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Or observe the impulsive eagerness of No. 9, another lady- 

 in-waiting, chafing at the delay and appealing to the queen 

 immediately following (No. 10), who with right hand uplifted 

 gently checks her impetuosity. 



Succeeding No. 10, attended like Nos. 3 and 7 by a servant 



maid bearing a tray of flowers, is a princess of seventeen or 



eighteen years (No. 12), who may well be Kasyapa's daughter. 



Excellently has the artist caught the young girl's — 



Embarrassed look of shy distress, 

 And maidenly shamef acedness 



on the occasion of this — not improbably her initiation into 

 a — public Court procession. 



The figure behind is perhaps her mother, the queen consort, 

 from whose well-chiselled face " Decay's effacing fingers" 

 have still not " swept the lines where beauty lingers." 



Last of all, calm and sedate, walks the queen mother 

 (No. 14) absorbed in silent meditation. Can we doubt that 

 that fixed gaze and dreamy look sadly speak to "thoughts 

 too deep for tears" — a royal husband slain at Kala-vewa ; a 

 son, his slayer, ruling, but not reigning, at Sigiriya ; to a 

 "past" no longer " sighed for, and a future sure." 



Finally, contrast the peaceful serenity of this queen 

 dowager with the " crabbed age " of the well-nigh repulsive 

 beldame (No. 5) of " pocket " ' A,' or the vivacity and 

 expression of figure No. 9 'B' with the stolid blankness on 

 the faces of the dark-hued serving maids, or slaves (Nos. 4, 

 8, 11)— 



So coldly sweet, so deadly fair, 

 All trace of soul is wanting there. 



One word in conclusion. Who were the authors of these 

 unique paintings? Were they executed by Sinhalese 

 " sitiyaru" or by foreign artists brought over from the 

 continent of India ? 



For myself, I make no doubt that they are the production 

 of exotic talent specially imported by King Kasyapa for the 

 single object of adorning his incomparable citadel. 



The case for the Sinhalese rests, I believe, on but two 



