THE COLLEGE AT MADURA. 
33 
in the walks of science. Now what remarkably evinces 
the liberal spirit which prevailed among the literary 
Hindoos of those days, is the circumstance that a Pa- 
riah and his sister not only obtained admission into 
the famous seat of learning at Madura., but that the 
former was raised to the presidential chair, and the 
works of the latter were used as class-books in the 
college, being to this day esteemed among the gems of 
Hindoo literature. The name of the former of these 
distinguished persons was Tiru V aluvir ; that of his 
no less distinguished sister Avyar. When the brother 
presented himself for admission into that erudite body, 
being from a stock generally ignorant, and universally 
despised, he was asked with some bitterness who and 
what he was. His reply was at once humble and 
dignified. 
“ I am a Pariah, but God has endowed me with a 
power of intellect which elevates me to the first rank 
among his creatures. I am not to be fettered in those 
trammels which the foolish prejudices of men cast upon- 
the minds of each other, to debase and enslave them. 
My mind has a full perception of its own power, and 
of its own dignity ; and I feel that I have a freeborn 
right to take my station among the wise and good.” 
He might have answered in the words of an ethical 
writer* of his own nation — f<r Greatness is not the 
fruit of birth : it is not attained but by the greatest 
exertions ; whereas to become insignificant costs no 
pains. To raise a stone to the top of a mountain re- 
quires great labour, but it will descend with the utmost 
* The Pundit Vishnoo-Shurma. 
