Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.31.7

42.31.7

This History of India happens to be criticised even as to the title it bears, and so it may ; for it does not bear that which I approve. It appears by the rough draught of my first translation in December 1786, that the title was Review of Modern Times. This title, however, was dashed some months after, and I wrote above it, Amusements of Posterity; and it was the title it bore when in December 1788, I gave the first section of it to Mr. Cooper, the printer. But the printer having shewn it to a Gentleman skilled in oriental languages, (Major K.), the latter dashed the Amusements of Posterity, and substituted Review of Modern Times. Four days after, having called on the printer, I objected to the alteration, gave my reasons for it, dashed the obnoxious words, and re-established the former title ; in which I should have persisted, had I not been deterred by a note of Sir William Jones, who was of the same opinion with the former Gentleman. Indeed S. W. J's, his animadversion alone would have hushed infallibly my own opinion ; but here it came upon me with the additional weight of two to one ; and the Review of Modern Times is now against my opinion become the title of of that book. And here again the pila minantia pilis would recur again; for I have four Englishmen of knowledge, who give their vote for Amusements of Posterity, and who approve the arguments I have advanced to support my opinion.