334 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts, 



[April 



ink, and destruction effected by insects, that I gave it to a copyist, quite 

 uncertain whether he could effect its restoration. This however 

 has been accomplished, the sense being generally preserved ; though 

 with occasional breaks, of no great consequence. 



The accounts of the Southern Poligars (of which the present may 

 be accepted as a specimen out of many more) are useful, chiefly in 

 giving a great variety of details, as to the subversion of the old 

 Pandiyan dynasty by the power of the Rayer of Vijayanagaram ; and 

 the subsequent events of the Northern rule at Madura. 



The local legends, herein contained, exhibit a state of society such 

 as we should not imagine, without such testimonials. The precise 

 national character, at any given period, can however only be certainly 

 known by such documents. 



Manuscript book, No, 21.— Countermark 775* 



Abridged account of the Vedas, Sascras, Puranas, various temples* 

 and books of general literature. 



I. The four Vedas, and connected books. 



The Mimansa, and later Vedanta books. 

 2. The Upanishadas, 32 in number — summary explanations of their 

 contents, including the designation of the four leading divisions of 

 castes among the Hiiidus, 



3. Law treatises on the Manu-niti — books of eighteen authors enu- 

 merated, some of them of great antiquity. 



4. The eighteen Puranas— the, names specified : distinguished into 

 Saiva, and Vaishnava, kinds. 



A concise indication of the general nature of their contents. 



5. The eighteen C/pfl-jom-anas— the names of them are given. The 

 general nature of the contents is specified. 



6. The Baratham—ihe Ramayanam, and some other books ; con- 

 tents explained : the matter of some of them is censured, as tending 

 to bewilder men's minds, and sink them into gross sensuality. 



Notice of some books connected with the life of Crishna, the adven- 

 tures of Nala, and other books, of the kind of poetical, or extravagant, 

 romance. 



7. The Nataga works, or Dramas. 



8. The Jambu class of books, or abstracts of ancient and extensive 

 eompositions J the said epitomes having been made by Ca/^' dasa, and 



