INTRoDUCTION.
& have been asked by the author of this interesting Tamil Drama to write an introduction, and I do so" with pleasure, because, at the present time, there is a dearth of really good books, which combine in them all that is good in the literature of the West as well as of the East. I remember a most interesting incident, connected with the visit of a European gentleman to the late Rajah Sir T. Madhava Rao, when the latter, on taking leave of his European guest, at his garden gate, pointed out to him with pleasure a tree which was covered over with a creeper in full blossoms. “There,” said the Rajah Sir T. Madhava Rao, “is a good illustration of the present union of the East with the West. The solid free standing there represents English suzerainty, while the creeper entwined around, it with rich blossoms is India enriching and beautifying England.” So it appears to me that a Tamil literature, which combines in it all that is best and purest in the literature of the West and in the ancient liberature of the East will, in the words of the poet, be “A thing of beauty and a joy for ever." And who is it that should produce such a literature ? It is of course the best products of our University, our graduates, who should undertake this work. And though at the beginning, we could not hope to have anything in the way of perfection, still every true lover of India should be proud and feel sincere pleasure when a graduate of the University takes upon himself .. the task of producing a work of this kind. I feel very strongly that the graduates of our University, as soon as they settle themselves in life, do not continue their studies, much less cultivate the literature of their own country, and devote their time in reading our ancient classics, which are a rich storehouse of information regarding the manners, the customs, the feelings and the modes of thinking of our Indian forefathers. I have no doubt that many graduates have a greater desire to, distinguish themselves in the field of English literaiere, by.
producing books in that language, because it brings them greater
