368 



Essay on Telugu Literature. 



[Oct. 



As here applied however, it denotes an Euphuistical dialect (to borrew 

 s phrase from Scott's " Monastery") which certainly never was spoken, 

 and goes upon the principle of excluding, if possible, every Sanscrit 

 word. Many of the phrases used in Ac.c.a Telugu are supposed to be 

 Canarese words: but the same opinion is held regarding many of fhe 

 obsolete expressions we meet in the Telugu Mahabharat. The truth 

 perhaps is that these words were originally used in one language and 

 in the hipse of time transferred to the other. In like manner Chaucer, 

 Spenser, and Shakspeare use several words which at the present day 

 are not English but Scotch, or German. 



83. The Hamsa Vimsati (t) calls for notice as exhibiting a variety 

 of singular Telugu expressions. This p(jem is the work of Ayal Raz 

 NarayaiiNppa whose father translated the Ramabhyudaya. It is in 

 five books containing twenty tales; which for morality are parallel to 

 Boecacio or the Tales of a Parrot. But the aim of the work is to em- 

 body the various words used in every di41ect of Telugu, one tale is re- 

 garding a weaver, the tfext describes a 'potter, the third a forester, and 

 so forth; and the poet 'has ingeniously introduced every expression 

 which each particular line or^CJsf may illustrate. In fact it is on the 

 plan pursued by Corderius in his ^Latin Dialogues, or by Buonaroti in 

 his Italian comedies. 



84. The Suca Saptati (t), or tales of a Parrot (a separate poem, 

 in three books) seems intended as a supplement to the Hamsa Vimsati 

 or tales related by a Phoenix. In a poetical point of view the Saca Sap- 

 tati is superior to its predecessor; and, for the sake of variety in 

 amusement, it introduces much of the rough primitive dialects and 

 strange pronunciations found in various parts of the Telugu country. 

 Many of the minor poets have recorded such varieties of dialect but no 

 where do we find them so fully displayed as in the two works now men- 

 tioned. 



85. We will now proceed to adduce specimens of the most popu- 

 lar poems. A few lines of the original will be given in the English 

 character for the satisfaction of those who may wish to compare the 

 poetical language with that of every days conversation. But the entire 

 extracts being too prolix for admission in this journal will be printed 

 separately in the original character. 



The first selection is from the Dwipada Ramayan (t) which though 

 remarkably easy in style ranks as a (cavyam) standard classic. So 

 clear and flowing is the verse that several good judges consider it even 

 more easy than Vernsna or the Prabmi Lihgja Etta, which iwe^r are 

 far more attractive to the English leaqer. 



