PREFACE.

i. H E perufal of Major Rennell’s Memoir foeilluflrating his Map of Indoftan, one of the mollvaluable geographical treatifes that has appearedin any age or country, gave rife to the followingwork. It fuggefted to me the idea of examiningmore fully than I had done in the IntroductoryBook tomyHiflory of America, into the knowledgewhich the Ancients had of India , and of confider-ing what is certain, what is obfcure, and what isfabulous, in the accounts of that country whichthey have handed down, to us. In undertakingthis inquiry, I had originally no other objectthan my own amufement and inftruftion; But;

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