Page:Classical Poets Of Gujarat.pdf/13

 THE CLASSICAL POETS OF GUJARAT, AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON SOCIETY AND MORALS.

In a paper on the classical poets of Gujarat one cannot promise any such glowing picture as may be drawn by one dealing with the poets of any of the great language of the world. The poets of Gujarat have had, like their country, very hard times for themselves, and like their themes have had a circumscribed field. All that can be said of them is that within the narrow field they have done so little, but that they have done anything at all. It may be asked—Why is this so? The answer to this question is a necessary part of my subject, because it will enable me to go through a little of the unknown history of the people of Gujarat, and to tell how the life and vicissitudes are related to their poets.

Gujarati, as it is spoken now, is not a very ancient vernacular. Coins an inscriptions are said not to show Gujarati in its modern form before the period