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Of a higher kind are the poems on Nala and Sudéma. The original from which the episodes of the poems are drawn are well-known in Sanskrit literature, and one of them has been narrated by the marvellous pen of Vyas, the author of the Mahé Bharat. The merits of the poem of Vyas are great, and Premanand never meant to pre- sume to rival Vyas. He has only placed before his people a Nala and a Damayanti who have loved and suffered, not in the ways of the old days of Vyds, but in the way in which his own Gujarat would expect and understand. Various incidents enable the poet in this and other poems to bring out the tenderest pains and sentiments of the mother, the daughter, the father, the orphan, the husband and the wife. The mother-in-law, the daughter-in-law and the caste-people are not omitted from the variegated poetic canvas. The poet has alsoa deep insight into the heart of the Bhakta and even of the philosopher who disdains to sweat for bread. His beggar-philosopher has a wife who loves her lord and children but is unable to understand the philosophy that makes voluntary penuary a necessity. The philosopher is a friend to the royal Krishna, and why should not the philosopher go to the friend? “‘ Ob, my dear,” says the philosopher, “ bow can I humiliate myself before a friend and beg for the sake of belly ? Death is better than begging. Have contentment, my. dear, God has his eyes over us.” “Oh, my lord,”. says the
