The second part brings forward the doctrines of the Hindus, quotations from Sanskrit books in the chapters on religion, philosophy, astronomy, and astrology, and other kinds of information which had been communicated to him by word of mouth, or things which he had himself observed in the chapters on literature, historic chronology, geography, law, manners, and customs. In the third part he does the same as Megasthenes had already done; he tries to bring the sometimes very exotic subject nearer to the understanding of his readers by comparing it with the theories of ancient Greece, and by other comparisons. In the disposition of every single chapter, as well as in the sequence of the chapters, a perspicuous, well-considered plan is apparent. There is no patchwork nor anything superfluous, and the words fit to the subject as close as possible.
He does not blindly accept the traditions of former ages; he wants to understand and to criticise them. He wants to sift the wheat from the chaff, and he will discard everything that militates against the laws of nature and of reason.
He criticises manuscript tradition like a modern philologist. He sometimes supposes the text to be corrupt, and inquires into the cause of the corruption; he discusses various readings, and proposes emendations. He guesses at lacunæ, criticises different translations, and complains of the carelessness and ignorance of the copyists.
This valuable and interesting work has been out of print for many years, and second-hand copies have been very difficult to obtain even at a high premium. At the urgent request of many scholars and students both in England and India, the publishers have decided to issue the present reprint at a cheaper price than the original edition.
Post 8vo, pp. viii. and 270, cloth, price 6s.
INDIAN POETRY:
Containing "The Indian Song of Songs."
From the Sanskrit of the "Gita Govinda" of Jayadeva; Two Books from "The Iliad of India" (Mahȧbhârata), "Proverbial Wisdom" from the Shlokas of the Hitopadesa, and other Oriental Poems.
By Sir EDWIN ARNOLD, M.A., K.C.I.E., C.S.I., &c., &c.
CONTENTS.
The Indian Song of Songs—
Introduction.
Hymn to Vishnu.
Sarga the First—The Sports of Krishna.
Sarga the Second—The Penitence of Krishna.
Sarga the Third—Krishna Troubled.
Sarga the Fourth—Krishna Cheered.
Sarga the Fifth—The Longings of Krishna.
Sarga the Sixth—Krishna made Bolder.
Sarga the Seventh—Krishna supposed False.
Sarga the Eighth—The Rebuking of Krishna.
Sarga the Ninth—The End of Krishna's Trial.
Sarga the Tenth—Krishna in Paradise.
Sarga the Eleventh—The Union of Radha and Krishna.
Miscellaneous Oriental Poems—
The Rajpoot Wife.
King Saladin.
The Caliph's Draught.
Hindoo Funeral Song.
Song of the Serpent Charmers.
Song of the Flour-Mill.
Taza ba Taza.
The Mussulman Paradise.
Dedication of a Poem from the Sanskrit.
The Rajah's Ride.
Two Books from "The Iliad of India."
The Great Journey.
The Entry into Heaven.
The Night of Slaughter.
The Morning Prayer.
Proverbial Wisdom from the Shlokas of the Hitopadesa.
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.
"In this new volume Sir Edwin Arnold does good service by illustrating, through the medium of his musical English melodies, the power of Indian poetry to stir European emotions. 'The Indian Song of Songs' is not unknown to scholars. Sir Edwin Arnold will have introduced it among popular English poems."—Times.