382 



JEssvy on Tclugu Literature. 



[Oct. 



musops and (bhunja) the flowering birch: these and thousands move 

 filled the fragrant groves. These were tenanted by the linnet, the 

 parrot, and the redbreast in endless flocks : they sported around, 

 singing merrily. The fragrant Ketaki, the oleander, the laurel, the (pa- 

 gada) coral and giant jessamine with the spherical species of jessamine 

 and mountain roselle, and larger curuvincla and the (parijata) ama- 

 ranth : the various jessamines called vdsanlica and viravadi jaji and 

 the smaller jaji and the (chamanti) orange-marigold ; for at all seasons 

 these flowers call upon the devout to worship their God. They blossom 

 without intermission, and perfume the breeze as they lie scattered 

 through the parterre. The piazzas therein erected were plaistered with 

 musk, and around them were spacious streets : these were adorned with 

 dolphin crests and gay garlands which were daily renewed throughout 

 the town. And the floors were sprinkled with gomayam dissolved in 

 essence of sandal shedding a sweet perfume around. And who is it 

 that, tipsy with these intoxicating scents wanders around the banks of 

 the lakes, and stealing upon he sleepy-eyed mai dentouches her bosom 

 with glee ? sportively tossing up her veil he plays with her jetty locks 

 he takes every liberty, — bestirs the spirit of merriment; for, roam- 

 ing like a lover through every alley of the town, welcome to every 

 cheerful heart he strolls at will? It is the vernaj breeze, Vertuinnus 

 himself.* 



*#***### 

 ' The height of those bastions the depth of that fosse? angels may 

 g tell the one and demonst the other! no other can comprehend it who 

 e then can even imagine the loftiness of the towers, and sky-touching 



* pinnacles ? 



4 The roars of the elephants, the clang of their bells ; the gaudy 

 ' heralds, and their fluency of tongue : the resounding cries, the min- 



* gled voices and echoes, and the clamour of the people who can des- 

 1 cribe ? 



******** 

 The poet now describes the king named Mamacara (Egotistes), and 

 his wife named Mohini (Formosa) whose child is (Maia) Illusion. He 

 then proceeds as follows : — • 



' Now Egotistes and Formosa were delighted at their little daughter 

 4 Maia, and could not keep their eyes off her; all their thoughts were 

 « bent on her ; never was her figure out of their mind : they would clasp 

 < the babe to their bosoms, nor would let her grieve ; they laid her at 



« their sidp, and could not keep away from her a moment and surely, 



** 



* In this passag 0 the other version is bombastic, 

 f + In his Christian poem, the Tembavani, Beschi introduces such flowers of rhetoric 

 into his Tamil composition. 



