6,
jerks, the magic and mytholgy being in each case some new invention or imitation, likely to fitin with popular associations. This process enables him to kill two birds atashot. In the first instance he thereby satisfies the innate voracity of the people for super-natural romances. Secondly, he brings out his own social ideals without any delay for development. Thus, for instance, to cite a case already referred to, the fool that was palmed off upon a strong-willed heroine is converted into a man of attainments by a mythological freak, whose invention. is not more audacious than that of the Vril. By such methods Samal secured a market for works which, otherwise, would have been left without a reader ina country where religion has been an all-absorbing som- nambulation, while the whole world around has been. awake to its secular interests.
The social ideal was only one-half of the aapirations. of Samal. Mercantile adventures of the most enter- prizing kinds supply many a poem of his with stirring incidents. The heroes of these poems are young sons of Banyas, whose souls are fired with the desire to travel beyond the now prohibited seas for gain; and their long absence suppliés the poet with occasions to bring in further romances in respect of their wives, who either follow their husbands or are driven to follow them. Numberless domestic idiosyncrasies and errors of the members of joint families, rogueries and rascalities:
