1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 131 



once taken in hand. I have no doubt my young friend is fully compe- 

 tent to do the work well." 



3.. "With reference to the letter of the Government of Bengal, on 

 the publication of catalogues of Sanskrit MSS., the Philological 

 Committee recommend that the plan proposed by Babu Rajen- 

 dralala Mitra be adopted ; that a pandit employed at 30 Rs. per month 

 with travelling allowances under the superintendence of the Philological 

 Committee will work very well ; that the Rev. J. Long and Babu 

 Rajendralala Mitra be deputed occasionally to report on the native 

 libraries in the Presidency. 



The following is an extract from Babu Rajendralala Mitra's me- 

 morandum on the subject : — 



" The proper plan would be to employ a pandit on Rs. 30 a month 

 and travelling allowances, to collect information with reference to the 

 nature and extent of the literary treasures which the libraries in the 

 different tols and maths of the country contain, as also those of 

 private gentlemen and others ; and acting upon the information which 

 will be furnished by him and by such educational and other Government 

 officers to whom lists of desiderata may be sent, and who may interest 

 themselves in the undertaking, to depute a member of the Committee 

 to examine and report on such collections as may appear to be most 

 promising. This plan is now being followed with great success by 

 Dr. Biihler at Bombay, and it will, no doubt, prove more effectual and 

 economical than to depute an officer of a higher standing, whose time will 

 be more valuable, and whose movements, more costly. Brahmin 

 Pandits are desirable on another ground. Some priests and math keepers 

 are jealous of their literary treasures, and do not allow them to be seen 

 by other than orthodox Hindus. When at Puri lately, I had to prove 

 my orthodoxy, by leaving my shoes beyond the outer gate of the house, 

 by drawing water from a well in the compound with my own hands to 

 wash my hands and feet, by prostrating myself before the high-priest, 

 and by sitting on the bare ground of the compound, before I was allowed 

 to enter the Library of the Sankara Math at Puri. The priest allows 

 none to see the library who does not speak Sanskrit. At such places poor 

 Brahmins will find readier favour than high paid Government officials, 

 or men of wealth and position. I would have suggested two pandits, 

 but the Government grant will not cover the expense of more than one. 



