop for a certain time either at Alexandria or in Cairo, and to improve myself in the Arabic, with which I was already acquainted in Europe, but on a sudden eruption of the plague I left Egypt, and proceeding on a Syrian ship I came to Larnica, in Cyprus, thence to Sidon, Beyruth, and then, on another vessel, to Tripoli and Latakia, whence, travelling on foot, on the 1 3th of April I reached Aleppo in Syria.

On the 22d J uly I reached Baghdad. Thence, in August, I addressed a letter, written in Latin, to Mr. Beilin 0, assisted me with a dress and with some money, through his friend, Mr. Swoboda, a native of Hungary, with whom I was then lodging, and to whom I was recommended from Aleppo. I left Baghdad on 4th September, and travelling in European costume, on horse- back, with a caravan, passihg by Kermanshah where, in the service of Mahomed Ali Mirza, the eldest son of Fateh Ali Shah, king of Persia, were several European military officers , by Hamadan, on 14th October , I arrived at Teheran, the present capital of Persia.

On the 3d of November 1 , in a letter, written in English, addressed to Mr. Henry and George Willock for their kind reception and generosity at my departure and to them I beg to refer for my character. Through their complaisance I sojourned four months in the capital of Persia, became acquainted grammatically with the Per- sian, improved myself a little in English, perused several treatises for my purpose, examined many ancient silver coins of the Parthian dynasty. I de- posited there all my books and papers, among others, my testimonial from the University of Gottingen, my passport from Transylvania, and a certificate in Sclavonick on my progress in that language.

I gave also to those gentlemen a letter written in Hungarian, addressed to Enyed, in Transylvania, for Mr. Joseph Kovats, Professor of Mathe- matics and Physics, with my humblest request, in case I should die or perish on my road to Bokhara, to be trans- mitted. On account of warlike disturbances in the neighbouring countries, it was the 20th of October ere I could leave that place to proceed in safety, and on the 18th of November I reached safely Bokhara, but, affrighted by frequent exaggerated reports of the approach of a nume- rous Russian army, after a residence of five days I left Bokhara, where I intended to pass the winter, and with a caravan I came to Balk, Kulm, and thence by Bamian ; on 6th of January, , 1 arrived at Kabool.

We arrived at Lahore the nth of March , and on the 23d of the same I left it, and going by Amritsir, Jamoo, I reached Kashmir the 17th of April, where I stopped, waiting for proper season and companions, till 9th May ; when leaving that place, and travelling with four other persons, on the 9th June I arrived at Leh, the capital oi Ladak ; but I ascertained the road to go to Yarkand was very difficult, expensive, and dangerous for a Christian. After a sojourn of twenty- five days I resolved to return to Lahore.

I acquainted him with all my circumstances and designs, and by his permission remained with him. I accompanied him on his return to Leh, where we arrived on the 26th August.

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In September, after Mr. Trebeck's arrival from Piti, Mr. Moorcroft gave me to peruse the large volume of the Alphabetum Tibetanum, wherein I found much respecting Tibet and the Tibetan literature, and being desirous to be acquainted with the structure of that curious tongue, at the departure of Mr.

Moorcroft from Leh to proceed to Cashmere, in the last days of September, I begged leave to remain with Mr. Trebeck, who obtained for me the conversation and instruction of an intelligent person, who was well acquainted with the Tibetan and Persian languages ; and by this medium I obtained con- siderable insight in the Tibetan. Moorcroft, dated Petersburgh, 17th January , and addressed to the chief prince of the Panjab Runjeet Singh , which, as Mr. Moorcroft informed me after his arrival at Kashmir, he sent to Calcutta.

Trebeck, considering what I had read and learned on the Tibetan language, I became desirous to apply my- self, if assisted to it, to learn it grammatically, so as to penetrate into the contents of those numerous and highly interesting volumes which are to be found in every large monastery. I communicated my ideas respecting this matter to Mr.

Being prepared for the journey, I left Kashmir on the 2d May , after I had passed five months and six days with Mr. This Prime Minister recommended me in a letter to the Lama of Yangla; gave me a passport, and favoured me with about eight pounds of tea. From Leh, travelling in a south-westerly direction, on the ninth day I arrived at Yangla, and from 20th June to 22d October I sojourned in Zanskar the most south-western province of Ladak , where I applied myself to the Tibetan literature, assisted by the Lama.

Each work or treatise begins with the title in Sanskrit and Tibetan, and ends with the names of the author, translators, and place wherein the author has written or the translation was performed. As there are several collections of Sanskrit and Tibetan words among my other Tibetan writings, I brought with me a copy of the largest, taken out of one of the above-mentioned volumes, consisting of 1 54 leaves, every page of six lines. The Lama was detained by some business, and prevented for some days leaving Zanskar. I arrived at Sultanpore, in Coolloo, without any danger, and from thence, passing to Mendee, Suketee, Belaspore, on the 26th of November of the last year I reached Subathoo.

On mf arrival I expected the Lama would follow me in about ten days. He came not, and at present I have no hope he will join me, as the pass in the Himalaya is now cldsed against him. There is yet in Asia a vast terra incognita for oriental literature. If the Asiatic Society in Calcutta would engage for the illuminating the map of this terra incognita , as in the last four years of my travelling in Asia I depended for my necessary subsistence entirely upon British generosity, I shall be happy if I can serve that honourable Society with the first sketches of my researches.

If this should not meet with the appro- bation of Government, I beg to be allowed to return to Mr. In March , he took passage in a Syrian ship to Cyprus, thence to Sidon and Bey rut, and thence on another raft by way of Tripolis he arrived in Latakia. In April , at the beginning, he left on foot for Aleppo, where he arrived on the 13th of that month.

September 4th, he left Baghdad, travelling on horseback through Kermanshah and Hamadan, reaching on October 14 th Teheran. November 23 d, he left Bokhara, and, travelling vid Balkh, Kulum, and the Bamian Pass, arrived , January 6th, at Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. January 19th, he left Kabul.

March 1 2th, he arrived at Lahore. May 1 gth, he left Kashmir, and on June gth arrived at Leh, the capital of Ladak. July 3 d, he left Leh on a return journey to Kashmir. On July 1 6th, he met Mr. On August 2 6th, he reached Leh a second time. Trebeck, whom he after- wards accompanied to Srinaggur, where they arrived on November 26th, and Csoma joined Moorcroft and remained with him for five months and six days. June 1 yth, he left Leh, and On June 2 6th, he arrived at the Monastery of ,Yangla, in the province of Zanskar, where he spent sixteen months. This is the place where, as we shall find more fully de- scribed later on, Csoma laid the foundation of his acquaint- ance with the language and literature of Tibet; it was here that he resided, being confined with the Lama, his teacher, and an attendant to an apartment nine feet square.

For more than four months they were precluded from stirring out by the state of the weather. After dark he was without a light ; the ground forming his bed, and the walls of the building h is protection against the rigours of the climate. If we glance at the map we shall find that Csoina's route was the same which, forty-two years later, was fol- lowed as far as Bokhara by his famous and enterprising countryman, Arminius Vambdry.

The still available correspondence, and the casual remarks of his friends and admirers, give us sufficient information as to the character of the man ; but the full details, which other- wise make up the charm of the story of a life like his, are lost, and can never be made good.

In his letter to the political agent at Umbala, dated the 28th of November, quoted above, we find Captain Kennedy stating that a special introduction was brought by Csoma from Mr. That letter was forwarded to the Government, and is dated Kashmir, the 21st of April This letter is worthy of being preserved, if only as a memento of the ill-fated writer. I have known this gentleman for five months most intimately, and can give the strongest testimony to his integrity, prudence, and devotedness to the cause of science, which, if fully explained, might, in the opinion of many, be conceived to border on enthusiasm.

As well in pursuance of original plans of his own for the development of some obscure points of Asiatic and of European history , as of some suggestions stated by me, Mr. Csoma will endeavour to remain in Tibet until he shall have become master of the language of that country, and be completely acquainted with the subjects its litera- ture contains, which is likely, on many accounts, to prove interesting to the European world.

Although no substantial grounds exist for suspect- ing that he will not succeed in accomplish in g the object above stated, the recent date of European intei course with the country of Ladakh may justify the adoption of sub- stituting other measures, should the result of the plans contemplated not meet the present sanguine expectations of success. If, therefore, events should arise to prevent Mr. Csoma continuing in Ladakh until he may have effected the matter alluded to, I beg leave respectfully to request that you will so far oblige me as to afford him such assistance as may be required to facilitate the prosecution of his studies, along with some well-informed Lama in the northern part of Besarh, as the Superior of the Gompa or Monastery of Pal so, near Leh.

It is possible that the contingency of my death, or of delay of the present expedition. Csoma, may induce the Government to desire him to proceed to Calcutta, in which case I shall feel myself personally obliged if you will be kind enough to furnish him with two hundred rupees, to meet which I now enclose my draft at sight on my agents at Calcutta. Csoma makes mention of the first meeting between them in his letter to Captain Kennedy para. The two preceding letters settle, therefore, those points regarding which so much uncertainty and so many mis- taken ideas have prevailed.

Thence, vid Lahore, he travelled into Kashmir, where he arrived on the 14th of April. On this journey he met Moorcroft, who enter- tained him hospitably, and lent him Giorgi's " Alphabetum Tibetanum. At the time we speak of, the British power was feeling its way slowly and extending its influence towards Central Asia: Wilson points out clearly this aim when he says: This will not only promote the commercial and political prosperity of Great Britain and her Indian pos- sessions, but may effect the still more important end of teaching to yet semi-barbarous tribes the Advantages of industry and civilisation.

A solemn agreement, therefore, was entered into between Moorcroft and Csoma: Nor is there any authentic proof to warrant the assertion that Csoma ever declared himself to be a believer in any special affinity between his mother- tongue and the Tibetan. The power of Ban jit Singh was still paramount in the Punjab. He had to wait for three long months before an answer reached him, as will be seen from his second letter, written in May.

That letter touches on some points now out of date, but its general contents will doubtless be read with much interest. It furnishes proofs also in several passages of the fact, that Csoma was not altogether ignorant of the Sanskrit tongue when, in accordance with the order of the Governor-General, he wrote his second letter, addressed to Captain Kennedy. Owing to the distance and other incidental delays, it was not till the month of May follow- ing that an answer to it, from the Calcutta Government, reached Sabathd.

The Govern- ment granted a regular stipend of fifty rupees a month, which enabled him to prosecute the Tibetan studies, and, as regards his own position, to perpetuate his name in the domain of science and literary research. In the second letter, addressed to Captain Kennedy, Csoma made known in detail all he had already learnt of the language of Tibet, and of the religion of Buddha, and explained his future plans, particularly in paragraphs 27 and He gave a promise that he would devote himself entirely to that special study ; he kept to the de- termination, and spent some of the best years of his life between and in the attainment of his object.

When once his task was finished, he remarked with melan- choly emphasis to Dr.

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This, therefore, could not be the reason that urged him to study it. Jchydd , anglice, you ; in Hungarian, Jeend, hegydmed , — we find no other marked out by Csoma for comparison as to any supposed similarity between these two languages. There were, however, weighty motives which induced him to devote himself to the literature of Tibet. The first was doubtless the wish of a grateful heart to do some service, if he could, to his English patrons.

He felt that already, at the University of Gottingen, he was supported from the scholarship founded by English benevolence ; and it was there, we may add also, that he first began to study English under Professor Eiorillo. When Csoma set out on his venturesome journey, he always found help and patron- age, when in need, from Englishmen; and now again, when at Sabathii, he saw clearly that without English protection and liberality he could never hope to succeed.

He believed, no doubt, to be some day in a position to furnish a key to the learned of Europe for further exploration of an almost terra incognita, and this, indeed, he subsequently accomplished. Moreover, he hoped to promote his original objects, if, fortified with newly-acquired knowledge, he could reach Lassa, where the library of the Grand Lama would be accessible to him, and where he would be in a position to explore thoroughly those Tibetan works which elsewhere he sought for in vain, and which, according tb his information and belief, contained the early history of the Mongols and the Huns.

The Tibetan tongue, moreover, is the most generally known among nations professing the Buddhist faith. Many interesting points are touched upon in his second letter, throwing a light on the discoveries and progress of that department of Oriental literature which Csoma was exploring. In this manner, left alone, as I have not yet the practice of Tibetan writing, and sometimes, in dubious cases, I ought to consult an intelligent man for that lan- guage, I was not able to arrange the collected materials as I had planned.

He writes very well both the capital and the small characters, is acquainted with the grammatical structure of the Tibetan language, with arithmetic, rhetoric, poesy, and dialectic. He knows the whole system of their religion, has a general knowledge of every- thing that is contained in their books, and of customs, manners, economy, and of the polite language used among the nobility, and in the sacred volumes ; speaking respect- fully to superiors. He acquired a great deal of geography and history respecting the Tibetan countries.

He is now about fifty-two years old ; he is not a resident in a mon- astery, having married about twelve years ago the widow of the Yangla Eaja. He id' the chief physician of Ladak, and sometimes the chief secretary employed by Govern- ment in writing to Teshi lhunpo, and Lassa.

Full text of "Life And Works Of Alexander Csoma De Koros"

There are, besides many others, seven chief emanations or incarnations Nirmankaya, in Sanskrit of this Supreme Being, called commonly Buddhas, of whom Sakya who has more than twelve names, is addressed in the sacred volumes frequently as Gotama, principally by Brahmins , which is a very ancient family name of his ancestors, was the last in appearing in the world, and probably was the same with the most ancient Zoroaster, and must have lived some centuries before the age of Hinus, the great king of Assyria.

Champa the Clemency , Maitreya in Sanskrit, is to come hereafter. They are repre- sented to be of ten different degrees of perfection ; to be immortal; free from passive metempsychosis; and to possess great powers or faculties of mind for the pro- motion of universal happiness in the world. There are many appellative or common names, as also proper or peculiar ones, to express such imagined or supposed beings, which all have the signification of excellent qualities or virtues. There is also a' list of other saints of inferior abilities. There are many appel- lative names for the expression of a god or angel ; also many attributes or names of every peculiar divinity in their mythology.

Vishnoo Chronos, Saturn , twenty-five, among which is Narayana, the most be- loved son; Titan, his brother, has ten. For Iswar or Iswara Zeus, Jupiter , thirty; and so on for Indra and the other imagined guardians of the ten corners of the world. For the Birap Sumeru, Olympus and the whole system of the ancient mythology there are hundreds of names ; also for the phenomena or meteors in the atmo- sphere; among the planets, the sun has more than one hundred and twenty names or attributes ; and so on the others also have many appellations, which in poetical works and astronomy are often introduced.

There is also an exact description of the twelve zodiacal signs, of twenty-eight constellations, and of everything belonging to astronomy. There is a full enumeration of all the good quali- ties, as also of all the defects and diseases. Afterwards follow the faculties or powers of our mind, with their opposite defects ; then are classified the virtues and vices.

Names of officers, civil and military. Ecclesiastical persons, orders, dignities, and different sects in Tibet ; their great names and their titles ; monasteries or convents, and their build- ings; respecting religion and superstition. In a word, there is a full enumeration of whatever we can meet within the region of the elements, as they are called, namely, the earth, water, fire, air, ether, and in the intellectual kingdom. These all were arranged after my direction and plan. This vocabulary, arranged after certain matters or subjects under general heads, contains many thousand words of every description ; several distinctions and divi- sions highly interesting in order to understand better the whole system and principles of the Buddhistic doctrine.

The same person, at my request, wrote me a short account on grammar, and on the five sciences mentioned in the last place. On about five sheets the history of medicine, and the contents of its eight branches, arranged in chapters after the system of the most cele- brated physicians, also in two sheets an account on astro- nomy, to find the places of the sun, moon, and planets, and to calculate eclipses. For an account respecting learning in general, and logic in particular, I have the answer of a celebrated Eab-hbyams-pa doctor of philo- sophy , who was twenty-five years at Lassa, and now is sixty-five years old.

The first contains the doctrine and moral precepts of Shaky a, in accordance as after his death his principal disciples arranged them. I have now in my possession an exact copy, word for word, of the last 42 leaves, specifying the contents of the above-mentioned 90 volumes, with all their divisions and subdivisions, mention- ing the names of the translators, the number of chapters and leaves in every volume, written in capital characters by a good writer, on common Kashmirian paper, bearing ink but on one side, in 30 sheets.

It is impossible for me to give now a detailed account of the contents. I shall mention, therefore, the principal parts. I have with me two specimens of this class on thirty pages, elegantly copied by the Lama himself. This is against the holding so scrupulously on castes. This story, in the above- mentioned volume, consists of sixty leaves, and gives in- teresting accounts of the four castes, their origin, and a summary report on the arts and sciences. For a specimen of this class I have a correct copy of that same piece which, in , in the last century, excited the curiosity of the learned in Europe.

It is taken from the ninth volume, signed by T. It is enough to state: We know very well at present that the Mohammedans are generally addicted to the doctrine of Fatalism. The Buddhists declare we have free-will in our actions, and, consequently, we can be punished or rewarded for otii bad or good deeds. Hence the Hell and the Paradise, the place of punishment and reward after death, and the good and bad metempsychosis, with their several distinctions in their religious system. They are all ignorant of our principles and religion, and think we are all of the same principles as the Moham- medans vide P.

Horatius, to be transmitted to Rome to the Pope. Ninety-four volumes are filled up with theological subjects, dogmatic, polemic, or contro- versial and moral. The following 21 volumes treat on philosophy, theoretical and practical, on logic, dialectic, metaphysics, and ethics.

It is very probable that, what- ever exercised the speculative mind of the ancient philo- sophers in Greece and Rome, respecting the origin and end of the world, or of the human soul: The rest, mostly written by ancient Tibetan scholars, contain treatises on grammar, collections of voca- bularies in Sanskrit and Tibetan, of which I have now with me a copy of the largest mentioned above.

The first is on divinity, and gives an explanation of the ten moral precepts. The second is taken from technology, and enumerates what must be the proportion in feet, inches, lines of a statue representing Buddha or Shakya. The third, from medi- cine, is written on temperaments, viz.

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The fourth is from philosophy, on the elements of right knowledge. The fifth, from ethics niti shastra , a collection of apophthegms, prudential and moral. From grammar, a treatise on twenty Sanskrit particles, which, if compounded with nouns and verbs, change their signification in several manners. Every par- ticle is illustrated by examples in Tibetan. The twenty Sanskrit particles are the following: From this learned man there are in the 'Stangyur' principally, many excellent treatises on grammar.

All these specimens here enumerated fill thirty-two pages, written in large capital characters. The volumes and pages are quoted. Moorcroft bad the kindness to give me on my return to Tibet. This and all other papers on Tibetan literature now in my hands belong to Mr. The Tibetan literature merits, without doubt, to be fully explored. In return of my acknowledgment for the received liberal assistance, if Government pleases to permit me to be under the protec- tion of the commanding officer at Sabathoo, and to devote myself again to the Tibetan, I hope that if I could join either the same Lama, to whose intelligence I owe now my insight into this class of Asiatic literature, or be able to procure another intelligent person, I shall be able to finish what I have commenced in the course of one year; and then Orthoepy variable according to different pro- vinces — can be fixed for the European students , Etymo- logy very simple and copious , Syntax , and Prosody will not take much room.

English, introducing all technical terms used in arts and sciences, leaving alone every conjecture respecting the relation of Tibetan words to any other language, c. A short account on the Tibetan literature, d. A succinct history of Tibet, in Tibetan language, taken from the works of native historians, word for word, accompanied by a short geography and chronology in Tibetan, e. Selected specimens of every kind in Tibetan. In every language of Europe, except the Hungaiian, Turkish, and those of Finnish origin, there are prepositions like in the languages of Hebrew or Arabic origin, but in our tongue, like in the Indian, Chinese, and Tibetan, we have postpositions, and for the formation of different cases in declension, we have affixes with which to form from the same root several sorts of verbs.

Our idiom 1 is not inferior either to the Sanskrit or Arabic , and I beg leave to confess that I am not merely a linguist — I have learnt several languages to learn polite literature, to enter into the cabinet of curiosity of remote ages, to acquire useful knowledge, and to live in every age and with every celebrated nation, as I do now with the British.

I cannot now say in what year. There is frequent mention made of Magadha in Asia, the scene according to what is related of the most illustrious actions and the home of the most celebrated learned men. I have not yet had sufficient time to search after curiosities: I must first learn the language. There is also, according to Niebuhr, existing in the inland countries of Arabia, an ancient tradition, that they were civilised by a people which descended from the environs of Samarcund.

But the most numerous monuments thereof are Sanskrit words used by Greek and Homan writers in their accounts relating to ancient Thrace Rumelia , Macedonia, and the countries on both sides of the Danube, Servia, Pannonia, and Dacia. Ancient geographers and historians mention the Aga- thyrsi in the same countries probably I enumerated above. The great river Dnieper, in the south-western part of modern Bussia, is called by the ancients Borysthenes. Csoma has the direction in which Csoma In- frequently shown his distrust of boured. Yet such an objection need Csoma says, with reference to the not preclude our noting down any study of Tibetan, and especially of striking examples which we may the Sanskrit, that his countrymen have faUen in with.

But since Justin, the Homan historian, calls them the banished Scythians exules Scytharum , and since, on public monuments and coins, there are many evidences of their being friends, admirers, and patrons of the Greeks, we may take them to be the same leading people as the Getse in Europe and in Asia. After the conquest of Macedonia by the Romans, it is probable that the Parthian chiefs retired towards the Danube to their relatives, and from animosity and the great hatred they conceived against the Romans, never afterwards ceased to infest the Roman empire with all their auxiliaries.

Hence Virgil in the Eclogue: Carthage was before the sight of Rome, yet very little is known now of its internal state. The Getse probably descended successively from Asia forced by Asiatic revo- tion respecting their national origin, a temple of Buddha, — perhaps a manners, customs, and idiom. Below it, on the Even among the early data of the opposite bank, stretching into the dis- anoient history of the Hungarians, tant plain, was built Pest. Whether this suggestion is sounds the same as the name which likely to attract the attention of is still worshipped by hundreds of those, who are more competent to millions of the human race.

Why judge may be questioned,, but the should it be a far-fetched conclusion coincidence is very striking, and it to assume that on the neighbouring is perhaps not out of place to put it hills, rising on the banks of the on record here. The modern language of Thessaly, and of some districts in Macedonia, blended with many Latin woitis, is the same as that of the Wallaclnans in Lower Hungary, Transylvania, Moldavia, Wallachia, and contains many Sanskrit words. It is totally different from the Hungarian idiom both in words and structure. There is a peculiarity of that language in the use of definite articles.

The Latin, Sclavonic, and Turkish languages have no distinct signs for the ex- pression of a definitive or emphatic locution, like the the in English. There are also in the Tibetan, Sanskrit, In- dian, Syrian, Wallachian, and Swedish languages certain signs denoting distinction in gender, marking a definitive and emphatic locution, but all these languages have the peculiarity of such particles being affixed to the nouns. Such affixes in the Tibetan are for masculines, pa, po , va, vo ; for feminine, ma, mo, e.

In Sanskrit , deo, a god ; dev a, the god ; devi, the goddess ; raj , a prince, king ; raja, the king ; gang, a river; ganga, the river. The sign for such an affix in the Syrian is the same as in the Sanskrit; for the Wallachian I refer to the above-mentioned example; for the Swedish I cannot now cite an example. Those Scythians Getse whose idiom was the Sanskrit, were few in num- ber, like the Europeans in modem times in America and Asia; but as they were learned, well disciplined, possessing wealth, and being expert in warfaring with elephants, cha- riots retha in Sanskrit, reda in Latin , and on horseback, with a few people displayed wonderful actions, in the same manner as the first Europeans in America and Asia with their artillery.

I return now to Buddha. But the Mohammedans generally use it so by way of contempt, and mean by it an idolater. There is yet in ancient Bactria, at Bamian, on the road between Cabool and Balk, a large colossal statue, with two others of smaller size at a certain distance from the first, hewn in the mountain-rock. It is very probable this was a representation of Buddha, or Shakya, with his disciples represented in painting on both sides of the wall. The painting is in the same style as is usual amongst Tibetans or amongst the Christians of the Greek Church, to represent saints, with the radiant or solar circle round the head.

It was so indeed, as he lived eighty years, and was a genius of his age; but afterwards, his moral principles and his doctrine being formed into an ideal system by his dis- ciples, his followers worshipped him like Christians do Jesus. Taikiin, the son and successor of Thang, was contemporary of Srongtsan Gambo, the son and successor of iTami Srongtsan in Tibet. Gibbon, in his History, mentioned the king of Peryia, 2 who, after the conquest of Seleucia, the capital of Persia, after Christ, retired to the Emperor Katai Taikun, of the Thong dynasty.

In the Chinese history of P. It is enough his son and successor, Srongtsan Gambo, succeeding in the thirteenth year of his age, lived eighty-three years. He favoured learning and learned 1 Nami Srongtsan. F or an easy and agreeable way to the storehouse of this interesting ancient literature, we are indebted to the public-spirited zeal and liberality of Mivang, a regent or king at Lassa, from till of the last century.

According to his order, whatever time has spared from the works of antiquity of foreign countries, were collected, arranged in registers, and printed by types engraved in wooden tables of birch tree. There is at the beginning of each work an index or register karchak, in Tibetan , giving a detailed account of the ex- penses, both in kind and cash, names of people of every de- scription more than who were employed on the work, and of the gratuities and contributions towards it, both of secular and ecclesiastical persons of high rank and wealth.

Besides these two great works, there are many other printed volumes written by Tibetan learned men. All those people in Central Asia who speak the Turkish language are called in Tibet the Hor; and Gengiz Khan, accordmg to this and other authors, was of this race.

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I was not able to procure it, but I am informed it is a very interesting work, particularly for the history of Gengiz Khan. His apophthegms, from another work I am acquainted with, are very judicious and elegant In support of this opinion the following ceras, being the times in which Shaky a is supposed to have lived, speak for themselves. The tenth sera or opinion is that which in modem times has most authority at Lassa. But this mode of counting years is of very recent date, commenced about eight hundred years since, and probably was adopted from the Chinese.

As with respect to more ancient times, there is a great uncertainty in chronology: Padma Karpo, a celebrated Lama in the Bhutan country of Tibet, in the twenty-sixth year of the tenth cycle of sixty years, in after Christ, collected a short disquisition now extant, in nicely printed copies of thirty-one leaves each , containing the different opinions of learned men in ancient times of Tibet, Nepal, and Kashmere, on the sera of Shakya or Buddha, the great prophet of the Buddhists. These opinions or seras were found to be twelve in number, to wlmAie added his own.

Both the Sanskrit and the Tibetan literature open a wide field before me, for future speculation on the history of mankind. I possess the same ardour as I felt at the beginning, when I planned and determined to come to the East. Should these first rough drafts of my labours, arguments, and sentiments have the Government's approbation, I shall be happy if I can serve them with my ulterior literary researches. The favourable view which the Government had taken of Csoma's intentions, and the resolution which followed, that he should be assisted with a monthly allowance of fifty rupees from the public treasury, dissipated the heavy clouds of uncertainty which hung so long over his fate.

He was ready to start on his second journey into Tibet, and actually did so in June Stirling, the Government secretary, in his letter of the 29th of July, made known to l r. Wilson of the Asiatic Society the intentions of Government, by informing him that the Hungarian traveller, Csoma de Koros, had arrived in the previous November at Sabathii, with a letter of recommendation from Mr. Moorcroft, and that, as the Government and the local authorities had become satis- fied that the object which he had in view was the study of the language, literature, and history of Tibet, he had been granted permission to continue his journey, and should, moreover, receive pecuniary assistance whilst so engaged.

He will also be requested On leaving Sabathu he passed through Simla and Kotgurh into the valley of the Sutlej, and was afterwards accom- panied by a hill servant name Padma to his destination. By glancing over the map we can trace the direction which he followed in those hilly tracts. There have elapsed four months since I recommenced my journey, and yet 1 was not able till now to write with certainty. Geiard had the kindness to give me a note to the officers in the Court of Besarh Eaja, to procure me among the Tibetans o the upper pait of their country, three persons as beaiers for my boxes for a certain pay, and who will come with me to Zinskar.

The officers at Sruan gave me a man with a written older to the Basun- tram at Kanura, to fulfil my desire if possible respecting the bearers. I found him at Naho, but he could procure me no bearers, and his letter to the Kharpon at Piti with regard to beareis was of no use. Hence my slowness in proceeding. Should it be necessary to communicate to me any important matter either from Government or from the Asiatic Society, in that case this Padma of Hang is willing to return again and to remain with me during the winter.

But I found that way to come to Zanskar very circuitous. They are deposited in an apart- ment belonging to Balee Bam, whose grandfather is said to have procured them from Tibet, near Teshi lhunpo. The religious persons at Kanam and Sungnam are half Hindus ; they detest and hate the Tibetans on account of their eating beef. In general they are very ignorant, nor can they speak the Tibetan language properly. In both countries I was for some time hindered by the rainy weather and the want of bearers. On my whole journey I have met with no hindrance or incommodity, except that I could not procure bearers as quickly as I required them.

He was then absent on some mercantile affairs in the deserts of Tibet. I looked every day for his return. He arrived on the 26th of September. Now I have made arrangements with him for finishing the works I have planned. He has engaged to dwell and labour with me from the 10th of November till the summer solstice of next year, in an apartment be- longing to his own family. The money which I have now with me will, I think, be sufficient till my return to Sabathii, which I propose to do in October next year.

And as the Lama, who wishes to accompany me to that place, to whom I have promised to pay yet more if he will be diligent in assisting me, I beg you to give me permission to bring him with me. We will descend from Piti by the nearest way to Sruan in Besarh. Moorcroft, by yourself, by Dr. Continue, my dear gentlemen, your benevo- lence to a stranger, whose chief care is to merit your favour and to extol your kindness. It was forwarded, as usual, by Captain Kennedy, who wrote in very kind terms on this occasion to Dr. Wilson, and also to the Assistant-Poli- tical Agent at Umbala, concerning his protdgd, pleading his cause, and requesting substantial support for him.

He gives an important, though not a satisfactory account of his studies. After acknow- ledging Dr. I beg leave that I delayed so long to write to you. I am still uncertain what will be the issue of my works, or how far I can bring them, according to my promises. Whatever I found on the Tibetan language in the Quarterly was very incorrect. I will not now enumerate the defects. I hope I shall be able to fix a standard for this curious language, founded on indubitable authorities. Csoma returned from Pukdal to Sabatlni in January , loaded with literary treasures, but greatly dissatisfied with the result of the journey.

The negligence of his in- structor, the Lama, was a cause of keen disappointment to him, and we may well understand that this unlooked-for misfortune intensified the mortification of his sensitive and enthusiastic spirit. Embarrassing position — Csoma petitions Government to be allowed to visit Calcutta, or to go to Tibet for three more years to complete his studies. He is in no immediate need of money, having about one hundred and fifty rupees left out of the five hundred which the Government advanced to him upwards of two years ago.

He declines any attention that I would be most happy to show him, and he lives in the most retired manner. Out of nine Tibetan words which you sent to him, printed at Serampore, he says there are five errors. Government, of the disappointing result of his second visit to Tibet. Now, I will not expatiate again on Tibetan literatuie; I think it sufficient to state, that I was disappointed in my intentions by the indolence and negligence of that Lama to whom I returned.

I could not finish my planned works as I had proposed and pro- mised. I have lost my time and cost.

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But I have brought now with me many small printed columns of good autho- rity treating on grammar, chronology, astronomy, and on moral subjects. I have sufficient materials for a grammar, and being acquainted with the grammatical structure of the language, now I am able to prepare the elementary work, so large as they will require. I had not yet leisure to add the signification of each word in English. I can translate the greatest part without mistake, but for the explanation of many words I must get the assistance of an intelligent Tibetan.

It is certain that the Tibetan books mentioned in my former reports have been taken in the seventh century after Christ from India, especially from Nepal, Central India, Kashmir, and other countries. I am already under heavy obliga- tions to Government and to some gentlemen. I never meant to take money, under whatever form, for the editing of my works. I will prepare them to the best of my ability, and afterwards I wish to convince some qualified Oriental scholars of the authenticity and correctness of my communications.

And I shall be happy to deliver to Jrour Government all ray papers on Tibetan literature, for the received assistance from his lordship in Council and from other gentlemen. My honour is dearer to me than the making, as they say, of my fortune. I humbly beseech you to have the kind- ness to take me under your protection and patronage this year, and be pledge or security before Government, if it be necessary, for my conduct. I shall endeavour to be worthy of your patronage. He made a truthful report to Captain Kennedy, and through him to the Asiatic Society.

His best and first friend, Mr. Moorcroft, was already in his grave ; the circumstances had altered since; Csoma found that the Calcutta savants knew little of the Tibetan language and literature ; and he. This was not an encouraging position for a zealous inves- tigator, and though he could not blame himself in being unable to fulfil engagements which he so earnestly strove to accomplish, he felt, nevertheless, that he could make no further claim for support from Government, and therefore declined asking for it. On the 3d of April, that is, two months and a half after his last letter, Captain Kennedy wrote to inquire of Dr.

I have just introduced him to Lord Amherst. He proposes to remain here and compile his grammar and dictionary until next October. I rather suspect that Mr. Perhaps a letter from the Asiatic Society would be the most proper channel to solicit a further sanction of a few hundred rupees for him. We find that his friend Dr. Gerard wrote to Csoma asking for copies of reports he had already furnished to Government. With reference to these, Csoma wrote to Captain Kennedy on the 5th of May , as follows: Gerard desired to obtain from me a copy of my former letters and communications to you, for the pur- pose of showing them to Mr.

I am a very bad writer ; I could not copy them in a more proper manner. I thought it my duty to send them direct into your hands. If it may be your pleasure, I beg you to permit Dr. Gerard to show them. In my answer to the stated subjects, I would not fcnter into the wide field of speculation as I was directed.

My objects of research are a comprehensive grammar, vocabulary, and an account upon Tibetan books and learn- ing. The grammar and literary history I can give when- ever I shall be desired to furnish them, and will accom- pany them with a short geography and a succinct chrono- logical history of Tibet, in Tibetan and English. He saw that time was going by, and his work still unfinished, and withal he felt quite powerless t6 complete his labours, without further help and encou- ragement.

Everybody will sympathise when he reads at the end of his letter forebodings full of uncertainty and apprehension. On the 14th of June Mr. The permission of Government to spend three more years in Upper Besarh, doubtless lessened the heavy load from his anxious mind. He travelled presumably vid Simla to Kotgarli, and thence along the valley of the Sutlej to the Monastery of Kanum.

At this place he was visited by his devoted friend, Dr. Gerard, of the Bengal Medical Service, was travel- ling in the Himalayan countries, for the purpose of intro- ducing vaccination there, with the humane object of putting a stop to the ravages of smallpox, which usually caused such devastation among the scantily peopled districts of the highlands.

In this beneficent errand he was efficiently seconded by the presence of the Hungarian traveller at Kanum, and of his teacher, the learned Lama, to whose kindly influence Dr. Gerard pays a warm tribute. Gerard addressed his interesting report to Mr. A copy of the document has been obtained from the Asiatic Society of Bengal, and bears date, Sabathii, 21st January He has lost none of his ardour in that secluded region, and the deeper he penetrates into those mines of learning by which he is surrounded, he finds himself impelled to further research; but I have to regret the circumstances which afforded me so short a time to profit by his conversation.

Besides this interest- ing interview, my present journey has likewise been remarkable for some new discoveries, which have in a degree proved a consoling recompense for the sacrifices it OUtailed and my disappointment in the chief object that Nlrged me to visit a country I had so frequently traversed. I have returned to Sabathii amply gratified, only to look towards the period when I may myself meet with better success ; in the meantime, I should hope that my notice of Mr. Csoma in Kunawai and his learned associate the Lama opens a field to my view, which no exertions on my part could give me a hope of approaching.

Csomas literary pursuits will eventually derive a more extended solici- tude, through the medium of a friendship established upon philanthropy. Ichthyolites , ammonites, and other petrifac- tions, which are chiefly valuable from the vast elevation at which they occurred, and from having myself found them in situ. I observed nothing very remarkable upon the nether side, except the cholera at Chepaul, in Joobul, at a height of almost feet, in spite of those theorists who would have restricted it to a lower limit, and a deodar 29 J feet in girth, and this is surely a prodigy in nature peculiar to those mountains.

I never beheld such a sight as this enormous trunk, springing up like a mound to the height of almost feet. The barometer afforded me the only practicable means of ascertaining this, and I imagine there are no others in such situations except to cut the tree down. On the northern frontiers of KunawaT I obtained an elevation of 20, feet with- out closing snow, and beheld, if not China itself, its fron- tier, — a scene of desolation and grandeur beyond my power to describe, for here language altogether fails. The country continued peaked, arid, and free from snow, yet every point had an altitude above my own level.

The thermometer stood at 27 0 , but I was scorched by the sun's rays. He had not forgotten his reception at Sabathii, and was eager to manifest a feeling springing from gratitude. A year and more had passed since we met, and he seemed glad and proud to show me the fruits of his labours. He has been most persevering and successful, and were not his mind entirely absorbed in his studies, he would find a strong check to his exertions in the climate, situated as he is and has been for four months.

The cold is very intense, and all last winter he sat at Ids desk wrapped up in woollens from head to foot, and from morning to night, without an interval of recreation or warmth, except that of his frugal meals, which are one universal routine of greasy tea; but the winters at Kanum dwindle to in- significance compared with the severity of those at the monastery of Yangla , 1 where Mr. Csoma passed a whole 'year. At that spot he, the Lama, and an attendant, were circumscribed in an apartment nine feet square for three or four months; they durst not stir out, the ground being covered with snow, and the temperature below the zero of the scale.

There he sat, enveloped in a sheep-skin cloak, with his arms folded, and in this situation he read from morning till evening without fire, or light after dusk, the ground to sleep upon, and the bare walls of tte building for protection against the rigours of the climate. Some idea may be formed of the climate of Zanskar from the fact, that on the day of the summer solstice, a fall of snow covered the ground; and so early as the ioth September following, when the crops were yet uncut, the soil was again sheeted in snow; such is the horrid aspect of the country and its eternal winter.

Csoma, who collected and arranged 40, words of the Tibetan language in a situation that would have driven most men to despair. He has already nearly completed the Dictionary, and the Vocabulary is far advanced, and both, as well as I may venture to judge, exhibit singular industry and research. He told me with vivacity that he has acquired a sufficient knowledge of Tibetan, to enable him to accomplish his objects, even should he be deprived of the Lama's services by sickness or other causes.

He the Lama ha9, however, engaged to remain for two years longer, and from his great erudi- tion, being acquainted with the refined and court lan- guages, and learned in history: Learn more at Author Central. Popularity Popularity Featured Price: Low to High Price: High to Low Avg. Available for download now. Provide feedback about this page. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime.

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