1840.] 



Notice of Manuscripts in England. 



m 



chiefly written on palm-leaves, in the Telugu, Canarese or Tamil 

 cliaracter. Being in London in the year 1837, I obtained the permis- 

 sion of the then Librarian Sir Charles Wilkins, to examine and cata- 

 logue this collection. And I found therein 468 volumes in the Tamil 

 character, 997 in the Canarese and 336 in the Telugu— not to men' 

 tion about 250 which being in the Devanagari, Nandi-nagari, Bengali, 

 or Oris8a writing may be available to learned men at home. Were 

 the manuscripts in the Telagu, Tamil and Canarese character trans- 

 mitted to Madras, and placed under the care of the Literary Society 

 at the College, they might afford us aid in many enquiries. Whereas 

 in Leadenhall street they are buried in obscurity. I heard of these 

 books only in the course of conversation when they were mentioned as 

 being written in nobody knew what language, and as forming part 

 of the spoils of Seringapatam, or else as collected by the celebrated 

 Leijden. 



The examination I made was very kindly brought to the notice of 

 the Court, by Professor Wilson, who now succeeded to the Office of 

 Librarian. 1 was honoured with a letter of thanks, but would venture 

 to suggest an application in the name of the Literary Society request- 

 ing that the Honourable Court would direct the transmission of these 

 books to Madras ; where, if no one else was inclined to undertake 

 the task, I (if then present at Madras) would cheerfully engage to 

 arrange them so as to be available for literary purposes, separating 

 from the mass those volumes which are of no value, and selecting those 

 which merit attention. I have lately ventured to apply to the learned 

 librarian for the use of some manuscripts, which I at present require, 

 but think that many will join me in expressing a regret that a collec- 

 tion so valuable should lie useless ; surely the Honourable Court in 

 transmitting these books to Madras, would retain the proprietary 

 right while they rendered the collection available to the learned at 

 I large. 



I The rough draft of the catalogues, I prepared, is now left on the 

 ' library table at the rooms of the Literary Society : and I think will 

 , suffice to shew the value of a collection which in its present state is 

 ■ j lying entirely unavailable. 



