description, short as it must be, can convey no idea of the beauty of the sentiments, and the native tenderness which the poet has bestowed on the young recluse, and which even in translation must charm. This drama presents us with a picture curious in itself, and interesting as it regards the ancient braminical Hindûs. It pourtrays the simple and austere manners of the priesthood, their proud dominion over their monarchs, their constant vigilance, which induced them even to condescend to act the part of court buffoons, and the prodigious influence they must have possessed, as they appear to have been charged with the education of the royal children of both sexes, to whom they performed the part of guardians as well as tutors, and into whom they were thus at liberty to inculcate their own maxims and instil their own sentiments. But to me the most interesting part is the pleasing light in which it places the early condition of the Hindû women, before the jealous Mahomedan maxims had shut them up in zenanas, and reduced them to the degrading situation in which they are now placed. Here we see the king's mother charged with the care of the royal city and council during her son's absence. The young women of the forest practising the rights of hospitality, and exercising all the functions of rational creatures, admitted to a considerable

share of the religious learning of their preceptors, and skilled in the fine arts, as we see in the young paintress whom Dushmanta employs to paint the portrait of Sacontala after he had lost her, and who by the description of the poet was not content with the cold delineation of the features, but represented the princess as the hero first beheld her in the forest, surrounded by her young companions at their pastoral occupations.

In short, if we may judge by this specimen, I should think the dramatic part of the Hindû literature would be the most pleasing to Europeans were it better known, and this opinion is confirmed by Mr. Colebrooke, to whom we are indebted for a sketch of the subject of another drama, and for a translation of some of the scenes.

The plot, setting aside the supernatural part, which, however, the firm belief of the Hindûs in magic and necromancy rendered pleasing to them, is such as would do no discredit to an European pen. It is called Malati-Mad'hava, written by the poet Bhavabhuti, and is in ten acts, the five first of which are the most interest ́ing, and seem to form the natural developement of the story. Bhurivasu, minister of the king of Padmavati, and Devarata, in the service of the king of Vidherba, had agreed, while their children were yet infants to crown their long

*friendship by the marriage of Malati daughter of the first with Mad'hava son of the latter. Meantime the king having hinted an intention to propose a match between Malati and his favourite Nandana, who was old and ugly, the two fathers concert a plan for throwing their children in each other's way, and conniving at a clandestine marriage, in pursuance of which Mad'hava is sent to finish his studies in the city of Padmavati under the care of the old priestess Camandaci, by whose contrivance, aided by Lavangica the foster-sister of Malati, the young people meet and become mutually enamoured. At this period the play opens with a dialogue between the old priestess and a female pupil, in which all the preceding events are naturally mentioned, and we are prepared for the appearance of the other characters of the piece, and particularly of Saudamini a former pupil of the priestess, who has arrived at supernatural power by religious austerities, and of Aghoraghanta a tremendous magician, and his female pupil Capalacundala, who both frequent the temple of Carala the dreadful goddess, near the cemetery of the city.

Mad'hava, his companion Macaranda and servant Calapansa then appear upon the scene, and Mad'hava discloses his meeting with Malati and his love for her. His attendant then shews

him his own picture drawn by Malati, which he had obtained from one of her damsels, and in return Mad'hava draws the features of the young heroine on the same tablet, and writes under it a passionate stanza. The tablet is conveyed by the attendants alternately to the lovers, whose affection is thus fostered and increased. Meantime the king sends to Bhurivasa, to make the projected proposal for the marriage of his daughter with the favourite Nandana, and the minister having answered that the king may dispose of his daughter as he pleases, the lovers are thrown into great agitation. Camandaci then contrives another interview between them in a public garden, but at the same moment a cry of terror announces that a tremendous tyger had rushed from the temple of Siva, and the youthful Madayantica sister of Nandana is in great danger, when Mad'hava's companion Macaranda is seen rushing to her rescue. He kills the tyger, is himself wounded behind the scenes, and is brought in insensible, but revives. by the care of the women, and Madayantica whom he has saved falls in love with him.

The preparations for the marriage of Malati with Nandana are then announced, and Mad'hava takes a resolution which none but a Hindû lover could have imagined, namely, that of going to the cemetery and selling his living flesh

to the ghosts and malignant spirits, in order to obtain the accomplishment of his wishes. While he is wandering by night for this purpose among the tombs, where in a soliloquy he thus describes the cemetery, "the river that bounds it, and tremendous is the roaring of the stream breaking away the bank, while its waters are embarrassed among fragments of skulls, and its shores resound horribly with the howling of shakals and the cry of owls screeching amidst the contiguous woods," he is alarmed by the voice of a female in distress, and recognises the voice of Malati.

The scene opens and discovers the enchanter and sorceress above named, with Malati adorned as a victim, the inhuman wizard having stolen her while sleeping for the purpose of a sacrifice to the dreadful goddess. While he is preparing the horrid rites, Mad'hava rushes forward and Malati flies to his arms for protection, when voices are heard without in search of her; Mad❜hava places her in safety and encounters the magician, when they quit the stage fighting. The event of the combat is told by the sorceress, who vows vengeance against the hero for slaying her preceptor. And here an European writer would have finished his piece with his fifth act; but a Hindû, whose story can never be too long, continues it through five other acts, and relates