V
COLLECTIONS AND SELECTIONS

Introduction

A bright star appeared on the Tamil horizon i.e., the start of European interest. For nearly three centuries under its permeating glow, Tamil’s advancement was almost phenomenal. Missionaries and administrators delved deep in the realm of Tamil and their contributions have left their stamp of their work on her.

They observed, studied, collected and commented on almost every literary piece that came on their way. Their watchful eyes and alert minds missed almost nothing. Thus we wee- to mention only a few - Gover noting folksongs, Percival amassing a collection of proverbs, Ellis painstakingly gathering manuscripts, Caldwell excavating for historical evidence and Murdoch cataloguing the Tamil printed books. In short, they left for future generations a fund of inexhaustible knowledge.

Catalogue

John Murdoch has been aptly praised as a “laborious, energetic and wandering genius.”¹

The job he undertook was definitely laborious, since it was no easy task to collect, classify and catalogue all the Tamil printed works. He confesses in the Preface that the very idea of such a catalogue was copied from Rev. J. Long.² “The plan has been copied from the Report of the International Statistical Congress.”³ His knowledge of Tamil was inconsiderable that he had to seek the aid of competent native scholars and occasionally request the help of foreign scholars also “to form a judgement.”⁴

1. G.F.S.I.; Introduction, P. XXII

2. M.C.C.P.B.; Preface

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.