artistic conception. The latter is the Sancho Panza of the piece, and prevents all risk of tedium by his absurd sallies and clumsy drollery. The portraiture of the old Doorkeeper, also, is excellent. In his reflections on lelivering a message (p.52), we have an amusing picture of temporizing subservienee, mingled with it singularly natural daslı of cunning, which shows how true an insiglt Kalidasa possessed into the weaknesses of his own sex. The representation of the female characters is simply charming Sisterly affection, kindly forbearance, generous assistance, tender solicitule for the welfare of others,—such are the virtues wlieli the reader is taught to expcet in the gentler sex. The intellectual and social status of women is revealed by the circumstance that Kalidasa felt it necessary to make the King give Sakuntala a ring with three letters upon it, so that, by reckoning one letter each day, she might be able to compute the three days he intended to absent himself from her (p. 75). Indeed, it is insinuated that women are designedly kept ignorant; for, in p. 61, we read that "women-folk without instruction exceed men in crastiness; should they become wellinstructed, there is no knowing what they would do!" Moreover, we discover, froin p. 50, that woman was esteemed a mere chattel for the gratification of her lord (pati), as the husband is not inappropriately called. It is, however, fair to add that this last passage is found in only the Bangali recension, which is the more modern and corrupt form of the play. Some consolation may be drawn, by Englislmmen, from the episode of the Fishermen, in p. 68. It lias been asserted, that the English have introduced intemperance into India; but the incident referred to teaches uls that, in Kalidasa's time, it was only natural to represent the less refined portion of his countrymen as resorting to the tavern to indulge in a carouse. Dr. Fergusson inferred, from certain Buddhistie sculptures, that anciently the liigliest in the land enjoyed the seductive glass, or, rather, the spouted pot; for the liquor secus to leave been sucked up from a vessel not unlike a tca-pot.
The text of the play here given is a critical reprint of the translaGion of Kuivar Lachhman Sinli, a Deputy Collector of the North-West Provinces. It is exceedingly well executed, and, while adhering faithfully to the Sanskrit, moves with all the freedom of an original composition. I have alrcady commended Mr. Lachlinan Sinh's unpedantic
