70 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF BENGALI BOOE& POETRY AND TBS DRAMA, Poetry forming such a large staple of Hindu Bookd, to give all books in poetry would be eqaivaient to giving under this head three-fourths of Bengali Literature, almost all of 1 which is executed by natives. Bengali poetry embraces two subjects chiefly, religion and love : the poems relating to the former will be found under the heads of their respective sub- jects,—our selection of poetry on general subjects is therefore ■ very limited. The Vaishnabs were the first poets, their poems were in praise of Chaitanya and his religion, next came Kasi Das and Eriti Bas who, a century and a half ago, composed the Mahabharat and Ramavan ; last century we had Bharat, the Horace of his day, his themes were war, and love. At the present day few of the educated natives have ventured on the ocean of poetry. There appeared in 1805, Virgil s (Eneid, 1st Book, pp. 65, tr. by J. Sergeant, a civilian, a student of Fort William College. Monckton, another student, executed a translation of Snakespeares Tempest. — In 1836, Oayan kritKau- madi, Hymns to the different gods, with an account of various musical instruments.— In 1837, HOMER'S ILIAD, 1st Book, tr. by Grish C. Bose pp. 30. A. B. About 1840, Gita Mala, 60 love songs, by Kali C. Chundria, Bangpur Zemindar. 309. (S. B.) Char Panchash, pp. 91, 1848, a Poet attempting to marry the daughter of the Eaja of Burdwan, against her father's consent, was condemned by him to death, and laments his fate in 50 verses, " notes of the dying Swan." 310. 1852, Chliandabali, by Girisli Chandra Deb, • Scraps of poetry on different subjects, Shiva's marriage, Ritu-bilap, Mrs. Heman's Better Land translated. 311. (S. B.) Bhagavat Gtita, a Philosophical Poem* The translation of this into English, Latin, French, German shews the value attached to it as a highly philosophical poem, giving the high mysteries of the Hindu philosophers. Treats of the soul's nature : the superiority of faith to works : on for- saking works and their fruits : serving God in his visible and invisible forms. A fine edition of it in Sanskrit, Latin, English and Canarese with Humbold's preface has been lately printed at the Mangalore Mission Press. 312. (S. B.) Chaitanyea Chandraday Natak, Chaita- nyea's History dramatised. Translated by Prem Das, a. a., i
