THE following work, forming part of the Mababbarat, an ancient Hindoo poem, is a dialogue fuppofed to have paffed between Kreefbna, an incarnation of the Deity, and his pupil and favorite Arjoon, one of the five fons of Pandoo, who is faid to have reigned about five thousand years ago, juft before the commencement of a famous battle fought on the plains of Koero-kfbetra, near Debly, at the beginning of the Kalee-Yoog, or fourth and prefent age of the world, for the empire of Bbarat-verb, which, at that time, included all the countries that, in the prefent divifion of the globe, are called India, extending from the borders of Perfia to the extremity of China; and from the fnowy mountains to the fouthern promontory.

The Brahmans efteem this work to contain all grand myfteries of their religion; and fo careful are they to conceal it from the knowledge of thofe of a different perfuafion, and even the vulgar of their own, that the Tranflator might have fought in vain for affiftance, had not the liberal treatment they have of late years experienced from the mildnefs of our government, the tolerating principles of our faith, and, above all, the perfonal attention paid to the men of their order by him under whofe aufpicious adminiftration they have folong enjoyed, in the midst of furrounding troubles, the bleffings of internal peace, and his exemplary encouragement, at length happily created in their breafts a confidence in his countrymen fufficient to remove almoft every jealous prejudice from their minds.