Annexure CMALABAR BIBLIOGRAPHY, THEIR PROGRESS IN
LITERATURE, EDUCATION—SYSTEM BORROWED FROM
IT. ACCOUNT OF IT FROM PETER DELLA VALLE.
CUSTOM IN MALABAR TO TRANSLATE WORKS FROM
SANSCRIT, MANNER OF WRITING OR ENGRAVING ON
LEAVES. QUOTATION FROM LUSIAD. LIST OF BOOKS.
(National Library of Scotland Edinburgh: Walker of Bowland
Papers 184 a 3, Chapter 31: pp.501-27)I do not propose to give a history of the literature of Malabar; far
less to enquire into the origin and progress of the sciences of
India. I mean only to preface by a few observations a biblio-
graphical list which I obtained many years ago (in 1800) of some
of the books and authors whose works are studied in that
country (Malabar).
The literature of Malabar has the same foundation, and
consists of the same materials, as that of all the Hindoo nations.
The whole of their original works are composed in Sanscrite, a
language of great antiquity, but which is no longer spoken,
though its history is intimately connected with several of the
present languages of Europe, with those of Greece and Rome,
and with the whole of the numerous family of cognate Gothic
tongues. Sancrite holds the same place in India, that Latin and
Greek do in Europe; but as it would require an amazing period of
time, and many political changes in society before a language
could fall into disuse and be unemployed in speech, this
circumstance without any further proof, would carry us, back to
the first ages. It is natural to suppose that the sciences would
first prosper where men were not exposed to excessive labour in
order to procure the necessaries of life; plenty and tranquility
would leave them at liberty to cultivate knowledge, to apply their
minds to books, and learning. Unfortunately the Hindoos, like
the ancients, seem to have considered that almost exclusively as
science, which is more grounded on precepts and ideal pictures,
than on facts and demonstration. They taught the duties of life,