and far-fetched conceits and classical whimsicalities. But in this, as in other instances, Mr. Sundaram Pillai apparently wanted to keep himself in touch with the old poets. His western culture did not make him a literary reformer of the radical type. He did not want to completely break with the past. His very choice of the அகவல் metre for his work instead of going in for new-fangled metrical experiments and his scrupulous adherence to the prosodic rules in the composition of numerous classes of பா and பாவினம் such as ஆசிரியப்பா. வெண்பா, வஞ்சிப்பா, கலிப்பா, மருட்பா, ஆசிரியத்தாழிசை, வஞ்சித்தாழிசை, கலித்தாழிசை, ஆசிரியத்துறை, வெண்செந்துறை, கலித்துறை, which add a pleasing metrical variety to Manonmaniyam, show that the author was a conservative literary force and did not want to take the cart out of the beaten track. By the way, I have to observe that the stray stanzas and songs that appear in the play here and there show perfect workmanship. The lapidary has beautifully carved them to prove his faultless technique and poetic verve. Take again his evident ambition to deck this fair child of his mind in all the finery of epic ornamentation. The passages describing country (நாட்டு வளம்) mountain and river scenery (மலைவளம், நதிவளம்) fortress and ditch (மதில் வருணனை, அகழ்வருணனை) sunrise (சூரியோதயம்) and திணை மயக்கம், மன்மதோபாலம்பனம் and கேசாதிபாதம் the conventions peculiar to oriental epic poets, are all of the most approved model. In the profuse use of hyperbolic language also, the author will beat the old poets hollow (vide. I. i. 72-80). Judging him, however, with all these traditional habiliments, these idola theatri, still we should be doing him injustice if we classed him with the old group of Tamil Poets. To the orthodox Tamil Pandits, many passages of this play are bound to come as mystifying posers. (Vide noter on line 113 in Scene 5 Act IV: Pandit Satagopa Ramanujachari's interpretation is hardly intelligible). The many scientific ideas and doctrines to which he makes reference in this work would come to them as a surprise from another world. With all his love for the orthodox Tamil Scholar. Mr. Sundaram Pillai drifted into other waters by his Western Culture and no student of Tamil will be sorry that he did so. He has enriched his mother tongue with new turns of expression, new figures of speech and new ideas and sentiments borrowed from Western literature. Expressions such as "செருக்கினைக் கிள்ளுதல்" (pricking the pride) "தீண்டன்மின் திருந்தலீர் அவர்தஞ் செருக்கு" (Don't touch their pride)"மணமும் அவர்க்கொரு வாணிகம்" (Marriage is a commercial venture) "புத்தியே சகல சத்தியும்" (Knowledge is power) "காலவிளம்பனஞ் சாலவுந்தீதே' (Delay is dangerous) "ஜனமொழி தெய்வமொழி" (vox populivox dei) "சம்மதக்குறியே மௌனம்" (Silence implies consent) "இருசரமின்றி" (without two strings to a bow) "நன்மையே யாவும் நன்மையாய் முடியில்" (All is well that ends well) are all neatly turned out to fit into any work in Tamil with a native grace of their own. See also with what ease he coins companion expressions such as, உறுப்புக