Page:The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás.djvu/656

8 by the fact that this is already the second edition after the short interval of six years, the first edition having been published in 1874. Good as the latter was, the value of the second edition has been much increased by the addition of new and important matter. The best of these additions undoubtedly is the last chapter of the first part, which treats of 'the etymology of local names in Northern India as exemplified in the district of Mathurá.' Mr. Growse has certainly suceceeded in proving his general position that 'local names in Upper India are, as a rule, of no very remote antiquity, and are, primá facie, referable to Sanskrit and Hindi rather than to any other language,' though some of his derivations perhaps will not meet with general acceptance. Another valuable new chapter is the fourth, which gives probably the fullest extant description of the Holi festival of the Hindus; and the eighth, whieh gives a very detailed account of some of the most important Vaishnava reformers. Of the older portions of the Memoir, the most interesting are the two historical and archæological chapters: one of which narrates the fortuues of Mathurá during the period of Muhammadan supremacy, while the other relates what is known of the history of that city and its famous monasteries and stupas in the early centuries of our era, when it was almost wholly given up to Buddhism. The extremely interesting remains of this period, the discovery and preservation of which are mainly due to the indefatigable exertions of the author of the Memoir, are carefully and minutely described. The whole work is divided into two parts, and the second is wholly devoted to statistical information which, though unreadable to the general public, will, of course, be extremely useful to Government officials. The requirements of the former are liberally consulted by the first and much the larger part, which contains separate chapters on probably everything of interest connected with Mathurá. Not the least of the merits of the book consists in the many beautiful photographie and other illustrations of the most notable persons, buildings and antiquities of Mathurá. Altogether it is a model of what a district memoir may be made, and the author is to be congratulated on the success which he has achieved."—Indian Antiquary.

"More fortunate than Lahore is Mathurá in yielding treasures of ancient times and in possessing a man who has entered heart and soul into its history, past and present. In 1874 Mr. Growse published the first edition of his interesting work on Mathurá, which formed one of a uniform series of local histories compiled by order of the Government. To what was a most interesting memoir the author has added in the second edition, recently published, many important chapters, extended a few remarks on the etymology of local names into a thorough philological discussion, and supplemented topographical notes, The memoir is, moreover, beautifully illastrated with plates produced by the London Autotype Company, so us to give the reader a vivid picture of the subject in hand. Mr. Growse points out with justice the possibility of an Anglo-Indian architecture—but not as carried out by the Public Works