]52 



Mr. Taylor on Professor Wilson's 



[July 



that the word Kadal, if not a misprint, must be traceable to very care- 

 less translation. That word in Tamil means the sea (being synohi- 

 mous with Samudra in Sanscrit) whereas Cural is the title of the poem, 

 denoting a particular species of Tamil versification. 



I shall add no further observation as to the more modern portion of 

 the sketch except it be to remark that, throughout in the subordinate 

 running notice of the Setu pati and the Maravas, there seems to me to 

 be some confusion or repetition ; some anachronisms and errors : for 

 example, the Setu pari, was at no time independent of the Nayak- 

 ciynasty of Madura; but was merely the chief feudatory. So much 

 however at different times has been written by me regarding that 

 principality that I need not add more. 



To me the most striking portion of the whole sketch, is a note attach- 

 ed to para. 7. The account in that para, of Malaya Dhwaja might 

 have been enlarged : but at present I have to do with the note. It is 

 therein said that " the traditions of the south make him a more impor- 

 tant character, and consider him as the father of Chitraganda the 

 wife of Arjuna." The visit of Arjuna to Madura and his marriage there 

 with the king's daughter is very fully recorded in my copy of the Tamil 

 JBdratham, an abstract or prose-version of the Mahabharala ; but whe- 

 ther to be borne out, or not, by the collated Sanscrit work, I cannot 

 tell. However, there is not the slightest mention made of Malaya 

 Dhwaja. The only question with me is, how did the Professor come at 

 " the traditions of the South." Not by personal intercourse it need not 

 be said, neither by manuscript authority, for that is not tradition, nor 

 yet from Col. Mackenzie's assistants, for such of them as were at 

 Calcutta were Telugu Brahmans, who never went very far south of 

 Madras, and besides Professor Wilson has somewhat indignantly re- 

 jected the idea of trusting to verbal information from them. I know not 

 where else to look for the traditions except in the first vol. of Or. H. 

 MSS. where the conjecture is thrown out, and occasionally again and 

 again referred to, as merely my own conjecture, arising from a notion 

 produced, as 1 was going on with my work, that possibly the entire 

 origin of the whole superstitious fable, in which a marriage is so con- 

 spicuous, might turn on fne asserted visit of Arjuna to Madura. I cer- 

 tainly never heard it from any one, nor copied it from any book; 

 and in the face of considerable difficulties 1 still think it plausible if 

 not probable. Had not the Professor carefully barred out the idea 

 of his having made any use of my assistance in his sketch, I should 

 have thought that he had done so, my first volume of translations 

 having reached England at the close of 1835. A doubt arose on the 

 subject in various places, while reading that sketch ; but especially in 

 reference lo this particular note. However, I may mistake ; and will 

 not be positive. 



