Rev. Mr. Gutsiarr’s Remarks on the Siamese Language. 299 
tunity to depict the places and scenery where their hero is found, so that 
the continuation of the narrative seems almost forgotten. It is in this art 
of descriptive poetry that the Siamese excel: their descriptions are truly 
grand and striking, and not surpassed in any other language. 
There are books written in a dialect similar to the language of conver- 
sation; these are very few, and little esteemed by the people: they are 
generally historical, never descriptive. By far the greatest portion is written 
in rhyme; they are more dramatic than romantic, but never historical.* 
They are the most ridiculous fictions, carried through many volumes, without 
any care to avoid repetition. Amorous intrigues form the general topic of 
these books; decency is frequently disregarded, and nothing, however 
shocking, is omitted to embellish the narrative and to interest the passions. 
They are read in a drawling voice : the perusal of them is, as pernicious to 
chastity, prohibited to the priests. Of this class are the following: Pra- 
ti-na-vong, Pra-si-t’hon-nang-ma-no-rat, Si-p hin-ki-man, Ma-na-mo-t hat-pat- 
va-Vho, Pra-chan-Vha-ki-man, K’ho-bi-Vhon, Chan-tha-krop, Seng-pra-chan, 
Pra-pa-Vhom-ban-t hon, Sa-miit-chin-k’ ha, and Seng-na-rong-chit. 
Of a different nature is another class of works, exclusively romances, and 
the most numerous of all; the greatest of which consists in the delineation 
of natural scenery, by corresponding forcible expressions. A tempest will 
be described by the most harsh sounding words in the language; female 
beauty will meet an equivalent number of the most melting expressions. 
Nothing surpasses the description of human passions, for which the language 
is so copious in expressions : rage, love, pride, contempt, are represented with 
the greatest truth, even by the sounds of the words chosen for the purpose. 
There is scarcely any thing historical in these books, but the whole is a con- 
tinuation of poetical effusions, for the connection of which a tale is kept up. 
The following are of this class: Pra-sa-mil, Lak-sa-na-vong, Pra-pai-mda-ni, 
Pra-tham-ma-ha-ka, Lin-Vhong, Pra-ma-lay, and Nan-t’ hik-pi-lat. 
‘Those works which the Siamese sing in their plays, keep in diction a 
medium between the language of conversation and that of the books above- 
mentioned. ‘The most famous of these are the P’hrah U'norit, and Enan. 
There exist many works upon medicine; some upon physiology, phy- 
siognomy, and astrology, and a great multitude upon religion. None of 
these are well executed, but rather puerile. Grammatical works of' their 
own are entirely unknown, and no scientific work has ever made its appear- 
* Sic MS. 
