ххУi generally adjusted by reference to private arbitration. And designed as this work is for practical utility, I have omitted those questions regarding inheritance, &c. which are obsolete in the present age, such as the doctrines relative to the various descriptions of sons, other than the ourasa and dattakka, and those respecting sons by mothers of different tribes, and marriage with females of a different class, as also some topics of contract, namely, evidence, &c. the law regarding which is not followed in the established Courts of Justice. This book is divided into two volumes, the first of which is now offered to the public. The second volume which is to contain the chapters on marriage and stridhan, adoption, and exclusion from inheritance, and a few remarks on castes, &c. will not be of the same bulk, and will, Ishope, be soon ready for publication. instead of the usual index, a digested one, such as I considered more adapted to be useful, is appended to this work. In this, simply the vyavasthās or principles have been arranged in the proper order and the case or cases bearing on one or more of those vyavasthās, as noticed in the marginal note of the book itself, are repeated after such vyavasthā or vyavasthās. After the principles relative to one portion of a subject, the substance of the precedents applicable thereto is given as conjained in the second volume of Sir William Macnaghten's work. The reader is requested at first to glance over the headings of the summary of contents or the index, and, on finding the one that seems to include what he wants, to go over the contents of the index under that head, by the aid of which he will in very little time find the vyayasthā, with the precedent or precedents, if any, on the subject he is looking for. On points difficult and doubtful Ehave consulted Bábu Prosanno Kumar Tayore, whose learning in this abstruso science, drawn from the fountain head as well as from other sources, coupled with his long experience and his practice at the Sudder bar, of which he was for so many years the ornament and leader, is every where acknowledged, and who, though engrossed by various avocations of high importance, has readily given ine all the assistance I required. I cannot conclude these remarks without acknowledging my great obligation to him for so much and valuable assistance received. Nor can I omit to express my best thanks to the present professor of law in the Government Sanscrit College, the most learnetl Pandie Bharatchandra Shiromani, whose opinion too I have obtained on difficult and doubtful points, and whose valuable assistance I have received on these and many other occasions. I also gratefully acknowledge the obliging assistance occasionally rendered me by Mr. W. Montriou, barrister, while we both were at the Sudder Court. Though I have spared no time that it was possible for ine to bestow in collecting and digesting all that is most useful for the administration of the Hindu law, as current in Bengal, in the most valuable law tracts and books of decided cases and precedents, and have omitted nothing which diligence, in the midst of official avocations, could effect to render the work complete in its kind and fitted to supply the desideratula felt, yet it is not for Ine to say how far my efforts may be crowned with success. The judgment as to whether the work is adapted to accomplish the objects I have had in view must, in this as in all sinuilar cases, emanate from that most impartial of all tribunals, PUBLIC op1NIon.
