\ 



^58 HINDOO LITERATURE. 



ventures and discourses of animals are narrated with a vievr 

 to the entertainment and instruction of mankind. The 

 fables of ./Esop, and their paraphrase by Phsedrus, were the 

 only specimens known in Europe till the introduction of 

 the celebrated collection bearing the name of Pilpay or Bid- 

 pai. These were always known to have an oriental origin, 

 and had been supposed to come from Arabia or Persia, till 

 they were discovered in a more copious form in a Sanscrit 

 work called the Hitopadesa. A considerable part was trans* 

 lated by Sir William Jones, and the original was afterward 

 published by Mr. Colebrooke. Mr, Wilson has recently 

 examined and analyzed an earlier and more extensive col- 

 lection called the Pancha Tantra, which generally coincides 

 with the Hitopadesa. He observes, that amid the almost 

 total absence of all historical records, these fables throw 

 some light on the ancient condition of the country. The 

 description, on one occasion, of the court of the king of the 

 crows, appears exactly to represent that of the native 

 princes during the period of their greatness. But the chief 

 value of these compositions consists in the maxims of con- 

 duct and rules of life ; for it must be confessed that, in 

 Sanscrit, rats and crows often express themselves more ju- 

 diciously than either gods or men. Our readers may prob- 

 ably be pleased with a few specimens : — 



" Riches are not easily acquired, and when acquired are 

 with extreme care preserved ; when death comes they are 

 gone ; be not therefore anxious for wealth." 



" The poisonous tree of this world bears two fruits of 

 exquisite savour, — poetry sweet as nectar, and the society of 

 the good," 



"As a stone is raised with great labour up a mountain, 

 hut is thrown down in an instant, thus are our virtues ac- 

 quired with difficulty, and our vices with ease." 



" Let an ambassador be the king's eye, in surveying his 

 own and every other region, and in discerning what is prac- 

 ticable and what is impracticable." 



" The vicious, notwithstanding the sweetness of their 

 words, and the honey on their tongues, have a whole store-? 

 house of poison in the heart." 



" There is no union between the thoughts, the words, and 

 the actions of the wicked ; but the thoughts, words, and 

 actions of the good all agree." 



