Saturday, 21 September 2019

Asiatic Society of Calcutta

ASIATIC SOCIETY OF CALCUTTA AND TS WORK:
This society was founded on 15th of January 1784 for the purpose of inquiring into history & iniquities, the Arts, Sciences & Literature of Asia. Its founder President was Sir William John who breathed his last on 27th of April 1794, hence Sir John Shore became its Second President. John Herbert Harringtion was its founder Secretary. Governor-General of India was its Patron. The Society was instituted in Calcutta when Warren Hesting was the Governor-General. on 22nd of January 1884 he was approached and requested for accepting the position as patron but, he regret. However, later on other Governor-Generals remained its Patrons. Following were its founder members:
John Hyde,  John Carnac, David Anderson; William Chambers; Francis Gladwin; Jonathan Duncan; Thomas Law; Charles Wilkins; John David Parterson; Charles Chapman, Charles Hamilton and Charles Hilaro Barlow.  
This Society was following the plan of the Royal Society of London. Its annual meetings were held regularly. Its Journal known as ‘Asiatick Researches’ was founded very soon that became so popular that  four to five editions of its every issue were to be published regularly. Its first volume was published in 1806. That contains the material as under;
1.      Thography of Asiatic Words in Roman Letters.          By. Sir William Jones 
2.      Astrnomical Obsercations in Fort William                   By. Colonel Thomas D. Pearse.
3.      Ruins at Mongueer                                                          By. Charles Wilkins
4.      Inscription on a pillar near Buddal.                               By. . Charles Wilkins
5.      Some Account of the Sculptures and Ruins.                By.William Chambers.
6.      Hints related to Friction in Mechanics.                         By. Reuben Burrow
7.      An Account to a Journey to Tibet.                                 By. John Macpherson
8.      On the Gods of Greece, Italy and India.                        By. Samuel Turner
9.      Translation of Sanscrit Inscription.                                By. Wilmot
10.  A description of Mahwath Tree.                                    By. Charles Hamilton
11.  Of method of Distilling.                                                   By.Archibald Keir
12.  A Method of Calculating the Moon’s Parallaxes         By Mr. Reuben Burrow.
13.  Remarks on the City of Tagara.                                      By Lieut. Francis Wilford.
14.  Inscription on the Staff of Firuz Shah.                            By Radhacanta Sartman.
             The contents of the fourth volume are:
I.                    Discourse the Tenth – on Asiatic History, civil and natural
II.                 On three natural productions of Sumatra p.
III.               On the plant Morinda, and its uses.
IV.              On the inhabitants of the hills near Rajamahall.
V.                 Additional remarks on the Spikenard of the Ancients.
VI.              On the Dhanesa, or India Buceros.
VII.            On the Islands Nancowry and Comarty.
VIII.         On the Loris, or slow-paced Lemur.
IX.               Astronomical observations made in the upper part of Hindostan, and on a journey thence to Oujein.
X.                 Questions and remarks on the astronomy of the Hindus.
XI.               Discourse Eleventh – On the philosophy of the Asiatics.
XII.             Discourse delivered by Sir John Shore, Bart. President.
XIII.          Treatise on the Barometer.
XIV.         On the duties of a faithful Hindu Window.
XV.            On the traces of the Hindu language and literature extant amongst the Malays.
XVI.         A catalogues of Indian plants.
XVII.       Botanical observations on select Indian plants.
XVIII.    A description of the Cuttub Minor.
XIX.          Astronomical observations made on a coyage to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
XX.             Astronomical observations made on a survey through the Carnatic and Mysore country.
XXI.          Table of latitudes and longitudes of some principal of the Hindu.
XXII.       On-some extraordinary facts, customs, and practices of the Hindus.
XXIII.     Description of the Yak of Tartary.
XXIV.    A description of the Jonesia.
XXV.       Astronomical observations in Hindostan .
XXVI.     A dissertation on Semiramis, &c. from the Hindu sacred book.
XXVII.   On the Awdaman Islands.
XXVIII.  On Barren Island, and its Volcano.
XXIX.     Extract from a diary of a journey over the Great Desert from Aleppo to Bussora.
XXX.       On the Tshamic of the Hindus.
XXXI.     Some account of the Cave in the Island of Elephanta.
XXXII.  An account of the present state of Delhi.
XXXIII.            Botanical observations on the Spikenard of the Ancients.
I am working on making a comprehensive contents of the material published in various issues of this Journal. It will be Subject –wise and Topic –wise and writer-wise. 

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