From the Stacks: Highlights of the National Library
The exhibition From the Stacks: Highlights of the National Library provides us with a fascinating glimpse into early Singapore through rare documents and publications. Here is a selection of artefacts on display in the exhibition.
- Address to Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh by the Singapore Chinese merchants on the occasion of his visit Singapore in 1869
(1869)
The panegyric on British rule in Singapore was presented to the Duke of Edinburgh by a group of some 80 Singapore Chinese merchants in 1869. - Chrita da-hulu-kala pasal Kou Chey Thian man-gawal-kan Tong Thye Chu pergi di negri Seh Thian C'hu Keng. Kitab ka-satu
[Wu, Cheng'en] (1911)
Cerita ini mengisahkan tentang perjalanan yang memakan masa enam belas tahun dari negeri China ke India, oleh seorang sami Buddha dan empat binatang sebagai pengawalnya. Tujuan perjalanan mereka adalah untuk mencari kitab suci agama Buddha. Mereka mengalami beberapa rintangan dan halangan sepanjang perjalanan mereka. Buku pertama ini berakhir dengan kisah Chin Kun yang cuba menangkap Kou Chey Thian. Mereka beradu ilmu serta menjelma sebagai beberapa jenis binatang. - Chrita pasal Kou Chey Thian di zaman tandun dan Tong Thye Chu pergi di negri Seh Thian C'hu Keng di zaman Tong Teow. Volume VIII
[Wu, Cheng'en] ([1912])
Buku ini mengisahkan sebahagian dari perjalanan yang memakan masa enam belas tahun dari negeri China ke India, oleh seorang sami Buddha dan empat binatang sebagai pengawalnya. Tujuan perjalanan mereka adalah untuk mencari kitab suci agama Buddha. Mereka mengalami beberapa rintangan dan halangan sepanjang perjalanan mereka. - Descriptive dictionary of the Indian Islands & adjacent countries
Crawfurd, John, 1783-1868 (1856)
This is Crawfurd's scholarly compendium, containing an alphabetical arrangement of multifarious subjects relating to the islands in the Malay Archipelago and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia. - A dictionary, English and Malayo, Malayo and English, to which is added some short grammar rules & directions ...
Bowrey, Thomas, ca. 1650-1713 (1701)
An early 18th century English-Malay, and Malay-English dictionary, including the author's explanatory notes relating to grammar rules for the Malay language, letters, dialogues, computation of time, as well as the Arabic and Malay alphabet. - A dictionary of the Malayan language, in two parts, Malayan and English, and, English and Malayan
Marsden, William, 1754-1836 (1812)
A dictionary intended for use by Europeans to master the Malay language. It consists of two parts. Part one has Malay words written in Jawi with romanisation of the pronunciation and meanings in English. Arrangement is alphabetically by the romanised spelling of the sound of the words. Examples of phrases and sentences are included to clarify meanings. Part two is an alphabetical list of English words with equivalent meanings in Malay (Jawi script) and romanised spelling of the sound of the word... - Formation of the Singapore Institution, A.D. 1823
(1823)
A collection of minutes and documents on the establishment of the Singapore Institution. Sir Stamford Raffles convened the first meeting for the purpose of having for its object of the cultivation of the languages of China, Siam, and the Malayan Archipelago ; and the improvement of the moral and intellectual condition of the inhabitants of those countries. - Fotoalbum Singapur
Lambert, G. R. (1890)
This is a collection of 65 photographs taken in Singapore during the 19th century. They depict the lifestyle, transportation and scenes in Singapore during that time. Included are portraits of different ethnic groups; different occupations like rickshaw puller, postman, Chinese doctor, hawker, coolies; different types of transportation like rickshaw, horse-drawn carriage; and Singapore scenes like the Singapore Harbour, Singapore River, Botanical Gardens, and the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles. - A grammar and dictionary of the Malay language, with a preliminary dissertation. Vol. 1. Dissertation and grammar
Crawfurd, John, 1783-1869 (1852)
Vol. 1 of John Crawfurd's mammoth work on the Malay language contains the text of his dissertation together with a discussion of the grammar of the Malay language, as well as a brief outline of Malay literature. - A grammar of the Malayan language, with an introduction and praxis
Marsden, William, 1754-1836 (1812)
A comprehensive grammar book on the Malay language written in 1812. Included in the book is a long introduction by the author, William Marsden, providing background information on the Malayan language which prevails throughout an extensive portion of the East Indies, covering the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo to as far as the Moluccas and the Philippines. The appendix of the book contains extracts of texts of Malayan language scripts of letters and literary works, together with English transl... - Handbook to Singapore : with map and a plan of the Botanical Gardens
Reith, G. M. (George Murray), 1863-1948 (1892)
The handbook is the first guide book published on the Singapore Settlement. It was compiled for the benefit of visitors to Singapore and to meet a felt need at that time for a handy guide to provide some form of notes, providing historical, descriptive and scientific information on the town and island. - Hikayat Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir Munshi
Abdullah, Munshi, 1796-1854 (1880)
Narration of Abdullah's life from the days of his ancestors up to the English rule in Malacca and the founding of Singapore. - Journal of a tour along the coast of Java and Bali &c., with, A short account of the island of Bali particularly of Bali Baliling
Medhurst, Walter Henry, 1796-1857 (1830)
A day-by-day account of the activities of two missionaries who travelled to Java and Bali to spread Christianity. Includes some description of the people and places they visited. - Malay annals
(1821)
This translated book chronicles the history of the Malay Sultanate in the fifteenth to the early sixteenth century. It covers the establishment of the Malacca Sultanate, her relationship with neighbouring kingdoms including China, as well as the administrative practices during that period. Also included are anecdotes such as the story of Badang, the strongest man during his time. - The manners and customs of the Chinese of the Straits Settlements
Vaughan, Jonas Daniel, 1825-1891 (1879)
The author presents a detailed portrayal of the characteristics, social customs, religious practices and recreational activities of the Straits-born Chinese in British Malaya. - Memoir of the life and public services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, particularly in the government of Java, 1811-1816, and of Bencoolen and its dependencies, 1817-1824 : with details of the commerce and resources of the Eastern Archipelago and selections from his correspondence
Raffles, Sophia, Lady, 1786-1858 (1830)
This is the digitised copy of the memoirs of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles published by his widow in 1830. - Minute by Sir T.S. Raffles on the establishment of a Malay College at Singapore
Raffles, Thomas Stamford, Sir, 1781-1826 (1819)
In this document, Sir Stamford Raffles puts forth his case for the establishment of an educational college in Singapore to serve the native population of the Malay Archipelago, arguing that "it should be our care that while with one hand we carry to their shores the capital of our merchants, the other should be stretched forth to offer them the means of intellectual improvement." - The mission to Siam and Hue, the capital of Cochin China, in the years 1821-2, from the journal of the late George Finlayson ; with a memoir of the author by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles
Finlayson, George, 1790-1823 (1826)
In 1821, the Governor-General of Bengal sent a mission to the courts of Siam and Cochin-China to open a friendly intercourse between these countries and the British possessions and the establishmentof free trade on both sides. Finlayson was the surgeon and naturalist of the mission, who kept a journal of his journey. He died on the way back to England. This book is the verbatim transcript of his journal. - Notices of the Indian archipelago, and adjacent countries : being a collection of papers relating to Borneo, Celebes, Bali, Java, Sumatra, Nias, the Philippine islands, Sulus, Siam, Cochin China, Malayan Peninsula,&c
Moor, J. H. (1837)
This compilation is in two parts. Part 1 consists of reprints of various articles on islands and countries in Southeast Asia which appeared in the Singapore Chronicle between 1824 and 1834. Part 2 comprises accounts of Singapore's history, trade and economy, the Dutch system of government, trade and economy in Java, trade, production and resources of Manila and historical ccounts of Borneo and Sooloo islands. It includes six maps of Singapore, Borneo, Malayan and Indian Archipelagos. - Postal cards of Singapore, 1900-1920
([1920-1925])
This is a collection of postal cards of Singapore dated between 1900 and 1920. Featured are pictures of people, flora, fauna and sceneries of Singapore. Some of the postal cards contain inscriptions. - The sermon of Jesus upon the mount : in Chinese, Malay and English
(1842)
Published in three languages, this work contains the famous sermon of Jesus upon the Mount, which is believed to be a sermon given by Jesus of Nazareth to his disciples. It emphasizes the need for continued obedience to most of the precepts of the Mosaic Law, and to go beyond the required major commandments.
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