(Opipiop) Madooray Kovei, 103
My candid opinion is that the elaborate word in question is really a valuable addition to the Poetic Literature of the Tamilians, whose language—Tamil, has been admitted by many an eminently accomplished orientalist to be “one of the most copious, refined and polished languages” in the world. The author's flights of imagination into the sublime regions of Poesy and Rhetoric are admirably lofty and his verses teem with *
“Thoughts that breathe and words that burn.” No doubt some of his verses wear the garb of fiction and may not as such be palatable to a scientific mind; but withal I must add that they are songs in the right sense af the word; for,
“Song is but the eloquence of Truth.” Unlike some of the author's contemporaries who arrogate to themselves all the serene dignity of a poet by merely learning to produce a jingle of syllables without the true element of Poetry which, as what Gray says of her, is, -
“Truth severe in fairy fiction drest,” he aspires to the sublime, elevates the thoughts and refines the sentiments of the reader, which I believe, is the only aim of Poetry.
I am glad to hear that the hero of the author's verse is no other than M. R. Ry. Madooray Pillay Avergal of Rangoon—a gentleman in the true sense of the word, who, I am given to understand, is born only to patronize poets and falsify with his never ceasing liberality the maxim that Poetry is synonymous. with Poverty. May the Almighty bless such a Patron of poets with long life and prosperity
I will say no more, for, I have said no less.
(Signed) T. BALASUNDARA Moor ELLIAR,
Assistant Moonshee to Tamil Translator MADRAS, } to Government
19th Wovember, 1888. and
Editor of the 7 gpnzġ f* Janavinodini.”
