In this resepect, it is interesting to note that even during the middle of the 19th century, the Missionaries remembered the younger generation and their need for magazines. Children’s magazines were something unknown to Tamilnadu in particular and India in general until then. They also catered to the needs of the feminine world.

Since all this was novel to the Tamil, many new words had to be coined to convey much that was new and alien to them. Tamil had to borrow frequently. Prose literature grew and a new style in prose literature was inaugurated. Though chiefly meant for the advacement of their religion, the Missionaries nevertheless did study native literary works and had them printed at their presses. Their English versions of the native literature awoke the West to the great store house of knowledge to be mined in Tamilnadu and the Tamil original works published gave to most of the natives their birth-right which due to insurmountable barriers was with-held until then. Illustrated books and magazines were new to South India and they proved to be a great incentive for other works.

Finally, we may add that the printing press, together with newspapers, magazines etc., was truly epoch making in the history of Tamil development.

We see that the efforts of foreign Missionaries have done much to give a proper start to Tamil prose literature. Pope writes: “The Taste” (among the natives) “has to be developed and with the supply of good prose books, the taste and love will surely arise. Tamil authors must avoid pedantry and eschew the use of obsolete forms and foreign words. They must learn the value of purity, simplicity, sincerity and directness. All this involves the necessity of teching the vernacular in a free way, than they have hither–to been taught........the teaching of the vernaculars must be revolutionised.⁶⁷

67. Pope. G. U. : Light of Truth , Vol. III. No. 2; 1899, Pp. 42-44.