which are different form the general. For instance “a doubtful construction.....” (Verse No. 5). ‘Taṉiccol’ present in the third line (Verse No. 145, 153 etc.). Irregular rhymes have also been noted. Verse 163 is an illustration of this. “Each line has a taṉiccol rhyming with the first foot” (Verse 185). Sometimes the metre is peculiar (Verse 199). He has shown the distinctive characteristic features of the style and metre of these verses.

For every verse, Pope gives briefly the main idea in prose before the commencement of the poem. This is a valuable aid to the reader. Pope points out the subject and predicate for each poem. He divides certain of the difficult and obviously indivisible words and shows the way in which they are done.

At the commencement of each chapter, an analysis of it is given. All these are valuable aids for the study of this work which has been made easier by them.

Pope shows occasionally the displacement of certain verses. For example, Pope feels, Verse 75 of the 8th chapter should be included in the 23rd chapter. Verse 344 he decides is rather incongruous in chapter 35. In Pope’s opinion verses, 384 to 387 “seem out of place and are probably more recent.”⁹⁴ A contradiction present in the work has caught the keen eye of Dr. Pope. Stanza 140 contradicts 245.⁹⁵

Pope‘s deep study of the work has revealed many distinguishing features which later research has to prove but his method of study is a fresh approach. The traditional method of not detecting any fault in the original but only on its commentaries⁹⁶ Pope broke and he was courageous enough to show those which he thought were errors in the original.

He has shown that “Tamil has a wealth of words which English lacks.” For instance each stage in the ripening of a fruit

94. P.N. P. 251

95. Ibid. 157

96. Meenakshisundarm , K. Annamalai University; Journal Volume 20; 1956; Pp. 31, 32