408 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



[Oct. 



their raising the taxation: renting out to Hindu managers, and other 

 proceedings ; close the document. 



General Remark.— In the midst of much unimportant matter, there 

 are historical materials scattered through this book, of some value The 

 construction of the social system naturally gives a tincture to Hindu 

 records. As with them, Brahmans, however needy, are higher in rank 

 than princes, next to gods and even "gods on earth;" and since donatives 

 to them are the highest possible act of virtue, or munificence ; it will fol- 

 low that historical records, especially when written by Brahmans, seem 

 to notice princes, or rulers, only according to their munificence to fanes, 

 shrines, and sacerdotal, or secular, Brahmans, with their eleemosynary 

 dwellings. Hence the history of peninsular India, subsequent to the 

 general influx of Brahmans, secondarily from upper Hindustan, and pri- 

 marily from some as yet unknown region, usually is what may be termed 

 hierarchical, since the epithet ecclesiastical cannot with accuracy be 

 applied to it. With our different notions, allowance must be made for 

 the structure of society in India ; and, in re-edifying the materials, we 

 ought not to despise them, as in some cases has been hastily done, be- 

 cause they are not formed after the Greek, or Roman, or Gothic, fashion. 

 For the rest, we can shape them as we please, to make them fit into 

 our building, subject to this remark. I think the materials in this book 

 might merit a being brought out in full detail. 



Note. — The hand -writing being small, and the country paper severe- 

 ly injured, by worms or insects, I have had the entire document res- 

 tored. 



C.-CANARESE. 



a. Palm leaf manuscript. 



1. Sancara-Cadha, account of Sancara, No. 75— Countermark 

 529. 



This manuscript consists of two portions: the first relating to Sanca- 

 rdcharya, and the other to Madhvdcharya, the founder of Vidyanaga* 

 ram or Vijayanagarum. 



1. The biography of Sancara, narrates his birth, in the Malayalam 

 country; his peril in crossing a river, and devoting himself, by a vow to 

 an ascetic life. He afterwards travelled to various plains; and en- 

 countered a variety of marvellous adventures, needless to be detailed. 

 At a more advanced period of life, he founded the monasterium of Srin* 



