Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/677

 VI. ] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 637 purity were lost. There was a violent return to the senses. Sensualism of the grossest kind—unres- trained and vulgar sensualism, redeemed only by fine literary touches and embellished by choice meta- phors—pervades a considerable portion of the litera- ture of this age. The poets in their strenuous attempts to depict vulgar scenes cared only to produce effects by their rhythmical pomp; and when one reads such passages he thinks more of the metre and of the niceties of expression than of the wicked and immoral spirit that they breathe. Hence the lawless tone loses much of its force and the scenes themselves appear as harmless as painted devils. Poetry sank to the level of mere painting, as I have said, and to that of a merely decorative type,—painting in which skilled and ornate designs are worked up with inexhaustible patience by gifted hands like those we find in the caves of Elephanta. —:0:——_- The Story of Vidya Sundara. The story of Vidyasundara finds a_promi- nent place in the works which are called Annadg Mangala or Kalika Mangala. Annada, Kali and Chandi are all names of the same goddess though their forms are different. These poems therefore are written in honour of a deity. The religious element however, is introduced by way of apology. It was not the custom of the old Bengali poets who rose with the revival of Hinduism to write on a subject which had no touch with religion ; and the religious garb of the story is thus accounted for. Grossest matter however is introduced into these works, though bearing a holy name. . Those who have Annada Mangal,