Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/661

 VI. ] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 621 and Vidu Brahmini—accessories to illicit love of the most revolting type. The descriptions of ‘men and women are often marred by overcolouring ‘like those of the beards of Hudibras described by ‘Butler in a well known lengthy passage. | But a literary epoch cannot be wholly without its redeeming features. There must be some really meritorious points by which it can attract and make The people its votaries, reconciling them even to its vices. Seniesa In this age, a rigid classical taste gave a unique ©Poch. finish to the Bengali style and enriched it with the variety of Sanskrit metres that so powerfully appeal to the ear. Bharata Chandra Ray, the court poet of Raja Krisna Chandra, stands alone in the field of our old literature as a word-painter. No poet before him contributed so much to our wealth of expression or had such success in importing ele- gance to our Sanskritic metres.. The poet here, like a true Indian artizan, applied himself patiently The to the sphere of decorative art. He hunted for and ae es found choicest expressions and strung them into’ Chandra. the most elegant metres and carried the whole school of Bengali poets after him maddened by the zeal to imitate his style. The~-heart. had been feasted. to satiety on the emotions contained in the Vaisnava literature, the ear now wanted. to be pleased. High sentiments-expressed in rich poetry had abounded in the literature of the Vaisnavas ; enough of such. The scholars would have a_ brief day of their own. They would show feats of clever expression, pedantry and wealth of words strung together with masterly skill. The people were drawn by this:nevelty. After the strain of a high- strung idealistic spirituality, they were glad to revel
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