1836.] 



Proceedings of Societies. 



secretary, Captain Harkness, and Lutchmiah, Colonel Mackenzie's native A 'head* 

 assistant, for completing and translating this collection in such a mariner as Colo- 

 nel Mackenzie would have done had he lived,— a step the more necessary- owing to 

 the age of Lutchmiah, and the impossibility, if any thing should happen to him or 

 Captain Harkness, of finding any persons who were so capable as these gentlt ?rae n 

 are, from their knowledge of Colonel Mackenzie's plans, of attaining the <pbject 

 which the legislature must have in view regarding this collection. Mr. Sl* e wart 

 Mackenzie, then a member of the Board of Control, and chairman of the^ com- 

 mittee, in the report of the committee, pointedly called the attention of the Hiouse, 

 to this subject. 



" Conceiving that no time ought to be lost in taking such measures as might bft> 

 requisite for completing in India the parts of the collection which might be defec- 

 tive, soon after I had been examined before the committee, I wrote out to Lutch- 

 miah at Madras, enclosing him a copy of my evidence, and suggesting to him the 

 propriety of his forming a Native Literary Society at Madras, for assisting the 

 Royal Asiatic Society in collecting the information which they might require to 

 complete the Mackenzie collection. Lutchmiah has formed a Native Literary 

 Society at Madras, consisting of a great many zealous and well informed Hindus, 

 whose object is to collect such useful information relative to India as may be re- 

 quired, and to adopt such means as may be necessary for introducing the sciences 

 of Europe amongst the natives of the southern parts of India ; and has sent to us 

 a printed copy of the regulations of that Society, which do honour to the zeal and 

 good sense of the Society, and which are likely, if the Society be properly sup- 

 ported by the local government, to further the cause of science and literature 

 throughout every part of the country*. The council have, at the same time, at my 

 suggestion, applied to the Court of Directors, to allow Captain Harkness to exa- 

 mine the part of the collection which is at the India House library, and ascertain 

 what steps should be taken for publishing such portions of it as are completed, and 

 for completing such portions as are still defective ; it appears, by the report which 

 Captain Harkness has already drawn up, a copy of which will, I trust, be attached 

 to the proceedings of this day,f that the most authentic information relative to 

 every part of the Southern Peninsula is to be found in this collection ; that it con- 

 tains, either in fac-similes or copies, between 9,000 and 10,000 inscriptions, on cop- 

 per or stone ; and that he himself is of opinion, that it affords the most ample 



* The President of the Hindu Literary Society of Madras will see how much is ex- 

 pected of him and of the institution of which he is the head. We hope the exertions of 

 Lutchmiah and his associates to illustrate the history, literature and antiquities of their 

 native land, and to diffuse a knowledge of European science among their countrymen, 

 are commensurate with the anticipations of Sir Alexander Johnston, expressed in this 

 address, and in his evidence before the House of Commons. We are not able to en- 

 lighten the public on this head ; but, perhaps, their progress towards these desirable 

 ends may be as sure, as it certainly has hitherto been silent. 



With regard to the much talked of Mackenzie MSS. we are happy in being able to in- 

 form oriental scholars, that there is a prospect of a satisfactory account being rendered 

 of the nature and value of that portion of them still in the possession of the Madras 

 Literary Society. The Rev. W. Taylor, whose name has been frequently before our 

 readers, has already examined a large proportion of them, when in search of materials 

 elucidatory of his researches, and he speaks very favourably of what may be expected from 

 a careful examination of these MSS. This gentleman has kindly promised a paper, or 

 series of papers, on the subject.— Editor Madras Journal. 



t See page xsxYi, 



