home cheerless; and a courtezan of this class in Greece inspired no abhorrence. She was brought up from infancy to the life she professed, which she graced by her accomplishments, and not unfrequently dignified by her virtues. Her disregard of social restraint was not the voluntary breach of moral or religious precepts. The Hindu principles were more rigid; and not only was want of chastity in a female a capital breach of social and religious obligations, but the association of men with professed wantons was an equal violation of decorum, and, involving a departure from the purity of caste, was considered a virtual degradation from rank. In practice, however, greater latitude seems to have been allowed; and in this drama, a Brahman, a man of family and repute, incurs apparently no discredit from his love of a courtezan. A still more curious feature is, that his passion for such an object seems to excite no sensation in his family, nor uneasiness in his wife; and the nurse presents his child to his mistress, as to its mother; and his wife, besides interchanging civilities, a little coldly perhaps, but not compulsively, finishes by calling her sister, and acquiescing, there fore, in her legal union with her lord. It must be acknowledged that the poet has managed his story with great dexterity; and the interest with which he has invested his heroine, prevents manners so revolting to our notions from being obtrusive ly offensive. No art was necessary,' in the estimation of a Hindu writer, 'to provide his hero with a wife or two more or less; and the acquisition of an additional bride is the ordinary catastrophe of the lighter dramas.' It would not be easy to state the case more truly than it is stated in these philosophical sentences; and the purest minded may, we think, with no other sentiments than those of pity and compassion-not unac companied with something of kind regard, and even of admiration-follow the fortunes of Vasantasena in this interesting drama. She belongs, indeed, to a class of Infortunates; but her sins were the sins of her country; and 'tis certainly a harsh, probably a false judgment, that with the loss of chastity a woman loses all the other virtues of her sex. It is not true even where women are most honoured, as in Britain ;-utterly false, if pronounced of women in ancient Hindostan. 'Tis wrong to seek to exalt one virtue by the degradation of the whole of that nature of which it is the loveliest attribute; and not in the spirit of the Christian Faith. In our own poetry, the frail and fallen are not spoken of as excommunicated from all intercommunion with our best sympathies; than their sorrows there are few or none more affecting; and we are glad to see them sometimes partaking of that peace which, in its perfection, is our holiest idea of happiness here below the skies. Vasantasena in this Hindu drama is humble in her humiliation-to the poor she is charitable in every creature in distress she acknowledges a brother or a sister malignity or hatred have never found access to her heart-and she venerates the virtue of the happier matron, in the dishonoured lot to which it may be said she was born there is sadness in her smiles-and she seems mournful, even when arrayed in all her allurements. Of her life we are shewn nothing except her love for one man, which is disinterested and sincere; and, so far from there being any thing of coarsemess in her manners, or grossness in her mind, these are all natural elegance and grace, and that, but from our knowledge of what is her lot, is felt to be pure. Gentle and tenderhearted, yet she has spirit to repel what she loathes; and even if she were less good, surely her sufferings bring her within the inner circle of our humanities, and believing she is dead, we weep over her beneath that heap of leaves when thought dead, and doubt not that her spirit is received into heaven. But to return to the story of the Drama. The King's brother is aware of Vasantasena's love for Charudatta, whom he calls a miserable wretch, because he is poor; but the Vita has more discernment, and remarks, "It is truly said pearls string with pearls." Meanwhile she overhears her pursuers speaking of Charudatta's house as being close at hand; and taking off her garland, and the rings from her ankles, that the perfume and the tinkling may not betray her, she gropes along the wall in the dark for the private entrance. The door is open and she enters, brushing out the lamp in the lobby with her scarf. Maitreya, in company with Radanika, a female servant, is issuing out to obey his master's command, and the Rajah's brother-in-law seizes successively his own Vita, his own servant, and the Brahman's Girzzy, supposing each in turn to be Vasantasena. Girzzy's voice sounds queer-and the disappointed profligate exclaims," Oh! sir! your female can change her voice when she will, as the cat mews ed down by its abundant fruit-he is the cherisher of the good, the mirror of the wise, a touchstone of piety, an ocean of decorum, the doer of good to all, of evil to none, a treasure of manly virtues, intelligent, liberal, and upright; in a word, he only is worthy of admiration; in the plenitude of his merits he may be said to live indeed; other men merely breathe-so, come, we had better depart." They make themselves scarce, and Charudatta is heard within the house calling on Radanika to bring in his boy Rohasena, who must have enjoyed the breeze to steal cream." Maitreya, the Brahman's friend, having relit the lamp, comes forth, saying, "How funnily the lamp burns! it goes flutter flut ter in the evening breeze, like the heart of a goat just caught in a snare!" A discovery now takes place and the worthy Vidushaka, incensed with the disturbers of his friend's domestic privacy, deter mines to give them all a sound drill ing especially the King's brother. He does not think it necessary to soften the threat of a cudgelling by smooth words. On beyou King's brother-in-law koYou abominable miscreant! Have you no decency? Do you not know, that, notwithstanding the worthy Charudatta be poor, he is an ornament to Ujayin; and how dare you think of forcing your way into his house, and maltreating his people? There is no disgrace in an untoward fate; disgrace is in misconduct; a worthy man may be a poor one." The sight of a cudgel often does wonders, but cannot elevate the mind; and Samsthanaka draws in his horns, while the Vita falls down at Maitreya's feet, declaring that he is "afraid of the eminent virtues of Charudatta."-"Very eminent indeed," observes Samsthanaka, on the sly, "when they cannot afford his visiters a dinner. Who is this slave, the son of a slave? Is he a warrior, a hero? Is he Pandu, Swetaketu, the son of Radha, Ravana, or Indradatta? Was he begotten on Kunti by Rama? or is he Aswatthama, Dharmaputtra, or Jatayu ?Vita. No, you wiseacre, I will tell you who he is; he is Charudatta, the tree of plenty to the poor, bow datta will permit her to leave her or Vasantasena requests that Charunaments in his house, as the villains had meant to rob her-and then that he will let Maitreya see her safe home; but Charudatta is too gallant to employ a substitute for that pleasing duty, and leads her off in a fit of descriptive poetry. Pale as the maiden's cheek who pines with love, The moon is up, with all its starry train, And lights the royal road with lamps divine; Whilst through the intervening gloom, its rays d'f Of milky white like watery showers descend. (They proceed.) This, lady, is your dwelling. (Vasan butasena makes an obeisance, and exit.)" And so ends the First Act which, besides being bustling and amusing, makes us familiar with the characters of the chief persons of the drama, and prepares us to take an interest of very different kinds indeed In their fortunes. The opening of the Second Act, shews us Vasantasena sitting in her own house, much in love with Charudatta and conversing about him, with her female attendant. She bids her guess his name and Madanika, being knowing in such matters, says, "his well-selected name is Charudatta. But, lady, it is said he is very poor. Vas. I love him, neverthe less; no longer let the world believe that a courtezan is insensible to a poor man's merits." She then confesses that she left her ornaments in his house, that she might have an excuse for another interview. Meanwhile, a row has been taking place in a gambling-house; and an unlucky wretch, by profession a Samvahaka, or Joint-rubber, having sold himself to a winner for ten suvernas, attempts making his escape, and flies for refuge to the house of the courtezan. She finds that he had once been a servant of her beloved Brahman, whom he warmly eulogizes, and, springing from her seat, she cries, "Girl, girl, a seat-this house is yours, sir-pray be seated-a fan, wench quick our worthy guest is fatigued. This, says the ingenious translator, might be thought a little extravagant; but it is not without a parallel in European flattery, and from motives less reputable. Louis XIV. having one day sent a footman to the Duke of Monbazon with a letter, the Duke, who VOL. XXXV. No. CCXVII. Y happened to be at dinner, made the footman take the highest place at his table, and afterwards accompanied him to the court-yard, because he came from the King. Vasantasena then sends a bracelet to the dun, and the joint-rubber, to ling for ever, and resolves to become shew his gratitude, forswears gambcharacter he plays, as we shall see, a Bauddha Mendicant,-in which an important part in the drama. As he goes out, the lady's man-servant, Karnapuraka, enters hastily, and begins describing an achievement he had this day performed in taming with an iron bar her ladyship's fierce hunting elephant Khuntamoraka, the post-breaker, who had killed his keeper, snapped his chain, and rushed, "tearing every thing to pieces with his trunk, his feet, and his tusks, as if the city had been a large tank full of lotus flowers. Big as he was, like the peaks of Vindhya, I brought him down, and saved a holy man, whom he was holding up between his tusks. Every body said well done, Karnaputaka, well done; for all Ujayin, in a panic, like a boat ill laden, was heaped on one spot; and one person, who had no great matter of dress to boast of himself, turning his eyes upwards," and fetching a deep sigh, threw his garment over ) me." VasantasenaTM* looks at the garment, and sees inscribed on it the name Charudatta. She throws it round her with de light, and Madanika exclaims, "how well the garment becomes our mistress!" Karnapuraka is sulky, and can only utter "Yes-it becomes her well enough" The lady gives him an ornament, and he says, "Now, indeed, the garment sits as it should do." But where, where eagerly asks she-where did you leave Charudatta? "Going home, I believe, along the road."" Quick, girl; up on this terrace, and we may catch a glimpse of him!" and so ends the act. On the night of next day, we find Charudatta and Maitreya just returned home from a concert, and preparing to go to bed. Vasantasena's jewels during the day have been in the care of Verdhamana, a maleservant, but they are now intrusted to Maitreya-and they all fall asleep. A dissipated Brahman, called Servil I laka, in love with Madanika, is prowling about the city, looking out for a house to break into, in hopes of finding treasure wherewith to purchase her manumission, it being his desire to make her his own by means of a lefthanded marriage. He is a most accomplished cracksman, and breaks into Charudatta's house in a style that would have done credit to the best of Pierce Egan's heroes. "Here is a rat-hole. The prize is sure. Let me see how I shall proceed. The god of the golden spear teaches four modes of breaching a house; picking out burnt bricks; cutting through unbaked ones; throwing water on a mud-wall; and boring through one of wood: this wall is of baked bricks; they must be picked out; but I must give them a sample of my skill. Shall the breach be the lotus blossom, the full sun or the new moon, the lake, the Swastika, (a magical diagram,) or the water-jar? It must Maitreya declares he will swear that the casket was never intrusted to them; but Charudatta says "He cannot condescend to shame his soul By utterance of a lie." Intelligence of the robbery has reached his wife, and she, rejoicing that her husband's life is safe, sends to him a string of jewels given her in her maternal mansion-one of the sources of the wife's peculiar wealth, over which a Hindu husband has no control. That his person is unharmed is well-but better-she exclaimsit had suffered," than his fair fame incur disparagement. Destiny, thou potent deity, thou sportest with the fortunes of mankind, and renderest them as tremulous as the watery drop that quivers on the lotus leaves." Charudatta is quite overpowered by this kindness of his wife. "Char. Out on it-that I should be reduced so low need Assistance from a woman's wealth. So true It is, our very natures are transformed grows, And woman wealthy acts with manly vigour. 'Tis false; I am not poor; a wife whose love Outlives my fortune, a true friend who shares be something to astonish the natives; As, when my own has disappeared, to the water-jar looks best in a brick wall-that shall be the shape. In other walls that I have breached by night, the neighbours have had occasion, both to censure and approve my talents." During the rest of an amusing soliloquy he is at work, and enters through his favourite figure in a brick-wall, the water-jar. Maitreya is dreaming, very patly to the occasion, that thieves are breaking into the house-and addressing Charudatta, says, "My friend, if you do not take the casket, may you incur the guilt of disappointing a cow, and of deceiving a Brahman." The robber says, "These invitations are irresistible.-Mait. (still half asleep.) Have you got it?-Serv. The civility of this Brahman is exceeding I have it.-Mait. Now, like a pedlar that has sold his wares, I shall go soundly to sleep. (Sleeps.)" In the morning they discover that the casket is gone-and all is dismay. Charudatta is in despair. My sorrows and my joy, and honesty mine." On the opening of Act Fourth, we discover Vasantasena absorbed in contemplation of a miniature picture of Charudatta. She asks her attendant if 'tis a good likeness-and on her replying "I conclude so, madam, from the affectionate looks you bestow upon it," sighs, "How do you talk of affection to a creature of our class! The woman that admits the love of many men is false to all! But tell me, girl, do not all my "Alas! my friend, who will believe it friends deride my passion ?-Mad. stolen ? A general ordeal waits me. In this Cold poverty is doom'd to wake suspicion. Nay, not so, madam; every woman has a feeling for the affections of her friends," Vasantasena now receives a message from her mother, desiring her to repair to the private apartments, to meet Samsthanaka; but she dismisses the messenger with repug nance and horror. "Tell her, if she would not have me dead, she must send me no more such messages." Faithful all her future life will she be-whether it be her lot to suffer or enjoy to Charudatta. The courtezan hopes to be his handmaidaccording to law-and will be as tender and true as any wife. Servillaka now visits his mistress, Madanika, and shews her Vasantasena's own jewels, with which he proposes to purchase her manumission! The lady-overhearing all from aboveat first is dreadfully alarmed-fearing the robber may have murdered Charudatta; but, finding that her beloved Brahman is alive and well, she pretends to believe Servillaka's made-up tale with his mistress below, that Charudatta had sent him to her with the casket, lest his house should be broken into; and giving him some jewels to take back to her dear Brahman, says she had arranged with Charudatta that the person who presented them should from her receive Madanika as a present from herself, for his sake! Servillaka is ready to leap out of his skin for joy, and exclaims, May all prosperity bless Charudatta! 'Tis politic in man to nurture merit, For poverty with worth is richer far Than majesty without all real excellence. Nought is beyond its reach; the radiant moon Won by its worth a seat on Siva's brow." A litter is brought to the door, and Madanika, weeping, receives manumission from her gracious mistress. Servillaka bidding her with grateful looks survey her bounteous benefactress, and bow her head in gratitude to her, to whom she owes the unexpected dignity that waits upon the title and the state of wife. That is, a wife for the nonce-or amie de maison -the marriage being such as is still sanctioned in Germany, as it would have been impossible to contract any other with a woman of Madanika's past life and servile condition. They salute Vasantasena as she departs, and ascend the car; but the honeymoon is not suffered to shew her buddinghorns, for there is sound of procla mation from the Governor, in consequence of a reported prophecy that the son of a cow-herd, named Aryaka, shall ascend the throne, commanding all and sundry to apprehend him, that he may be detained in confinement. Aryaka is a bosom friend of Servillaka, and that unprincipled but spirited personage gives vent to sentiments that must have been far from pleasing to his bride. "Now the king has seized my dear friend, Aryaka, and I am thinking of a wife! This world presents two things most dear to all men : A friend and mistress; but the friend is prized Above a hundred beauties. I must hence And try to liberate him. (Alights.)” Madanika in vain beseeches him not to leave her but he is inexorable-tells her to put herself under the protection of his friend Rebhila, the chief of the musicians, and scampers off to the rescue of the Son of the Cow-herd. By and by we shall hear more of the insurgents-for there is a double plot, and the management of it shews great ingenuity and skill --both actions being naturally interwoven, and mutually assisting each other's fulfilment in one united catastrophe. Maitreya now appears before Vasantasena's dwelling, with the jewels in lieu of the stolen casket; and the lady being informed by her attendant of his visit, exclaims, "This is indeed a lucky day!" and bids her chamberlain be called to do him honour. Maitreya is delighted with such a reception."Here's honour! The sovereign of the Rakhasas, Ravana, travels in the car of Kuvera, obtained by the force of his devotions; but I am a poor Brahman, and no saint, yet am I conveyed about by lovely damsels." We are sure all our readers will be much interested by a complete picture of a Hindu house-it is no less than a palace. Attendant. This is the outer door, sir. Mai. A very pretty entrance indeed. The threshold is very neatly coloured, well swept and watered; the floor is beautified with strings of sweet flowers; the top of the gate is lofty, and gives one the pleasure of looking up to the clouds, whilst the jasmine festoon hangs tremblingly down, as if it were now tossing on the trunk of |