Excerpt from The Folk-Songs of Southern India

Two great objects have been kept in view through out. First, to exhibit irrefragable evidence of the real feelings of the mass of the people, and thus enable Europeans to see them as they are. Second, to draw public attention to a great body of excellent vernacular literature, in the hope that other persons, far better qualified for the task than myself, will follow the enquiry and publish critical editions and translations of the great ethical works of the Dravidian Augustan period. It is almost impossible now to obtain a printed copy of any early Tamil book that has not been systematically corrupted and mutilated, to meet the views of those whose livelihood depends on the rejection by the public of Dravidian literature and its acceptance of the Puranic legends.

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