At»Ril— JUNE, 1837.] The Tamil Epic Chintamani. 49 
contains 221 verses. In this portion of the work the nuptials of 
Jivaka and llakanei his maternal uncle's daughter are described. 
13. The thirteenth section is called Mutti Ilambakam. The 
final portion of the poem describes the religious acts of Jivaka and 
his wives, the partition of his dominions among hi? sons, and the 
renunciation of all secular pursuits and objects^by himself and his 
devoted female associates. 
This brief analysis of the work under notice, it is confessed, con- 
veys but little to persuade the conviction of its superiority ; the 
assumed facts o*f the Epic alone are here given. Though these may 
appear inadequate as the basis of a work for which so much is 
claimed, yet the work itself is so rephte with credible incidents, so 
wrought up by the vigor of literary talent, so interspersed with re- 
marks involving the keenest intropection into the grounds of hu- 
man action, so rich in theological sentiment, so redolent of all 
the attractions of poetic genius, so full of circumstances evincing 
the condition of the arts and the customs of social life at the period 
of its composition ; that the scholar, the poet, and the antiquary must 
be equally impressed in favor of the talent of the author, and the 
unrivalled power of the language in which he has embodied the 
splendid creations of his imagination. 
Sometime ago an intimation was put forth in one of the weekly 
Journals to the effect that the work, whose analysis is here briefly 
sketched, would, if encouragement were afforded, be published. 
The idea has not been abandoned ; but such would be the weight 
of the undertaking to a single individual, it can hardly be expect- 
ed that any one will be bold enough to enter upon it. No doubt a 
considerable number of copies might be sold among the natives per- 
haps 500, and in time, it is possible, the publisher might recover 
the capital expended on the work. 
