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மயிலை சீனி. வேங்கடசாமி ஆய்வுக்களஞ்சியம்-17
incentive to make a study of the subject himself and the book is a result of it.
The book contains a very important chapter, which is not generally known, in the history of Tamil Language and Literature. The short biographical sketches and notes of some of the European and native Christian Tamil Scholars, and the well-selected specimens of Tamil writing of some of the European scholars cannot fail to be quite interesting. We have here fine specimens of the flowery language of the Italian Tamil Scholar, Father De Nobilibus; of the simple, direct, and telling language of the Swiss, the Rev. C.T. E. Rhenius, on the Truthfulness of the Gospels; of the poetical and liter- ary, and colloquial prose style of the Italian, Father C.J. Beschi, the greatest of the European Tamil Scholars; who expresses, in one of the passage quoted here by the author, his high appreciation of the Sacred Kural.
The book is well written too. Its language is simple, correct, natural, and free from all tricks of style.
The book is sure to make all Tamil students feel extremely proud of the literature and grammar of their language, and love and study and improve it with zeal.
The author has my great thanks, and the book, my best wishes.
Madras, 1-11-1986
S.D. SARGUNAR
Leturer in Tamil
Madras Christian College.
