Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 22

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION
xv
was not until 1816, how-
was actually published,
with the sanction of the East India Company and under
the personal supervision of Major Wilks. Meanwhile a
copy of the MS. in the records of Fort St. George had
translation
and publication.
It
ever, that the English translation
D. Campbell,
Superintendent of the Local Board of Examiners, who,
in 1815 attracted the attention of Mr. A.
copy
proposed to
in apparent ignorance of the fact that the original
had been sent
to
England
for publication,
publish an annotated edition of
commenced the
he
task
;
it
in
Madras.
Accordingly
but almost immediately he
reported to the Local Government as follows
:
I soon found enough to satisfy me that it would be
unfair to proceed further in this pursuit without first
affording the author an opportunity of revising his work,
being convinced that the increased experience of the Abbe
Dubois and his further acquaintance with the customs and
habits of the Hindus would enable him to correct many
parts of the MS., and to add new information on the very
I have
curious and interesting subjects on which it treats.
now the honour of submitting to the Board the reply of
the Abbe Dubois to a reference which I made to him on
this subject, and it will thence be perceived that, notwith-
standing the very favourable manner in which the accuracy
of the facts stated in the MS. has been mentioned by
Colonel Wilks, the author admits that the work requires
" considerable alterations " and " many additions," and
that " there are chapters