The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c4: Author's Preface to the Second Edition
The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c4
- Language
- English
Author's Preface to the Second Edition
c4.1
In the second edition the *Positive Background of Hindu Sociology* comprises the following volumes:
c4.2
Book I. *Introduction to Hindu Positivism*. This is an entirely new work. No material corresponding to it was published in the first edition (1914, 1921, 1926).
c4.3
Book II. *Hindu Materialism and Natural Sciences*, A Study in the Utilization of the Earth, Minerals, Plants and Animals. This corresponds to Book I. (Non-Political) of the first edition, published in 1914.
c4.4
Book III. *Hindu Politics and Economics*. This corresponds to Book II. Part I. (published in 1921) and Part II. (published in 1926).
c4.5
The 1914 volume of the first edition was prepared at Allahabad, the 1921 volume at New York and the 1926 volume at Paris, Berlin and Bolzano (in Italy). Each volume bears the marks of the local libraries used. Book I. of the second edition has been prepared at Calcutta and I have used chiefly the Library of the Calcutta University.
c4.6
Thanks are due specially to my friend, Dr. Narendra Nath Law, Editor, *Indian Historical Quarterly*, for his kindly instructing the research staff of this journal to place at my disposal for indefinite periods such books and journals of his library as I might want.
c4.7
For occasional scientific collaboration I have to thank Professors Nalinaksha Dutt, Pali scholar, and Durga Mohan Bhattacharya, Sanskritist, both associated with the *Indian Historical Quarterly*.
c4.8
It is a pleasure likewise to be able to record gratefully the constant contacts with the numerous scholars of Europe and America in diverse fields of social science, who have remembered me, both at home and abroad, with their valuable reprints and books, many of which have contributed to the wealth of the present work.
c4.9
It is to be mentioned that in the present publication I have made use of the material brought together for my talks in Bengali before the Sociological Division of the "*Āntarjātik Banga*" Parishat ("International Bengal" Institute) between April 1932 and April 1937 and before the *Bangīya Samāj Vijnān Parishat* (Bengali Institute of Sociology) since April 1937. The talks dealt not only with Indian sociologists of old but also with modern indologists and Orientalists as well as contemporary sociologists of the world.
c4.10
Dr. Lalit Mohan Basu is, I am happy to observe, continuing the work of his father, my senior friend and colleague, Major Baman Das Basu (1867-1930), who was the general editor of the *Sacred Books of the Hindus* when my English translation of *Śukranīti* and the different volumes of the first edition of the *Positive Background* were published by the Panini Office of Allahabad. My thanks are due to him for his friendly interest in the second edition.
c4.11
The index has been kindly prepared by my wife, Ida Sarkar, to whom I am also indebted for the indexes to several other works.
c4.12
*Calcutta,* *October 16, 1937* <p align="right">BENOY KUMAR SARKAR</p>