Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 5.djvu/11



aspirations on launching a fifth annual volume of the Journal into the ocean of literature are no longer tremulous from a diffident anxiety as to its reception; the tide of popular favor, or at least the diminutive wave of it which reaches the secluded estuary of oriental research, has buoyed us up with the most flattering encouragement, and an increasing body of constituents has still pressed forward to freight our humble bark with the productions of their industry and talent. To extract any of the too complimentary phrases of our correspondents in Paris, Vienna, and London, would be egotism; and we must not forget that a proportion of their praise may be merely stimulatory—inciting us to take advantage of the golden opportunities commanded by our position at the emporium, to amass a rich cargo for their more deliberate and erudite discussion hereafter. Our errors also have not escaped their due measure of criticism, but even thus they have been productive of a good effect in drawing forth more correct information from other sources. The commerce in which we are engaged, to continue the metaphor in the terms of a late French prospectus, "multipliera le capital de la science comme l'autre commerce multiplie celui du numeraire." However we may thus boast of having added to the stock of knowledge, we fear the "capital du numeraire" has but little connection, beyond the analogy, with the out-turn of our speculation; although, if the pecuniary prospects of the Journal are not much bettered this year, we have none to blame but ourselves for the unpromising aspect of our account current!

By increasing the letter-press more than 100 pages, and the plates in proportion, we felt we were exceeding the bounds of caution: yet we could not resist the attempt to keep pace with the communications entrusted to us for publication, even at