234 ON THE LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE 



style of the principal Bai^ma compositions is a species 

 of measured prose, regulated almost soielv by the ac- 

 cent, as in the Rtikheng, the different dialects of 

 Chinese, and the other monosyllabic languages. The 

 tone of polished conversation requires an approxima- 

 tion to this style of composition. The verb is gene- 

 rally placed in the close of the sentence, and the de- 

 fect of conjuctivc particles, to connect the different 

 members of a sentence, renders a considerable de- 

 gree of repetition absolutely necessary to prevent 

 confusion. 



The Barma language has been highly cultivated in 

 composition, and contains numerous works in reli- 

 gion and science. Besides numerous books on astro- 

 logy, mythology, medicine, and law, in the latter of 

 which the most important is the Dam ma-Sat kyee, or 

 great system of justice, with the Constitutions of the 

 Barona princes. The Barmas are asserted, by Dr. 

 Buchanan, to possess numerous historical works, re- 

 lative to the different dynasties of their princes, tlje 

 most celebrated of which is the Maha-rqja-TVayngee. 

 *' These people," says he, " have also translated his- 

 tories of the Chinese and Siamese, and of the king- 

 doms of Kathee, Koshan-pyee, Pa goo, Saymmay and 

 JLaynzaynr On the importance of such works, sup- 

 posmg them to be strictly of a historical nature, it is 

 needless to dilate. It appears probable, however, 

 that many of them may resemble the Hindu Cheritras. 

 The Barmas possess numerous smaller poems and 

 songs, and even nalakas, which may probably be de- 

 rived from Sanscrit tradition, as the adventures of 

 Rama in Liinka, are favourite topics in their dramas. 

 The following are some of the most popular works in 

 the Barma language, and several of them, I find, 

 exist equally in Riikhcng, Siamese and Malayu, 



