டாமே யுயிரையுண்ணல், to answer வேலியே பயிரைத் தின்னல் and வாய்க்கொளித்த உணவு, to go with தாய்க்கொளித்த சூல். Similes borrowed from Painting (II.ii. 4-11) and from Navigation (II.ii. 139-153; IV.v. 30-52) display the author's mental fertility in the creation of fresh figures of speech. The sentiments of the Vedantic Philosophy also supply him with a Simile of abstract ideas which poets for variety's sake sometimes indulge in. (II.iii. 68-73). References to simple scientific instruments as the mariner's compass (வடக்குநோக்கி) and the handlens (சிற்றாடி) and to well-known scientific theories regarding gravitation, eclipse, propagation of the species, cross-fertilisation, coloration of flowers, & c., about in this work and add to its value by their novelty as well as utility. Allusions to crocodile's tears and the practice of the ostrich burying its nose in sand in the presence of danger, which we meet with in English works, have not also been wanting. The attack on that pseudo-science Astrology put into the mouth of KUDILA, the acceptance of the theory of a Dravidian culture era preceding the Aryan, the stirring speeches on State policy, reform, patriotism, liberty, love of one's mother tongue, found scattered in the play, are all more or less the result of our author's acquaintance with the liberalising literature of the West. In the face of these, to conclude that the author was a blind worshipper of the past is to totally misunderstand him and his standpoint. In point of description, wherein a poet ought to show fecundity of ideas and command of language in an equal degree, Mr. Sundaram Pillai stands head and shoulders above the ordinary run of Tamil Poets. Read NATARAJAN'S spirited defence of the fair sex and his condemnation of his own (II.ii. 123-186), his description of PURUSHOTHAMA'S march to JIVAKA'S capital (III.ii. 108-125), and also VANI'S narration of her meeting NATARAJAN near the brook (III.iii. 49-77). There can hardly be any doubt that in these passages the poet wields his language with inimitable grace and power. The incidents and touches with which the poet describes the babbling brook - VANI'S trysting place with her lover - the lapping wave, the moonlit night, the 'blue flower' guerdon and VANI'S rippling laughter - these create for us a realistic scene of romance which will not easily fade from our memory. We can imagine to what Elysian fields of delight the lovers must have been transported for a time, till VANI'S rude mother broke in upon them with her cruel words of disillusionment. Indeed it is in the creation of such scenes, ideal yet real, that the power of a poet's imagination is seen at its best. Mr. Sundaram Pillai's imagination was highly fertile. His wealth of poetic sentiments and ideas is also amazing. It is impossible to alight on a single passage in this work where the Poet was labouring under any poverty of idea. Pope observed truly :-

"Words are like leaves; and where they most abound,

Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely found"