1v frvesliness. And last, but not least. the great historic value which it. posurvsses-411 combine to invest Tamil Poetry with 8 pe(^uliar charm and splendour" that can hardly Iye Rurpassed by the ]>Ottrry of any great language in the world. This alone accords to Tamil cuite a unique position in the midst of all Cultivated 11411 guages in the civilised world. But Sad to relate the clawsical poems prescribed 144 text box)ks for the B.A. 811d F.A. ENA miniations in the University of Madras. Seem to have tubtivat' tell little the attention11 01 | students. And a study of them 11:4k been1 even regardled a 1useless and weal"isOne ly some easy-going students whose imagination has bee1] led to revel in stories R1d religious fre1]zy 81ud 1 ho has thereby lost all seriousnless And &pg>Yerciation of 11atural bea 11ty. '1}is has been due partly to the test'llings of Munis/hees and thie thulky 1'olumes of notes the ' ]>ublishi whicl: minly consist in1 giving word for' wortl meanings 411d turgid anti trivial grannymatical 110te which are insig: itica11t for a critical studly 2111 }); "tly to Some ]prescrilirul Tamil texts in prose 411d poetry which mainly consist of silly a11d crude religious myths translatest from Sanscrit 1'Ira]BA Arnol which !)y 110 meanis Jeypresent the true nature of original classic ])0etry in Tamil. I do not me11. here, to deny the fact that one or two classical poems Are Occasionally unid u1COINS'iously prescivilped as text-liooks by the scrupulous men of the Tamil Board, but I Only intend tu) Stay that even these brillia11t gems are Swallowed up in the ravenous maw of the filthy pooms fathcoming as texts side by side with them. 'I'lie Apiurkling glitter of the former becomes burieti deep ill thie in ten1 Be darkness of the latter. And hence the study of 'Tamil Poetry 8p|tars as though it were - Burrounded by an impenetrable gloom. In spite of all this I liave had an earnest desire to make an attempt in (directing thie tெtention of students to a sound critical study of some classes! Poems and see what kind of effect is produced on1 them when they are put in the light of modern critical
