APKiL — JUNE 1857.] The Tamil Epic Chintamani. 43
III. The Tamil Epic Chintamani. By the Rev. P. Percival.
When the despatch of the Honorable the Court of Directors on their scheme of education was promulgated a year and a half ago, through the vernacular periodical press, its provisions were looked upon by intelligent natives, generally, as a beautiful theory never to be followed by any practical result. It was, indeed, believed, that so much of the despatch as related to English, might, for official purposes, be carried out ; but not the most sanguine of my acquaintances among the natives had any belief in that which related to the vernacular languages. Since however a beginning has been made, and measures adopted for realizing the intentions of the Honorable Court, it may easily be conceived how agreeably the friends of education are surprized. The appointment of a Director of Public Instruction, the actual operations of inspection, the Establishment of a Normal School under a competent and zealous Principal, are among the facts serving to assure the native mind that Government is in earnest in the matter of public education. The Director has lately put forth a Code cf Instructions for the Head Masters of Talook Schools which has created in many the greatest satisfaction. In that carefully prepared document, it is, in the very first paragraph, stated, that in the Talook Schools the instruction, the matter taught, is to be conveyed through a vernacular medium; when introduced, English is to be studied only as a language." When the pupil has attained to a fixed standard in the vernacular, he will be permitted to begin the study of English ; and not before. These facts are sufficient to show that public instruction is to be largely provided for, and that the vernacular languages will be made the vehicles of useful knowledge to the masses of the population. That the native mind is in any degree aroused by the facts occurring around us is matter of thankfulness. These auspicious prospects are, however, I regret to say, not unattended by much of a discouraging character; the native himself is likely to prove the greatest obstacle in the way of progress as regards vernacular instruction. And I
