পাতা:পলাশির যুদ্ধ.djvu/২১০

[ ०२ } for filling in the light and shade of his brilliant picture. But the event being a comparatively recent one, he could not draw too largely on his imagination. He could not exceed the bounds of truth and probability. He could not, like Milton, create giants wielding spears. —To equal which the tallest pine Hewn on Norwegian hills to be the mast Of some tall admiral were but a wand. Norlike Valmiki make his hero carry the sun under his arm. Unlike, also the heroes of the Illiad, his characters are not protected by that veil of classical sanctity into which the gaze of vulgar curiosity dare not penetrate. He has been obliged to confine himself to hard facts and stern realities, and admirably, we must admit, he has executed his task in spite of his difficulties, We now come to the poem itself. Though commemorating a great event, it can hardly be called an epic poem, for it has none of the elements that constitute a poem of this nature. It is half lyt. , half narrative. The descriptive element also enters slightly into its composition It is divided into five cantos. The first canto introduces us to a secret conclave of conspirators, discussing the best means of deposing that blot on royalty—the Nawab Serajadowlah. Portions of this canto appear to us to be somewhat laboured. It contains passages, however, which give evidence of a very high order of imagination. We hardly know of anything more beautiful in the whole range of Bengali poetry (Messrs. Datta's and Banerjea's writings excepted) than the opening lines of this canto. We regret that our columns will not allow us to quote