INTRODUCTION. 89 The extravagant and almost absurd metaphors used by these poets may also find their parallel in those used by Butler in describing his hero's beard. The strained alliterations and puns on words, however greatly they may tax the reader's patience, may be excused in poetry, but they become unbearable in prose as in the passages: (1) “so so go of oil was co, তুষ্টর বীজ বপন করুন।” (ই) পাঠক মহাশয় এই দোষকর প্রভাকর প্রকাশকের প্রতি ক্রোধাকর না হইয়া ক্ষমাকর ও কৃপাকর হইবেন।” (p. 1816). On pages 1723 & 1785 the reader will find some of the abstrusest specimens of Bengali prose in the eighteenth century. There will be no difficulty in understanding why the average Bengali reader understood Bengali poetry better than such prose, and why therefore Rajā Rāmamohana Roy took pains to explain the rules of prose construction as a guide to his readers before introducing the subject-matter in his prose works (p. 1753.) The Nava Babu Vilāsa written by Pramatha Sharmā in 1823 is a work with brilliant flashes of humour, which undoubtedly served as the model of the celebrated assotto & otto (pp. 1734–1740). The earliest specimens of Bengali prose, (those belonging to the 10th century) will be found on p. 20. 18. A newly recorered song of Gopichänd. A very interesting song of Gopichänd, named “the song of Maināmati" after his mother, has lately been brought to light by the efforts of a few scholars of Eastern Bengal. Two old MSS. of the said song have been recovered from Tippera and it is being edited by Babu Nalinikanta Bhattashali, M.A., and Baikunthanāth Datta. The ‘Prativā' for Shrāvana and Bhādra, 1320 B. S. has published a portion of this song, and I regret that I had no opportunity of securing it in time to be able to incorporate selections from it in the present compilation or in its supplement. I, however, give below an extract from this song.” It was composed by the poet Bhabani Das, and the archaic and unadorned expressions used in it attest to the early age of its composition. This song will take a prominent place among the poetical tributes paid by the rural people of this country to the memory of Rājā Gopichänd, of which we have already given some interesting specimens in this work (pp. 27-110).
- With the kind permission of the editor of the “Prativā” and of the Secretary, Dacca Sahitya-Parisat.
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