NO. 45.-1894.] KOSTANTINU HATANA. ' 141 



The village maidens of birth, on account of their steadfast gaze at 

 our Governor without winking, who in beauty is the Ananga of old 

 before he was reduced to ashes, resembled the heavenly nymphs. 



I think that this description could not be improved upon, 

 and that the younger Sa must confess himself beaten by our 

 poet in this particular. The concluding verse runs thus : — 



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May the sovereign be long-lived ! 



May the enemy be vanquished ! 



May prosperous times be nigh ! 



May the whole world advance in prosperity ! 



Patriotic sentiments which, I suppose, we can all heartily 

 re-echo with pleasure. 



This work, of which I have attempted to give a brief 

 sketch to-night, is very rare. I cannot undertake to say that 

 my copy is complete, though the narrative goes on without 

 a break, as I could not get another copy for the purpose of 

 collation. My object in bringing the book to the notice of 

 this learned Society is, partly to supplement with fuller 

 details the meagre account given in the published narrative 

 about Mayadunna, and partly to interest Members in the 

 study of a work, unique in its kind, which is the only " war 

 poem," — if I may be allowed the term, — the Mahd Hatana 

 excepted, which we have in Sinhalese, so far as I have been 

 able to ascertain.* 



5. A vote of thanks was accorded to the writers of the Papers 

 read, on a motion proposed by Mr. Harward. 



6. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the proceedings of the 

 Meeting. 



* The writer has evidently not seen Parangi Hatana. — B., Hon. Sec. 



