lOO HOEATIO HALE ON LANGUAGE 



system is a work of legislation whicli has been deliberately devised and perfected for the 

 general welfare by the Australian law-makers, through a series of generations.' 



We have now to consider a point of great importance. As it is certain that the 

 Australian stock was derived from some other region, ethnologists have naturally been 

 led to seek for the mother country of this interesting people. The search has been suc- 

 cessful, but the surprise to the seekers has been great, aud the result to some of them not 

 a little distasteful, as upsetting many cherished theories about " primitive man." The 

 Australians are found to belong to the Dravidian family, which, prior to the Aryan inva- 

 sion, occupied nearly the whole of Hindostau, and which still holds the southern portion 

 of the peninsula, in some ten or twelve nations or tribes, speaking closely allied languages, 

 Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kanarese, Tula, Kudagu, Toda, etc., and numbering altogether 

 nearly fifty millions of people." It is, therefore, one of the most imi^ortant of the great 

 linguistic families of the globe. The character of the speakers of these languages ranks 

 high. On this point there can be no better witness than Sir Monier "Williams, the emi- 

 nent Sanskrit scholar, who, in a recent work, thus describes them : 



" Of the Dravidians the Telugu and Tamil speakers are by far the majority, each 

 numbering fifteen or sixteen millions. The Tamil race, who occupy the extreme south 

 from Madras to Cape Comorin, are active, hard- working, industrious, and independent. 

 Their dif&cult aud highly accentuated language reflects their character, aud possesses quite 

 a distinct literature of its own. The Telugu people, inhabiting the Northern Circars and 

 the Nizam's territory, are also remarkable for their industry ; and their soft language, 

 abounding in vowels, is the Italian of the East. The Kanarese of Mysore resemble the 

 Telugu race in language aud character, just as the Malayalams of the Malabar Coast 

 resemble the Tamils. I noticed that the sea-faring Tamils of the southern coast are much 

 more able-bodied than the ordinary Hindus. Numbers of them migrate to Ceylon, and 

 at least half a million form a permanent part of the population of that island. They are 

 to be found in all the coffee plantations, and work much harder than the Sinhalese. 

 Indeed, all the races of South India seem to me to show readiness and aptitude for any 

 work they are required to do, as well as patience, endurance, and perseverance in the dis- 

 charge of the most irksome duties." "As servants, they are faithful, honest, and devoted, 

 and will attach themselves with far greater affection than English servants to those who 

 treat them well. They show greater respect for animal life than Europeans. They have 

 more natural courtesy of manner, more filial dutifulness, more veneration for rank, age, 

 and learning, and they are certainly more temperate in eating and drinking." ^ 



Some of these qualities, especially independence, filial affection, aud respect for age, 

 reappear as well-known characteristics of the Australians, whom the Dravidians also 

 recall in their dark skins aud their long aud wavy hair. 



The immense influence of the Dravidian race in Indian history has been too little 

 regarded. "When the Aryans, about fifteen hundred years before the Christian era (as is com- 

 monly held), entered northwestern Hindostau and began their conquest of the country, 

 they were a race of barbarous herdsmen, but little higher iu culture than the Zulus and 

 Bechuanas of South Africa, The researches of Hehn, Schrader, aud other careful G-erman 



' Journal of the British Anthropological Institute for August, lcS88, p, 66. 

 ■■' " The Modern Languages of the East Indies," By Robert N. Cust, p. 66, 

 ' "Modern India and Indians," By Monier Williams ; 2d. edit., pp. 127-S, 



