﻿200 ON THE SANSCRIT 



in which different persons of the drama employ dif- 

 ferent idioms. Both the passages above quoted are 

 therefore easily reconciled. They in fact notice 

 only three tongues. 1. -S'^rz/^crz/', a polished dialect, 

 the inflections of which, with all its numerous 

 anomalies, are taught in grammatical institutes. 

 This the dramatic poets put into the mouths of Gods 

 and of Holy personages. 2. Frdcrit, consisting of 

 provincial dialects, whch are less refined, and have a 

 more imperfect grammar. In dramas it is sj)oken by 

 women, benevolent genii, &c. 3. I\h''gad'ln, or 

 Jpabhrama, a jargon destitute of regular grammar. 

 It is used by the vulgar, and varies in different dis- 

 tricts : the poets accordingly introduce into rhe dia- 

 logue of plays a provincial jargon snv)ken by the 

 lowest persons of the drama*. 



The languages of India are all comprehended in 

 these three classes. The first contains Sanscrit, a 

 most polished tongue, which was gradually refined 

 until it became fixed in the classic writings of uiany 

 elegant poets, most of whom are supposed to have 

 flourished in the centtiry preceding the Christian 

 era. It is cultivated by learned Hindus throughout 

 India, as the language of science and of literature, 

 and as the repository of their law civil and religious. 

 It evidently draws its origin (and some steps of its 

 progress ma}^ even now be traced) from a primeval 



tongue 



* Sattscrtta is the passive participle of a compound verb formed by 

 prefixing the preposition sam to the crude verb cr1, and by interpos- 

 ing the letter s when this compound is used in the sense of embeljisli. 

 ment. Its literal meaning then is *' adorned ;" and when appiied to 

 a language, it signifies " polished." Pracrtta is a similar derivative 

 from the same crude verb, with pm prefixed: the most comioon ac- 

 ceptation of this word is "outcaii, or man of the lowest class;" as 

 applied to a language, it signifies " vulgar." Apabhrani a is derived 

 from bhrai' to tall down : it signifies a word, or dialect, which falls 

 off from correct etymology. Grammarians use the Sanscrlta as figni. 

 fying ♦< duly formed or regularly milected ;" and jipabhransa for tahe 

 grammar. 



