Page:History of Bengali Literature in the Nineteenth Century.djvu/453

 MISCELLANEOUS WRITERS 429 probably in 1831'!—it could be convenient to notice them briefly here. His 2@m-rasdyan, a voluminous and laborious production, is a tolerably well written version of the 851 8555০, Rimiyan chiefly based upon Valmiki but supplemented from other sources. The language is clear, vigorous and picturesque, although indicating a decided leaning towards Sanserit words : and the work is composed throughout in the payar metre, occasionally diversified by varieties of ¢7/pad/7 and other common metres. Strictly speaking, the author is not close or literal or even faithful in his version which is more than a mere translation. There are considerable additions and omissions? and the whole theme is treated with a freedom which characterises most of the early translators. The author possesses a marvellous narrative gift which makes his work interesting. It is not accurate to state that the author is merely a learned pundit entirely devoid of poetic gift® or power of delineating character but his poetic gift is not equal to his capacity of rhythmical expression and his command over a more or less finished style. In spite of all its faults, it is however a very remarkable production and to regard it as perhaps the best Bengali version of the Ramayan after Krttibas is not altogether unwarranted. In his next work, Sr7-Radha Midha odaya, however, the Baisnab Raghunandan found ‘ This date is given in the preface to the Bangabési edition, also in Batgabhagar Lekhak, p, 249. It could not have been, as Dinesh Chandra Sen states (History, p. 193), composed in the middle of the 18th century. কিছ্ছিন্ধা' কাণ্ড, ষ্ঠ পরিচ্ছেদ, and the last chapter on Sjatasrawa অশোকবন frais ( Baa Fie ) |
 * Especially in Uttarkanda.
 * See especially the poetic description in তারণাকাণ্ড, ষষ্ঠ পরিচ্ছেদ ;