Page:An introduction to Dravidian philology.djvu/80

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
70

India Vol. IV has even thought of testing the conclusions reached by Caldwell, or worked on the suggestion thrown out by him. Caldwell never claimed finality for his views but most intently hoped that, by his work, interest would de kindled in the studies that he loved and laboured for He frankly admitted that he was intimately acquainted only with Tamil which he studied for thirty-seven years and expected light from others who had as intimately studied the other languages. He said, “I trust it will be found that I have not left much undone that seemed to be necessary for the elucidation of Tamil; but I hope that this branch of work will now be taken up by persons who have made Telugu, Canarese, Malayalam or Tulu their special study, so that the whole range of Dravidian languages and dialects may be fully elucidated." This is a suggestion which is highly worthy of being taken up, for, may it