Terjék József: Collection of Tibetan MSS and Xylographs of Alexander Csoma de Kőrös.

The History of the Collection

4 about Csoma brought Duka into contact with S. C. Malan, already a very old man at that time, one of Csoma's personal acquaintances. S. C. Malan (1812-1894) was a clergyman who went to India in 1837, where he taught at Bishop College (Calcutta). Through his farreaching interest in and knowledge of orientalistic studies he was soon appointed secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the very institute where Csoma was working as a librarian at that time. Malan began to learn Tibetan from Csoma, and their relation gradually deepened into a genuine friendship. On his return to England in 1839 Malan as Csoma's only student was given Csoma's most precious possession, his collection of Tibetan books. T. Duka first became acquainted with S. C. Malan in 1883. It is fortunate for us that they kept up a lengthy correspondence. Malan, then vicar of Broadwindsor mentioned the books in his first letter: "He gave me all his Tibetan books, which are at this moment on my shelves." (October 15, 1883). Duka managed to persuade him to send the books to Csoma's country, Hungary, and soon Malan's letters were giving an account of the preparations for doing so: "I am about disposing of my library. And I feel sorry to scatter about Csoma's Tibetan books and MSS which he gave me in 1839, which I have used and kept ever since for his sake. But it strikes me that the University of Buda Pesth would be the proper home for those treasures." (April 5, 1884). "I am arranging and ticketting Csoma's Tibetan books. When ready they shall be to you at once. I'm looking them over. They so remind me of him!" (April 12, 1884). "The books leave this to-morrow to your address. You would have received them are this; but I had to unpack and re-pack them more securely. They had better remain as they are. Only I would recommend you placing the parcel as it is, in a wooden box. They will travel more securely. - It has cost me a little to say good bye to them. But I feel that they ought to rest in your University where I trust they will be taken care of, and valued for poor dear Csoma's sake." (April 17, 1884). "1 wrote the character of each on the first leaf, from Csoma's own mouth." (April 25, 1884). "I thought at one time of giving them the Indian Institute Csoma's books; but on second thought I decided that more just way would be to send them to Hungary through you." (June G, 1884).