________________
JULY, 1890.]
BOOK NOTICE.
231
Mr. A. V. Williams Jackson has a short note orthography in a given word containing one on the ancient Persian's abhorrence of false- or more sibilants in a given period; (ii) in hood. On this subject we would merely remark describing and accounting for the variations by that preaching and practice no more coincided in which the correct writing is beset; (iii) in fixing ancient that they do in modern times, and that the pronunciation of the sibilants at any given constant and stern denunciation of any parti. period of Indian literature. The aids in the task cular sin or fault is rather evidence of its preval. in general are threefold: (i) on the hither side we ence than otherwise, though it must be borne in have the history and development of the sibilant mind that satyrists and social reformers have in in the modern languages of India, beginning all ages grossly exaggerated the evils they would with the Pâli-Pråkpit dialects, and continuing cure. So that on the whole the literary remains with the vernaculars; (ii) on the further side of of a people are not good tests of the popular the Vedic language lies the testimony to which feeling on any given social or ethical subject, we must turn for most of the information, the except in so far as they bear unconscious witness, related languages; (iii) a closer scrutiny of the to current ideas.
sibilant within the private life of the Vedic and Prof. Whitney has an important paper on
classical dialects should give us most of the Hindu Eschatology and the Katha-Upani.
information which we may be able to contribute shad. The doctrine of this Upanishad, and prac
to the subject. tically of the others also, on the subject of man
New Haven, October 27th, 1886.-Mr. J. R. after death is (i) the continuation of the old Jewett sends from Syria 43 proverbs in the eternal heaven of happiness for those who are local Arabic dialect. worthy to attain it, such worthiness consisting
Prof. Bloomfield gives two more hymns of especially in true knowledge ; (ii) the absence of
the Atharva-Véda, which are further contribuany hell for those not found worthy; (iii) the con
tions to the exegesis thereof. Dr. A. V. W. demnation of such to a return to earthly exist
Jackson has an interesting note on the use of ence, -- which, of course, by contrast with the
conventional similes in the Avesta, which he happiness of the blest is a state of misery.
Bays are drawn (i) from the realm of nature; The Rev. J. S. Chandler, a missionary in (ii) from animals and their actions; (iii) from Madras, gave an account of an attempt made by man and his relations in daily life. a caste to raise itself in the social scale. The Banars, one of the lowest of the Sadras, are
Boston, May 11th, 1887.- The Rev. J. S. Chantrying to establish themselves as Dravidian
dler has an instructive note on the transcription Kshatriyas and have assumed a sacred thread and
(he calls it erroneously transliteration) of Sansadopted some Brahmanical customs. It is to be
krit proper names in Tamil. Tamil has no regretted that only a very meagre use is made of
lingual nor dental vowels, no sibilants, no ashis valuable remarks.
pirates, no sonants as distinguished from surds,
no palatal mutes except the nasal, no visarga, and Prof. Avery gives a short account of the Ao.
no anusvdra. Concurrent consonants must be Naga Language of Southern Assam. As might
assimilated or have a vowel inserted between be expected this bears a general analogy in struc-1
them. No sonant can begin, and no mute of any ture to the Tibeto-Burman group already noted, kind can end, a Tamil word. Nor can a surd when noticing the learned professor's note on the stand in the middle of a word without being Garo Language.
doubled. But as surds and sonants are converProf. Bloomfield then gives his reasons attible, and as the same Tamil character stands for length for certain proposed interpretations of both, these changes are easily made. throo hymns of the first book of the Athare Thus Vēda.
(i) Linguat dowets :-Skr. r=Tamil ru. Fol. Prof. Bloomfield and Dr. E. H. Spieker contri- lowing the rules above laid down, Rg.-(Veda)= bute an introduction to the study of old In- Irukku. dian Sibilants. The problems which are encoun- (ii) Sibilants :-Skr. sh = Tamil t. skp. 8 = tered in an investigation of the old Indian sibi. Tamils, or is dropped. E.g. Vishņu = Vittunu : lants may be best foreshadowed by the fact that in Krshņa = Kiruttinan: Tvashta= Tuvatta: the Petersburg Lexicon 16 words are quoted which Yudhishthira Udittiran, and Saman= Samam: occur written in various texts with all the three Viśvadevar = Visuvadêva : Sarasvati = Sarasusibilants of the Sanskrit alphabet. So that the vadi : Sudarśana = Sudarisanam. Also Skanda work before us consists in (i) fixing the correct = Sikkandan or Kandan.
