Gurupara Thambiran’s “Niti Ner̠i viḷakkam”. Pope has well appreciated this work.

25. REV. WILLIAM TAYLOR

Rev. William Taylor arrived in India as a protestant missionary in 1815. After four years he went to England in 1819 to learn Christian theology. He married a rich woman who brought a large dowry. On his return, he began the study of Tamil and soon evinced a keen interest in it. He published in Tamil the book called “Vētattāṭcī”, which was printed in 1834 at Madras. To enable Europeans to study Tamil he printed books in English and Tamil. He translated “Ver̠r̠ivēr̠kai” into English.

He attempted and succeeded in translating the Oriental Historical Manuscripts. The unfinished third and fourth parts of Rottler’s dictionary were complete by him. He prepared a Catalogue of the available manuscripts.

26. JULIAN VINSON

Julian Vinson was a Frenchman. His father was a judge at Karaikal-a French possession. Julian Vinson as a youngster learnt Tamil. His father soon left for France with his son. Vinson in his own country did not forget the language he had learnt at Karaikal-he kept in touch with it. The University at Paris appointed him as lecturer in its Oriental Department.

“Civakacintāmaṇi” which was edited and printed by Dr. U.V. Swaminatha Iyer reached him. After a perusal, Vinson was appreciative and he wrote in Tamil to Dr. Swaminatha Iyer congratulating him on his efforts. Later, letters to him time and again repeated that the unpublished works in Tamil should be printed. Into French he translated concisely “Civakacintāmaṇi” and had a word of praise for Dr. Swaminatha Iyer in it. Vinson to benefit his French students wrote in French a book on Tamil Grammar. He also translated a portion of the Kur̠aḷ into French.