Madras Literary Society. 



229 



At a Meeting of the Managing Committee of the 3Iadras Literary Society 

 and Auxiliary of the Royal Asiatic Society held on Monday the 15th 

 August 1842. 



The Secretary lays before the Meeting the following letter from C. P. 

 Brown Esq. 



2tth July, 1842, 



My Dear Mr. Minchin, t 

 The accompanying are the documents ( Copies of inscriptions and books) 

 which were laid before the Literary Society by Captain Newbold before he 

 went home. On examination they proved to be chiefly Jaina books in the 

 ancient Canarese language : I made an attempt to translate them but desisted 

 for want of aid : no native known to me possessing a sufficient knowledge of 

 the ancient Cannadi to explain these papers in a satisfactory manner. Those 

 who have attempted the work complain that these transcripts are so erroneous 

 that no translation can be made in a satisfactory manner. This however is 

 perhaps only an excuse to cover their own ignorance — or their reluctance to 

 read papers upholding sects (Jaina and Jangam) that oppose the Bramins. 

 At Bellary or Bangalore I have no doubt a translation could easily be found : 

 but the task would be tedious the papers being so extensive. 



Yours very Sincerely 



(signed) C. P. Brown. 



Walter Elliot Esq. undertook to look over the papers referred to in it, 

 and to bring the subject forward for the further consideration of the 

 Meeting, about six Weeks or two months hence. 



The Secretary lays before the Meeting the following letter from M. De 

 Tassy. 



53 Rue St. Andre des arts, 

 Paris, 19th Xbre. 1841. 



Monsieur, 



Jeproflte de 1'occasion d'un de mes eleves qui retourne dans l'Inde, pour 

 me rappeler au souvenir de la Societe litteraire de Madras a laquelle j'a 

 l'honneur d'appartenir depuis long-temps en qualite de Membre honoraire. 



Je n'ai pas cru necessaire de reclamer contre le bruit de ma mort qui s'est 

 repandu dans l'Inde Pan passe et que le journal de la Societe, a publie 

 cette nouvelle dont je ne comprends pas l'origine ; puisqu'on me citait a cote 

 de mon honorable maitre et ami M. le Baron Silvestre de Sacy avec qui on 

 aurait pu me confondre a, cause de mon surnom. Elle a ete aussi repetee par le 

 Journal de la Societe Asiatique de Calcutta avec laquelle je suis neanmoins en 

 correspondence d'une maniere plus suivie. Quoiqu'il en soit je crains qu'elle 

 n'ait contribue a faire cesser de la part de la Society de Madras, l'envoi de 

 son interessant Journal dont j' avai sree,u les premiers volumes. Si la Societe' 

 voulait m'accorder la faveur de me Penvoyer encore, a partir de janvier 164? 



