510 



William Jones informs us, " is the same with the Grecian Eros, 

 and the Roman Cupido; but the Indian description of his person 

 and arms, his family, attendants, and attributes, has new and pecu- 

 liar beauties. 



" According to the mythology of Hindostan, he was the son of 

 Maya, or the general attracting power, and married to Retty, or 

 Affection, and his bosom friend is Bessent, or Spring. He is re- 

 presented as a beautiful youth, sometimes conversing with his 

 mother and consort, in the midst of his gardens and temples ; 

 sometimes riding by moonlight on a parrot or lory, and attended 

 by dancing-girls, or nymphs ; the foremost of whom bears his 

 colours, which are a fish, on a red ground. His favorite place of 

 resort is a large tract of country round Agra, and principally the 

 plains of Matra, where Krishen also, and the nine Gopia, who 

 are clearly the Apollo and muses of the Greeks, usually spend the 

 night with music and dancing. His bow of sugar-cane, or flowers, 

 with a string of bees, and his five arrows, each pointed with an 

 Indian blossom of a healing quality, are allegories equally new 

 and beautiful." 



Sir William Jones has translated a hymn to Camdeo, which is 

 replete with beauty and oriental imagery, from which I shall only 

 select these stanzas, as a most elegant illustration of the character 

 of this powerful deity, and especially of his bow and arrows. 



" What potent god from Agra's orient bowers 



" Floats through the lucid air, whilst living flowers 



" With sunny twine the vocal arbors wreathe, 



" And gales enamoured heavenly fragrance breathe ? 



'* Hail, pow'r unknown, for at thy beck 



" Vales and groves their bosoms deck ; 



