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Dr. Kuhn, wherein he alludes also to the ideas of Weber. Max Muller makes Urvasi dawn. Another explanation is that Pururavas (or Vicrama) personifies the sun, whilst Urvasi is the morning mist (see Chamber's Encyclopædia, S.V. Pururavas). Urvasi is an apsara, and we find in Goldstücker's dictionary that the apsaras are personifications of the vapours which are attached by the sun and formed into mists or clouds." Apsaras is derived from ap water, and saras = who moves.1 Professor Goldstücker holds, therefore, that the legend represents the absorption by the sun of the vapour floating in the air. When Pururavas becomes distinctly visible, Urvasi vanishes, because when the sun shines forth the mist is absorbed. Urvasi afterwards becomes a swán in Kalidasa changes the nymph into a climbing plant. "In Greece, Daphne becomes a laurel, because the country abounds in laurels, which are manifest so soon as the sun has absorbed the mist."

the Satpath, but

Bhavbhuti's popularity perhaps rivalled that of Kalidasa. Professor Wilson bears testimony to the extraordinary beauty and power of his language, and attributes his peculiar talent for describing nature in her magnificence to his early familiarity with the eternal mountains and forests of Gondwana. His best-known plays are the Uttra Ram Charitra and Madhava Malati. As regards the former, Professor Wilson says: "It has more pretentions to genuine pathos than perhaps any other specimen of Hindu theatre. The mutual sorrows of Rama and Sita in their state of separation are pleasingly and tenderly expressed, and the meeting of

1See Wilson's Theatre of the Hindus, Vol. I, p. 193.

the father and sons may be compared advantageously with similar scenes with which the fictions of Europe, both poetical and dramatic, abound. Besides the felicitous expression of softer feelings, this play has some curious pictures of the beau ideal of heroic bearing and of the duties of a warrior and a prince. A higher elevation can scarcely be selected for either. The true spirit of chivalry pervades the encounter of the two young princes. Some brilliant thoughts occur, the justice and beauty of which are not surpassed in any literature."1

As regards Madhava Malati, Prof: Wilson says: "It offers nothing to offend the most fastidious delicacy, and may be compared in this respect advantageously with many of the dramas of modern Europe, which treat of the passion that constitutes its subject. The manner in which love is here depicted is worthy of observation, as correcting a mistaken notion of the influence which the passion exercises over the minds of the natives of at least one portion of Asia. However intense the feeling-and it is represented as sufficiently powerful to endanger existence-it partakes in no respect of the impetuosity which it has pleased the writers of the West to attribute to the people of the East.

The barbarous nations whose inhuman love
Is wild desire, fierce as the sun they feel.

The heroine of this drama is loved as a woman. She is no goddess in the estimation of her lover. The passion of Malati is equally intense with that of Juliet. The fervour of attachment which unites the different 1 Wilson's Theatre of the Hindus, Vol. I, pp. 383, 84.

personages of the drama so indissolubly in life and death is creditable to the Hindu national character. Unless instances of such disinterested union had existed, the author could scarcely have conceived, much less pictured, it."

Altogether, Madhava Malati is one of the most charming, powerful and refined representations of the emotion of love to be found in the literature of any nation. The political life and manners of the Hindus are well depicted by Visakhadatta in his celebrated play, Mudra Rakhshasa. It has the stir and action of city life, the endless ingenuity of political and court intrigue, and the "staunch fidelity which appears as the uniform characteristic of servants, emissaries and friends, a singular feature in the Hindu character," which, Professor Wilson remarks, "it has not wholly lost." Professor Wilson adds: "It is a political or historical drama, and unfolds the political policy of Chânakya, the Machiavel of India in a most ingenious manner. The plot of the drama singularly conforms to one of the unities, and the occurrences are all subservient to one action-the conciliation of Rakhshasa. This is never lost sight of from first to last without being made unduly prominent. It may be difficult in the whole range of dramatic literature to find a more successful illustration of the rule."

The Mrichchhkati, or the Toy Cart, by Maharaja Sudraka, possesses considerable dramatic merit. The interest is rarely suspended, and in every case the apparent interruption is with great ingenuity made subservient to the common design. The connection of the two plots is much better maintained than in the play we usually refer to as

1 Wilson's Theatre of the Hindus, Vol. II, p. 254. "The author is the Massinger of the Hindus,"-Wilson.

a happy specimen of such a combination, "The Spanish Friar." The deposition of Palaka is interwoven with the main story so intimately, that it could not be detached from it without injury, and yet it never becomes so prominent as to divert attention from that to which it is. only an appendage."

The hero of the play, however, is Samsthanaka, the Raja's brother-in-law. "A character so utterly contemptible has perhaps been scarcely ever delineated. It would be very interesting to compare this drama for its merit of unity with The Merchant of Venice or The Two Noble Kinsmen, two of the best English dramas, in both of which the underplot is so loosely connected with the mainplot."

One more play2 and I have done. The celebrated drama, Prabodha Chandrodaya by Krishna Misra, is much admired by Professor Lassen, who calls it peculiarly Indian, and "unlike anything in the literature of other countries. The allegorical personifications are not only well sustained but are wonderful, and the whole plot constructed with so much ability as to excite the admiration of all readers."

"Much of that of the Hindus," says Professor Wilson, "may compete successfully with the great number of dramatic productions of modern Europe, and offers no affinity to the monstrous and crude abortions which preceded the introduction of the legitimate drama in the West."

1 Wilson's Theatre of the Hindus, Vol. I, p. 181.

2 There are many other dramas of considerable merit and high repute. Mahabir Charitra by Bhav Bhuti, Ratnavali by Sri Harish Deo, Maharaja of Kashmir, and Veni Samhara are among those which can be advantageously compared with similar dramas in the literature of other nations.

3 Indische Alterthunskunde, Vol. III, p. 790.

LYRIC POETRY.

And fill this song of Jai Deva with thee,

And make it wise to teach, strong to redeem,

And sweet to living souls. Thou, mystery

Thou, Light of Life! Thou, Dawn beyond the dream!

-Hymn to Vishnû.

THE Lyric poetry of the Hindus is the finest of its kind. in the world, for the reason that the language in which it is written is the most melodious and musical on earth. As Professor Wilson remarks, the poetry of the Hindus can never be properly appreciated by those who are ignorant of Sanskrit. To judge of the merits of Hindu poetry from translations is to judge it at its worst. Moreover, owing to the peculiarities of life and character of the Hindus, Europeans can hardly be expected to fully appreciate and enjoy their poetry; as they can neither fully understand their character, nor fully enter into their feelings and sympathise with them. To the Hindus, Bharata's conduct in following Rama into the jungle and entreating him to return to Ayodhia is as natural as anything in the world, while to Mr. Talboys Wheeler, the historian of India, it appears, "contrary to human nature." As Mr. Wheeler regards the venerable Dasratha as shamming when he gives vent to sorrow after having sentenced Rama to exile to keep a vow, what should he have thought of the Hindu ladies of the sent day had he known that they would die or suffer anything rather than open their lips even to those who are dearer to them than life itself, when they think modesty

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