time, a good many simpler imatters which might cause sonute to stumble have, also, had a word of comment. The absence of a good Hindi Grammar has caused several elenmentary matters to be noticed, such the interjeetional use of the interrogative pronouns, the various uses of ki.and of the so-called " dubious tenses of the verb. With respect
to the latter point, it is hoped that the present text will effectually dispel the notion that thesetenses are schlom employed; a mis. tensesent of grammars. While so many points have been annotated upon, it will, perhaps, be noticed that sucli expressions as नहीं होता है have not heen thought worth remarking on. Many Pandits consider'
this form objectionable; and perhaps it is so; but it oceurs too frequently in the text to warrant the supposition that its use is accidental.
Oceasional assistance, in commection with this book, has been rendered me by the compiler of the Hindi Reatles, already spoken of.I have also l reecired most welcome help, upon every point submitted to him, from J. T. Platts, Esq., F.R.A.S., a scholar well known for liis rescarehfulness and for the thorougliuess of all his work. It is with much pleasure that I further record my obligations to that eminent selholar
and accomplished gentleman, Mathuraprasida Misril, sylio, with mucli courtesy, solved all the difficulties which were referred to him. Besides
the assistanee obtainedl from the alhore-named gentlemen, I have cont-pared the text throughout, sentence by sentence, witll the Sanskrit text; and hare laid under contribution tlie Notes of Professor Monier Willians to his scholarly edition. The very valuable work of the Bolen
Professor requires no commendation from me : its reputation has been long since fully established.
'The foregoing acktoyledgments of obligation are by no means in- bynded to relieve ine from the responsibility of any shortcomings which responsibilityd in the look. These I shall be Tery glad to have pointed out to me, in the interests of truth and scholarship. The numerous liiglily idiomatic and clliptieal sentences which the book
contains, in several cases admit of explanations other than those which I have assigned to them ; it is, therefore, needful to state that no phrasc
has been here explained lastily. Ever's meaning assigned can be supported by similar usage in other works; thougli no small number of the idioms are non Explained for the first time. It will, I trust, he
