Some weaker rays through the black top do glide, Even so the soul, in this contracted state, Confined to these straight instruments of sense, At this hole hears, the sight must ray from thence, – Here tastes, there smells; - but when she's gone from hence, Like naked lamp she is one shining sphere, She is one orb of sense, all eye, all airy ear. Amid the uncouth allegory, and more uncouth language, of this strange series of poems, a few passages are to be found of exceeding beauty. Milton, who was the author's friend, had evidently read them. could not preserve One day, while Mariatale, as Sonnerat spells the name, was wife of the penitent Chamadaguini, and mother of Parassourama, who was, in part, an incarnation of Veeshno. This goddess, says Sonnerat, commanded the elements, but that empire longer than her heart was pure. she was collecting water out of a tank, and, according to her custom, was making a bowl of earth to carry it to the house, she saw on the surface of the water, some figures of Grindovers (Glendoveers), which were flying over her head. Struck with their beauty, her heart admitted an impure thought, and the earth of the bowl dissolved. From that time she was obliged to make use of an ordinary vessel. This discovered to Chamadaguini that his wife had deviated from purity; and in the excess of his rage, he ordered his son to drag her to the place were criminals were executed, and to behead her. The order was executed; but Parassourama was so much afflicted for the loss of his mother, that Chamadaguini told him to take up the body, and fasten the head upon it, and repeat a prayer (which he taught him for that purpose) in her ear, and then his mother would come to life again. The son ran eagerly to perform what he was ordered, but, by a very singular blunder, he joined the head of his mother to the body of a Parichi, who had been executed for her crimes; a monstrous union, which gave to this woman the virtues of a goddess, and the vices of a criminal. The goddess, becoming impure by such a mixture, was driven from her house, and committed all kinds of cruelties. The Deverkels, perceiving the destruction she made, appeased her by giving her power to cure the small-pox, and promising that she should be implored for that disorder. Mariatale is the great goddess of the Parias; - to honour her, they have a custom of dancing with several pots of water on their heads, placed one above the other: these pots are adorned with the leaves of the Margosies, a tree consecrated to her. The little songsters of the sky Sit silent in the sultry hour.- IV. p. 23. The tufted lark, fixed to this fruitful land, says Sonnini, speaking of Egypt, never forsakes it; it seems, however, that the excessive heat annoys him. You may see these birds, as well as sparrows, in the middle of the day, with their bills half open, and the muscles of their breasts agitated, breathing with difficulty, and as if they panted for respiration. The instinct, which induces them to prefer those means of subsistence which are easily obtained, and in abundance, although attended with some suffering, resembles the mind of man, whom a thirst for riches engages to brave calamities and dangers without number. The Watchman. —V. 29. The watchmen are provided with no offensive weapons excepting a sling; on the contrary, they continue the whole day standing, in one single position, upon a pillar of clay raised about ten feet, where they remain bellowing continually, that they may terrify, without hurting, the birds who feed upon the crop. Every considerable field contains several such sentinels, stationed at different corners, who repeat the call from one to another so incessantly, that the invaders have hardly any opportunity of making a good livelihood in the field. These watchmen are forced, during the rains, to erect, instead of a clay pillar, a scaffolding of wood as high as the crop, over which they suspend a roof of straw, to shelter their naked bodies from the rain. TENNANT. The Golden palaces.-V. 29. Every thing belonging to the Sovereign of Ava has the addition of shoe, or golden, annexed to it; even his majesty's person is never mentioned but in conjunction with this precious metal. When a subject means to affirm that the king has heard any thing, he says, "it has reached the golden he who obtained admission to the royal presence has been at the "golden feet." The perfume of otta of roses, a nobleman observed one day, "was an odour grateful to the golden nose.' SYMES. ears; A cloud ascending in the eastern sky, Sails slowly o'er the vale, And darkens round, and closes in the night.-V. p. 30. At this season of the year, it is not uncommon, towards the evening, to see a small black cloud rising in the eastern part of the horizon, and afterwards spreading itself to the northThis phenomenon is always attended with a violent storm of wind, and flashes of the strongest and most vivid west. lightning and heavy thunder, which is followed by rain. These storms sometimes last for half an hour or more; and, when they disperse, they leave the air greatly freshened, and the sky of a deep, clear, and transparent blue. When they occur near the full moon, the whole atmosphere is illuminated by a soft but brilliant silver light, attended with gentle airs. -HODGES. A white flag flapping to the winds of night, Marks where the tyger seized a human prey.-V. p. SO. It is usual to place a small white triangular flag, fixed to a bamboo staff, of ten or twelve feet long, at the place where a tyger has destroyed a man. It is common for the passengers, also, each to throw a stone, or brick, near the spot, so that, in the course of a little time, a pile, equal to a good waggonload, is collected. This custom, as well as the fixing a rag on any particular thorn-bush, near the fatal spot, is in use, likewise, on various accounts. Many brambles may be seen in a day's journey, completely covered with this motley assemblage of remnants. The sight of the flags and piles of stones imparts a certain melancholy, not perhaps altogether devoid of apprehension. They may be said to be of service, in pointing out the places most frequented by tygers. — Oriental Sports, vol. ii. p. 22. Gently he steals away with silent tread. V. p. 33. This part of the poem has been censured, upon the ground that Ladurlad's conduct in thus forsaking his daughter is in consistent with his affection for her. There is a passage in Mr. Milman's version of Nala and Damayanti so curiously resembling it in the situation of the two persons, that any one might suppose I had imitated the Sanscrit, if Kehama had not been published five and twenty years before Mr. Milman's most characteristic specimen of Indian poetry. Indeed, it is to him that I am obliged for pointing out the very singular coincidence. 66 Mighty is thy father's kingdom-once was mine as mighty too; Never will I there seek refuge-in my base extremity. There I once appeared in glory—to the exalting of thy pride; Shall I now appear in misery—to the increasing of thy shame?” Nala thus to Damayanti — spake again, and yet again, Comforting the noble lady-scant in half a garment clad. Both together by one garment-covered, roamed they here and there; Wearied out by thirst and famine- to a cabin drew they near, When they reached that lowly cabin- then did great Nisha dha's king - With the princess of Vidarbha-on the hard earth sea them down; Naked with no mat to rest on-wet with mire and stained with dust. Weary then with Damayanti- —on the earth he fell asleep. Sank the lovely Damayanti-by his side with sleep opprest, She thus plunged in sudden misery-she the tender, the devout. But while on the cold earth slumbered — Damayanti, all dis traught Nala in his mind by sorrow-might no longer calmly sleep; For the losing of his kingdom-the desertion of his friends, And his weary forest wanderings — painful on his thought arose; - "If I do it, what may follow? what if I refuse to do? o'er. Best he thought it Damayanti-to desert, that wretched king. |