1836.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society . 513 



available a few years hence. The British Indian Government has spent a lakh 

 of rupees in purchasing these ancient records : to refuse the requisite aid for 

 their examination and conversion to public use when they are known to contain 

 a vast store of curious and interesting matter, would be false economy, only 

 equalled by the case of the Buchanan MSS. in Calcutta, which cost even a 

 larger sum. and which the Government has recorded its unwillingness to print 

 even free of expense, or to take a single copy of it printed by others*." 



But happily, in regard to the Mackenzie collection, such neglect cannot 

 now be feared. Independent of Mr. Wilson's able summary, we are awaref that 

 Captain Harkness, Sec. of the Roy. As. Soc, has undertaken to translate and 

 digest a portion of the manuscripts in London, and M. Jacciuet of Paris has inti- 

 mated that the mass of the Colonel's inscriptions, to which the Hon'ble Court of 

 Directors have handsomely allowed him free access, are to be included in the 

 " Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, u upon which he is now busily engaged ; 

 while in Madras itself has lately appeared an able and zealous expositor in the 

 Reverend Mr. W. Taylor, whose previous study of, and publication on, the 

 history of the Peninsula, added to his acquaintance with the Tamul and Telinga 

 languages, eminently fit him for the task, and point him out as the properest, 

 if not the only, individual capable of fulfilling the grand object proposed by Sir 

 A. Johnston. 



This gentleman has already gone deep into the subject. At a great expence 

 and sacrifice of time, he has published a variety of " Oriental Historical Ma- 

 nuscripts" in the original character and in translation, with a connective com- 

 mentary, shewing their bearing on the general history of the country. 



The Editor of the Madras Journal, indeed, announces that Mr. Taylor 

 has further undertaken a careful examination of the whole of the College 

 MSS., and that he promises " a paper or series of papers on the subjectj." 

 It would certainly be most desirable that such examination should not be 

 cursory or incomplete, that it should not leave any thing to be done by others, 

 who would have again to travel over the same ground of previous study to be 

 capable of undertaking it. It would, in short, be most expedient to secure the 

 services of Mr. Wm. Taylor publicly, for the thorough examination of the 

 Mackenzie records ; to allow him such assistance as he might require for the 

 period, (with him necessarily so much shorter than could be allowed to any 

 other,) which he might fix for the task ; to unite Cavelly Venkata pandit with 

 him, should be be desirous of assistance, (although from an expression at page 63 

 of his second volume, it may be imagined that he would not count much on the 

 aid of the late Colonel's native establishment,) and to sanction the publication of 

 those records, which he might select as the most valuable, either in elucidation 

 of history or native science, philosophy, religion, customs, &c. 



For the collection of new materials, the zeal of the numerous members of the 

 English and native literary societies of Madras, (scattered through the various 

 districts,) will need only the suggestions and direction of a leader so well qua- 

 lified, to accumulate them, without any necessity for a paid establishment. 

 The circulation of a scientific journal throughout the presidency will materially 

 contribute and doubtless has contributed to excite curiosity to such objects 

 among the " gentlemen of literary endowments," whose correspondence either 

 with Mr. Taylor or with Cavelly Venkata, might advantageously be allowed 

 the indulgence of exemption from postage. 



Without first ascertaining Mr. Taylor's willingness to accept the office here 

 chalked out, or consulting him on the extent of the aid he would require, it is 

 impossible to estimate the probable outlay ; but the Government records will 

 furnish comparative data, in the sums paid for the " oriental translating esta- 

 blishment," entertained for a period under the late Secretary of the Asiatic 

 Society. 



* See Mr. Secretary Bushby's Correspondence with the Editor of the Gleanings 

 in Science and Journal Asiatic Society. 

 f See Sir Alexander Johnston's address to the Royal Asiatic Society. 

 X Madras Literary Journal, No. 12, p. 173. 



3 x 



