Dictionary of Indian Biography/Burnell, Arthur Coke
BURNELL, ARTHUR COKE (1840–1882)
I.C.S.: born 1840: son of Arthur Burnell, of the E.I. Co.'s Marine Service: educated at Bedford and King's College: after passing the open competitive examination, went to Madras, 1860: held minor appointments and, from 1870, district judgeships in various districts, longest at Tanjore, until 1880, when his health, always indifferent, gave way. On his retirement, the Madras Government recorded their regret for being "prematurely deprived of the services of so distinguished a scholar": died Oct. 12, 1882. He began early to collect Sanskrit MSS., and made an extensive collection, which he presented to the India Office Library: was an excellent Sanskrit scholar: published translations from Sanskrit, and catalogues: also knew some Tibetan, Arabic, Kawi, Japanese, Coptic and Pali: travelled in Arabia, Egypt, Nubia: wrote a Handbook of South Indian Palæography, on The Portuguese in India, The Aindra School of Sanskrit Grammarians, 1875: made a catalogue of the Tanjore Library, and, with Sir H. Yule, compiled the Hobson-Jobson, a Glossary of Anglo-Indian colloquial words and phrases: besides many papers on law, languages, ethnography and inscriptions: C.I.E.: and Ph.D. of the University, Strasburg.