198

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

Whilst Thee, with tongues of clearness, the

have some conception of what an artistic thing a Tamil V i r u t t a m is when it is the work

water-floods applaud :

(Thus, day by day, from all things, dost Thou

of a master-poet.

The We n ba, a still more

intricate measure, is also frequently made use

receive not laud 2)

Wilt Thou not deign to suffer the tongue Thou gavest me—

Though I be dumb and thoughtless—to offer praise to Thee 2

It is, however, impossible in any translation to reproduce the spirit and melody of the original stanza. Even those who have studied Tamil deeply must be struck with the remark able verbal structure of these eight lines. The measure in which they are written is very frequently employed in Tamil popular verse. In the original, given above in a Romanized form, note that the first word of the first, third, fifth, and seventh lines are perfect rhymes to the Tamilian ear, that the second word in each of these four lines is identical,—as is also

the last : that the first word of the second line is a perfect rhyme with the first word of the first line: that the first syllable of the first word of the fourth line is an alliteration which chimes with the first syllable of the third line : that Tì in “ Tinamé”

[July 5, 1872.

alliterates with Te in

“Teli”—according to the rules of Tamil Syntax: and that the same vowel begins the last two lines. But this is not all,—the last words of the second and fourth lines are identical, and the same word occurs in the sixth line.

Add to

all this, a subtle continuous assonance, and a wonderful rhythmic flow,-and the reader may Nūrāndu palaginum Märkkar kenmei Nirkut pâsipól Vērkkollaté.

Oru nāl palaginum Periyūr kënmei

Iru nilam pilakka Vēr vilkkummé. Rarkei nandré Karkei nandré

Picchei puginum Karkei nandré

of by popular Tamil poets. There is an old Hindu story afloat that one of the greatest of Tamil poets took three years to compose one

short kural ventºſí (i. e., two lines) —and it was so fine a couplet, that, when it was thoroughly finished, the poet himself was the only one who could comprehend it ! Such a story as this is ridiculous enough to our ears, but it

natives reciting their own compositions in verse:

upon such occasions the greatest compliment you can pay is to declare that the poem is couched in such elegant language that it wholly transcends your comprehension [*

Popular Tamil Poetry, however, is for the most part written with some regard to the patience of readers. The well-known works of that really great poetess AUVEIYAR (a portion of which was probably written quite nine cen–

turies ago) contain perhaps the oldest specimens of Tamil popular poetry extant. And yet, old as they are, they are written in clear pure Tamil. There is a great and indefinable charm about the style of the Valvali and Mudurei. It

is so simple yet so elegant, sailing along so smoothly, yet freighted with so much weighty sense. Let us take an instance of Auveiyar's style from the Vettriverkei :— The friendship of the worthless Though for a century tried, Is like the weed which floateth All rootless in the tide.

The friendship of the worthy, Though proved for but one day, Is like a root which downwards

Through good soil cleaves its way.

Right good, right good is learning ! Though you a beggar be, The benefits of knowledge Will still extend to thee;

Kallá voruvan.

The unlearned man who boasteth

Kulanalam pèsutal Nellinut piranta

How nobly he is born, Is but an empty corn-ear

Patarā kummè.

• It has proved an irremediable curse to Tamil literature

that writers of genius have so generally adopted a Sans kritised phraseology, and intricate involutions of style, which are as unnecessary as they are in bad taste. The writings of Tâyumanavar-who is perhaps really the great

is no

matter for laughter to any Hindu Pandit. I have often had the pleasure of listening to

Sprung up midst fruitful corn. est of Tamil poets, - may be pointed to as an example of the fact that the highest kinds of speculative and philoso

phical poetry can be written in pure plain Tamil, which at once satisfies the critical taste, and is thoroughly intelli

gible to the careful reader.