SECT.

I.

36 AN HISTORICAL DISQUISITION

of Alexander’s empire, Dill maintained an inter-courfe with India , and even made fome confider-able acquilition of territory there. This was thekingdom of Badtria, originally fubjedt to Seleucu*,but wrefted from his fon or grandfon, and ren-dered an independent flate, about fixty nine yearsafter the death of Alexander. Concerning thetranfaclions of this kingdom, we mud reft latisfied■with gleaning a few imperfect hints in ancientauthors. From them we learn that its commercewith India was great ; that the conquefts of theBadlrian kings in that country were more exten-five than thofe of Alexander himfelf, and particu-larly that they recovered poffeflion of the diftridtnear the mouth of the Indus, which he had fub-dued' 1 . Each of the fix princes who reigned inBadlria , carried on military operations in India with fuch fuccefs, that they penetrated far intothe interior part of the country, and proud of theconquefts which they had made, as well as of theextenfive dominions over which they reigned,fome of them afiumed the lofty title of Great King,which diltinguifhed the Perfian monarchs in thedays of their bighcft fplendor. But we Ihould nothave known how long this kingdom of Badlriafubfifted, or in what manner it terminated, ifIVI. de Guignes had not called in the hiftoriansof China to fupply the defects of the Greek andRoman writers. By them we are informed, that

” Strabo , lib. xi. *>8$. D. lib. xv. 1006. B. Judin,lib. xli. c. 4. Bayer, Hid. Regni Grsecor. Badtriani, paffim.