INTRODUCTION. 
(a.) The sources from which the information contained in this 
work is derived . 
The work is founded in great measure on notes collected by 
myself from innumerable texts bought in the bazars. It is derived 
almost entirely from native sources. Wilson’s Religious Sects of 
the Hindus and Garcin de Tassy’s various works, especially his 
History of Hindui and Hindustani Literature , have been frequently 
consulted as checks ; and when the information given by them differed 
from that which I had collected, I have spared no trouble in order to 
ascertain the correct facts. The only English work which I have 
taken as an authority has been Tod’s Rajasthan , which contains much 
information not readily available elsewhere concerning the bards of 
Raj’put ana. I have endeavoured to check Tod, as far as possible, by 
reference to competent native authorities, and in this respect I have 
specially to thank Pandit Mohan Lai Yisnu Lill Pandia, of Udaipur, 
for much assistance most kindly given to me. 
A native work on which I have largely depended, and to which 
I am indebted for the information given regarding nearly all the 
minor poets, and many of the more important ones, is the very 
useful Sib Siygh Sardj , by Sib Siqgh Segar, published by Munshi 
Nawal Kishor, of LaklTnati (2nd edition, 1883). This is a compi¬ 
lation from former anthologies, including most of those named below. 
In addition to the Sardj , I have myself consulted all the available 
anthologies which I have been able to collect, including many 
already worked through by Sib Siijgh. When any poet’s works 
are found in one or more of the principal of these, I have pointed 
out the fact against his name, by commencing the article with an 
abbreviation of the name of the anthology. I have not always 
done this in the case of minor anthologies, and in the case of one or 
two which came into my hands while the book was passing through 
the press. A work of this kind crescit eundo. 
With regard to the dates given for the various authors, I have 
taken some trouble to verify them as far as I could. Vernacular 
poets had a laudable practice of dating their works, which has been 
useful in many cases. They also frequently mentioned their patrons; 
