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198 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY 5, 1872. = Whilst Thee, with tongues of clearncss, the have some conception of what an artistic thing water-floods appland ;
a Tamil Viruttam is when it is the work (Thus, day by day, from all things, dost Thou of a master-poet. The Ven bâ, a still more receive not laud ?)
intricate measure, is also frequently made une Wilt Thou not deign to suffer the tongue Thou of by popular Tamil poets. There is an oid gavest me
Hindu story afloat that one of the greatest of Thongh I be dumb and thoughtless-to offer Tamil poets took three years to compose one praise to Thee ?
short kural venud (i. e., two lines) -and it was It is, however, impossible in any translation so fine a couplet, that, when it was thoroughly to reproduce the spirit and melody of the finished, the poet himself was the only one who original stanza. Even those who have studied could comprehend it ! Such a story as this is Tanul deeply must be struck with the remark- ridiculous enough to our ears, but it is no able verbal structure of these eight lines. The matter for laughter to any Hindu Pandit. I measure in which they are written is very have often had the pleasure of listening to freqnently einployell in Tamil popular verse. natives reciting their own compositions in verse : In the original, given above in a Romanized upon such occasions the greatest compliment form, note that the first word of the first, third, you can pay is to declare that the poem is fifth, and seventh lines are perfect rhymes couched in such elegant language that it wholly to the Tamilian enr, that the second word in transcends your comprehension 1* each of these four lines is identical,--as is also Popular Tamil Poetry, however, is for the the last ; that the first word of the second line most part written with some regard to the is a perfect rlying with the first word of the patience of readers. The well-known works of first line: that the first syllable of the first that really great poetess ArveiYAR (a portion word of the fourth line is an alliteration which of which was probably written quite nine cenchimes with the first syllable of the third line : turies ago) contain perhaps the oldest specimens that Ti in “ Tiname" alliterates with Te in of Tamil popular poetry extant. And yet, old "Teli" -according to the rules of Tamil Syntax: as they are, they are written in clear pure and that the same vowel begins the last two lines. Tamil. There is a great and indefinable charm But this is not all, the last words of the about the style of the Malvali and Mulurei. It second and fourth lines are identical, and the is so simple yet so elegant,-sailing along so same word occurs in the sixth line. Add to smoothly, yet freighted with so much weighty all this, a subtle continuous assonance, and a sense. Let us take an instance of Auveiyar's wonderful rhythmic flow,--and the reader may style from the Vettriverkei :Nûrîndu palaginum
The friendship of the worthless Mûrkkar kêņmei
Though for a century tried, Nirkuţ pasipol
Is lile the weed which floateth Verkko!!åte.
All rootless in the tide. Oru nal palaginum
The friendship of the worthy, Periyor kêņmei
Though proved for but one day, Iru nilam pilakka
Is like a root which downwards Vér vilkkumme.
Through good soil cleaves its way. Kaskei vandre
Right good, right good is learning! Karkei nandro
Though you a beggar be, Piechci puginum
The benefits of knowledge Karkci nandre
Will still extend to thee; Kalla voruvan.
The unlearned man who boasteth Kulanalam pesuta!
How nobly he is born, Nellinut piranta
Is but an empty corn-car Patari kumme.
Sprung up inidst fruitful corn.
• It has proved an irremediable curse to Tamil literature i eat of Tamil poets, - may be pointed to as an example of that writers of Kenius have so generally adopted a Sans- the fact that the highest kinds of speculative and philosokritised phraseology, and intricate involutions of style, i pical poetry can be written in pure plain Tamil, which which are as unnecessary as they are in bad taste. The stonee satisfies the critical taste, aud is thorougbly intelliwritings of Tayumanacar, who is perhaps really the great
gible to the careful reader.
