308 



JOURNAL R, A. S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. III. 



SINHALESE BHETOEIC. 



By James D' Alwis, Esq., Assistant Secretary. 



In the Essay, which on the 13th August, 1850, I read 

 before this Society on, " The Sinhalese language, its Poetry 

 and Poets ;" and which I have since published as an Intro- 

 duction and Appendix to the Sidat Scmgarawa^ I made a few 

 general observations on " Sinhalese Rhetoric,*' and also pre- 

 sented portions of the Sivabd§Jm-ala?il{dra^ a work on Sin- 

 halese Rhetoric. I now return to the subject, and avail 

 myself of the present opportunity of laying before you a 

 brief outline of the properties of style. 



There are thirty-five rules laid down in the Sicahdxltu- 

 dlankdra, for the attaintnent of a rhetorically correct style. 

 I shall here present the reader with a brief summary of them. 



Where proper terms (other than tropes) are employed, 

 being a natural resemblance to the things signified, the 

 language is such as will contribute much to fix our attention, 

 and is called swaba, e.g. 



" The bird that has a red crooked Leak, green delicate wings, three 

 lines in the neck, and is capable of articulate sounds, is the Parrot." 



The above is an example exhibiting a sentence devoid 

 of rhetorical tropes, and presenting -proper nouns, particular 

 and determinate in their signification. 



The writer proceeds to give examples in such of the other 

 parts of speech as are most susceptible of vivacity and elegance. 



* See "Sidat SaygaraAva," pp. 31, 82, 88, 184. 



