Tamil poetic metre he adds, that “it is absolutely unique” and the rhyme is akin to old Keltic and Saxon poetry.”¹²²

His writings infused into the native and foreign mind an eagerness to probe Tamil literature and to gain by its study. Poe’s contribution is remarkable indeed.

The Tamil “Veṯṟivēṟkai” by Ati Virarāma Pāṇṭiyar was translated by William Taylor and included in Volume 11 “C” section of the “Oriental Historical Manuscripts in the Tamil Language” (1835 edition). William Taylor says that these sayings are perhaps those of a heathen prince reduced to poetical metre by court poets afterwards. But it is essential to recall that Ati-Virarāma was himself a poet. It is possible that this was his own work. One example of William Taylor’s translation is “The beauty of learning is language without fault.”

H. Stokes of the Madras Civil Service translated the “Nitineṟi Viḷakkam” written by Kumarakurupara Tampirāṉ. In the preface, he states that this work is comparatively modern, but was widely studied by the learned of South India. He gives a concise biographical sketch of the author and enumerates 14 of his works. Stokes calls as “Piḷḷai kavi” what we study to-day as “Piḷḷai Tamiḻ.” This shows that during his day it was also called “Piḷḷai kavi.” “Niti Neṟivilakkam” was the last of the 14 works according to Stokes. The author of the original, Stokes writes, “Seldom touches upon the peculiarities of Indian Mythology; when any such do occur, they appear to be introduced rather for the purpose of poetical embellishment than as articles of his creed....... His language is remarkable for its purity and elegance and admits but few words from the Sanskrit. His manner of expression is very forcible but is sometimes a little obscure. His style abounds much in antithesis, a figure to the use of which the didactic poetry of the Tamil, like that of the Hebrews is favourable.”¹²³ Stokes has explained the words in the vocabulary both in English and Tamil to benefit the natives and Europeans. He had the help of nearly

122. Ibid. Pp. 190, 191

123. Stokes, H. “Nitiṉeri Viḷakkam”; 1830 preface