Arthur Anthony Macdonell

“ Fraser's Sanskrit manuscripts, forty-one in number and all post-Vedic, were the earliest collection in that language which came into the possession of Oxford University: the first Sanskrit manuscript, however, which the Bodleian acquired was given to it in 1666 by John Ken, an East India merchant of London. It was in order to inspect Fraser's Zend manuscripts that the famous French orientalist, Anquetil Duperron, visited Oxford in 1702, when brought a prisoner of war to England. ”

“ Ever since his inaugural lecture at Oxford on 'The Study of Sanskrit in relation to Missionary Work in India' (1861) , Monier-Williams was a frequent advocate of the claims of missionary enterprise in India. This interest led him to devote much of his time to writing books meant to diffuse a knowledge of Indian religions in England. Most of them have enjoyed a considerable popularity. ”

“ Having received a nomination to a writer-ship in the East India Company's civil service in November 1839, he passed his examination at the East India House in December. He then left Oxford and went into residence at the East India Company's college, Haileybury, in January 1840, whence he passed out head of his year. ”