306 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. II., PART II. 



pendant ears like the golden swing of beauty's goddess, 

 Lakshmi.* 



\* The numerousness of the Sinhalese poetical works, 

 the paucity of information regarding their writers, the 

 difficulty experienced in the collection of even the little 

 known of them, and the absence of a library to which 

 reference may be conveniently had,— added to my other 

 pursuits (which leave me but little leisure), — do not, I regret, 

 permit me to bring to a close the last division of my paper 

 ■—the Sinhalese Poets. I have, however, drawn out a few 

 remarks, though even these will, I fear, exceed the bounds 

 which I originally intended for this Paper. I must therefore 

 content myself at present with the following, with a hope of 

 continuing the subject hereafter :— . 



Eaviyasekare. 

 " A garland of flowers on the crown of poetry." 

 Perhaps no poetical work in the Sinhalese surpasses 

 this in point of originality and depth of thought, and of 



*"Her narrow forehead, like the crescent moon," it would seem, 

 savours much of Oriental imagery. English poets have always con- 

 sidered " an ample forehead" or " a spacious forehead" as beautiful ; 

 here the very reverse is the admiration of the Sinhalese poet! But, it 

 must be remarked, that however " ample" or "spacious " the forehead, 

 it does not bear any resemblance to the full orb, but the moon in ber- 

 vane. Hence, although the poet has evinced but little taste bv his allusion 

 to " her narrow forehead," he yet, in my opinion, is far more correct 

 than many who have compared the forehead to the full moon. Mr. 

 Wilson, in a note to the Megha Duta, at page 106, says : " Comparing a 

 beautiful face to tbe moon has been supposed peculiar to Oriental poets ;. 

 instances, however, may be found in English verse. Perhaps that 

 passage, in Pope, where, speaking of an amiable female and the moon, he 

 says : — ' v - . ' ■■ ■ ' ' " * 



'Serene in virgin modesty she shines,' 

 may not be exactly in - point, although the general .idea is similar. 

 Spencer, however, is sufficiently precise? — • • • 



' Her spacious forehead, like the clearest moon, . . 



Whose full-grown orb begins now to be spent, 



Largely displayed in native silver shone, 



Giving wide room to Beauty's regiment.' " 



