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what is offensive in England is not so in Egypt; what scanda lises us now would have been a tame joke tempore Elisa. (Vol. I. p. xxv in Foreword).
The other quotation, regarding Eastern works on Kâmasastra runs as follows:
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"Moslems and Easterns in general study and intelligently study the art and mystery of satisfying the physical woman. In my Foreword I have noticed among barbarians the system of "making men," that is of teaching lads first arrived at puberty nice conduct of the instrumentum paratum plantandis civibus; a branch of the knowledge-tree which our modern education grossly neglects, thereby entailing untold miseries upon individuals, families and generations. The mock virtue, the most immodest modesty of England and of the United States in XIXth century, pronounces the subject foul and fulsome: "Society" sickens at all details; and hence it is said abroad that the English have the finest women in Europe and least know how to use them. Throughout the East such studies are aided by a long series of volumes, many of them written by learned physiologists, by men of social standing, and by religious dignitaries in high office." (Vol. VIII. p. 179-180 in Terminal Essay.)
Taking all the above points into consideration, I venture to think that the publication of the poem is not only harmless but is positively beneficial, and that it will, therefore, be welcomed by all, at least by lovers of Eastern Lore.
VI. THE STORY.
Before making any remarks on the poem or its author, I think a brief outline of the story of the poem will help the reader to understand it better. After the usual invocation (Verses 1-2) the story begins
A dancing girl, named Mâlatî, living in Benares, finding herself unable to attract lovers to herself seeks the advice of an old procuress by name Vikarâlâ (verses 3-43).
Vikarâlâ, after describing Mâlati's beauty, advises her to try to ensnare Chintamani, the son of the king's high official, Bhatta (vs. 44-61). After a lively description of the dress and character of Chintâmanî (vs. 62-67), Vikarâlâ proceeds to describe the various cunning arts by which to win his regard (vs. 88-174). One of the ways, she suggests, would be to Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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