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Nithinul, Siddhanta Sangraham, Penmathimalal Pen- kalvi and Penmanum. Readers may be inclined to question his claim to be the first Tamil Novelist, but so far as we know, the claim is perfectly just. It is true that the immortal Beschi wrote the "Adventures of Guru Paramartan," a book made familiar to Englishmen by the pencil of Alfred Crowquill, and we have also seen anothor little book published some twenty years ago in verse which the author designates a Tamil Novel. But the term will be far more justly applied to the work before us than to either of these. The only other work of fiction which deserves mention is the transla. tion of "Undine" which originally appeared in the pages of the 'Dinavaitamani." But this is a European tale. The present Novel Prathaba Mudaliar, was published seven years ago, and is now out of print. (It is a volume of three hundred and thirty pages, admirably written, and full of purity of sentiment and sound wisdom.) It is an excellent book to place in the hands of our Tamil Young men is calculated to stir their thought on many subjects, and reveal to them the weaknesses of our time. The writer is not afraid to speak aloud his views on important questions both social and political, and as they are the views of one possessing much intelligence, considerable experience as a Government official, added to an intimate knowledge of native social life, they are entitled to a respectful hearing. The story into which all these are woven is full of interest and thoroughly Hindu. We follow Prathaba Mudaliar through childhood and youth on to his marriage and chequered events of later years, and he is by no means the solitary object of interest to be found in the story; his wife Gnanambal, Kanaka Sabei and others, make up a series of excellent characters, which cannot fail to delight the reader. We were especially pleased
