276 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). {YOU II., PART II. 



" Blank verse," which is called & gi, though known to the 

 Sinhalese, — as indeed it was the species of musical composi- 

 tion with which many nations commenced poetry in the early 

 ages, — is not, however, in use now. Nor are there any correct 

 books to ascertain the rules of its construction. The Elu 

 Chandasa* the only work of its kind, is found so incorrect, 

 owing, probably, to the errors of ignorant copyists, that 

 with the assistance of four copies procured from different 

 parts of the Island, and with the living aid of two Sinhalese 

 scholars, 1 have been unable to obtain the information I 

 desire. But I may venture to state, that of gi there are 

 nearly fifteen species, differing in quantity from each other. 

 The number of sounds do not, however, altogether exceed 

 44. f The following are examples 



S3<5<@3o 25) ©d* = 10 



®t3®&G&QX3d q8cQ*ft =11 

 ®c>d S5)(9©®<2£f = 10 



q)S3^Sg ®^3«3i@^®<^(^ = 10 = 41 



King Kusa forgot the indignities which had been previously 

 offered to him by the princess upon her prayers at his lotus-like feet, 

 covered (leaved) with her sevel \ like flowing hair. — Kusa Jdtaka. 



©&>q ca^s3<§ zsid, = 9 



e3©@stf &(£>&3 qatoc) =11 



SQtfD^i £33© es^esft =11 



£53d'@v<@wD Qqs$t3<®d) = 11 =42 



• Since writing the above I have met with another work on versifica- 

 tion, called Swbhdsa Alankdraya, from which it will be perceived that I 

 have already presented the reader with a specimen in a previous note. 

 It is supposed to be a translation into the Sinhalese of a Sanskrit work 

 called Dandiya Alankaraya. 



f We ought not to omit another species of poetry called eaiCDig seheli, 

 and compounded of " blank verse" and " rhymes,*' and which, perhaps, 

 to avoid repetition, we may well consider hereafter (vide infra). 



J The Sinhalese poets have frequently compared the flowing hair 

 of a female to the floating masses in the water called ( Vallisnaria 



octandra), the Fiu form of ®<§&£)iQ in Sanskrit. 



