(1) Siam Society, (2) S. Collins grammar

Two subjects I should probably bite my tongue about, but I yet dare to
comment, briefly, and at my peril,

(1) I visited the library of the Siam Society while I was in Bangkok
last week, and made a very thorough survey of their collection --e.g.,
determing what was in the rare book room by going through the card
catalogue and checking everything marked "rare" (viz., because you are
not allowed to physically browse in that hallowed chamber).

   In the area of Pali and Buddhist studies, simply put, they have
nothing; I was very much surprised.  Not only is the collection less
interesting than, e.g., the University of Toronto's library, but, in
fact, it is less impressive than the Buddhist Institute of Phnom Penh,
Cambodia.  When I discussed the collection with the librarians, they
indicated that they had zero budget for acquisitions, but just
passively collected donations from their members.

   This strategy has not worked well in this instance.

   They are missing most of the major academic journals that pertain to
Buddhist studies as well; I checked for numerous journals that I have
not seen since I left the decadent west, and found none of them there.

(2) While at the Siam Society, I first laid eyes (and hands) upon the
new Pali grammar by S. Collins.  I have carefully considered if I
should say anything, or what to say in this place, but perhaps I
should say simply that the book offers so many excuses for its own
short-comings (at the top of the list of errata, in the preface, etc.)
that one hardly needs to offer any criticism.

Collins states that the book was intended as a reference grammar but
was hastily changed into an introductory textbook, etc., and its
faults are derived from this plan (or lack thereof).  Well, be that as
it may, the book is indeed derivative of other sources that remain
available and remain superior to Collins' redux --most certainly as a
reference grammar, and (more debatably, but, in my opinion definitely)
as a student's primer.

When faced with a table that defines the meaning of the Pali cases by
quoting the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of the English
("equivalent") terms... well, one can only say that this is a resource
of equal value to looking up "Nominative" (etc.) in the O.E.D.

The latter is, I might point out, an ENGLISH dictionary, not a Pali
one.  Wijesekera's _Syntax..._, already much praised on this list,
seems even more praise-worthy in comparison.

However, comparisons within the small field of Pali studies are moot:
we should be comparing our new textbooks and grammatica to the best
that the field offers in any language.  When we glance at the latest
textbooks for literary Chinese, ancient Greek, or even Gilgit,
Tokarian, etc., rather than merely comparing Pali textbooks to
Duroiselle's work of a hundred years ago (and in difficult
circumstances in Burma, etc.) --the goods on offer seem even less
inspiring.

There will be some who take offense at my venturing an opinion,
however, (1) I would encourage them to state their own views if they
are contrary (rather than fulminating in silence), and (2) I do think
that I am entitled to an opinion, even if it is merely as a student of
Pali that I venture them.

E.M.