126. পরের মাথায় নারিকেল ভাঙ্গা ৷ Breaking the cocoanut on another's head. When one aims at his own advantage, through another's detriment. A cucumber 12 cubits long, with seeds of 13 cubits. Applied to a great fuss and stir of preparation for a trifling matter or insignificant object, or to lofty pretences and expenditure beyond one's means. 155. দেব গড়িতে বানর হইল । In making a god an ape turned up. When something adverse has arisen where advantage was expected. 195. কামারের দোকানে ছুঁচ বেচা । Selling needles at the ironmonger's! 196. বোর দোকানে মেকী চালান । Passing plugged money at the money-changer's! Both proverbs insinuating that it is not easy to over-reach the cunning, the cautious, or the wary. 215. হাতের ঢেলা ছাড়িলে পাওয়া যায় না ৷ No getting back the clod once cast from the hand! Intimating the difficulty of remedying what has been said or done precipitately and without reflection. 311. ও হরিঘোষের গোয়াইল । 'Tis Harighosh's cow-fold. (An ancient rich man who, at his own cost, found keep in his pen for the cows of all comers.) Said of a place frequented by men of all sorts, good and bad. Worms breed even in sweet mangoes. So there are defects and imperfections in persons and things good in themselves and excellent on the whole. 380. বিশ্বকর্ম্মার বেটা বাইশ কৰ্ম্মা । Vishwakarma's son is Baishkarmá. বিশ্বকৰ্ম্ম। pronouncing it as if f (Vishwakarma, the architect of the gods, lit. the maker of all.) This is a pun on his name maker of twenty. It may be rendered thus in English-Twenty-man's son is twenty-one. Applied to a son who is cleverer than his father. 421. জন্ম হউক যথা তথা কৰ্ম্ম হউক ভাল ! Be one's birth as it may, let one's deeds be just. Intimating, that high and low birth are alike of little importance, provided in every case a man's character be upright and his conduct praiseworthy. 462. নায় কড়ি দিয়া ডুবে পার । Throwing your fare into the boat, and getting over by swimming.— (The boat having sunk.) Applied, where there has been a large expenditure, but an unfavourable result. 481. দারিদ্র দোষে গুণরাশি নাশে । A host of virtues are spoiled by the vice of poverty ! Intimating that a person of many excellent qualities and of good understanding and knowledge, if he be poor withal, is too often unregarded and unknown. 559. কেউ ভেনে কুটে মরে, কেউ ফুঁদিয়া গাল ভরে । One man kills himself with pounding and beating the grain—another blows on the smoking rice and fills his cheek with it! Said, when one man having effected an object, another preposterously aims without toil to reap the fruit of it. 616. কড়ি ফট্কা চিড়া দই, বন্ধু নাই কড়ি বই ৷ Money will bring you rice and curds; therefore no friend like money. Intimating that money is the universal efficient, while without it nothing succeeds. 621. শরীর বুঝিয়া শাল দেওয়া। View the criminal's size, and choose the stake for him! A recommendation used when either one highly culpable has, through the partiality of friendship, been lightly punished, or a venial offender heavily mulcted; or lastly, when a rich person has been severely treated to extort from him a portion of his wealth. 670. ডোল ভরা আশা কুলা পোরা ছাই । A basket full of hope producing a shovel full of ashes! An exclamation employed when large expectations have been utterly disappointed. 702. লে°টে ইন্দুর পাহার কাটে । The little mouse bores through the mountain! Employed in extolling the efficiency of an ordinary person conducting successfully an important business. 756. ইনি শাঁকারির করাত । He resembles a shell-cutter's saw, Said of one who contrives, by cleverness and cunning, to suck his own advantage out of both parties in an affair, while pretending to give counsel and aid to each-as from plaintiff and defendant, or in either event of a suit, &c. 781. ধীর পানী পাথর ছেদে ৷ Dripping water will eat through a rock ! Intending, that deliberate and patient perseverance will overcome all difficulties and effect all objects. The Sanscrit proverbs are by no means all which the language can supply. A more complete collection we have already noticed in our first volume*. Those translated by Mr. Morton are merely, as he states, "a few frequently heard from the mouths of the better informed, or met with in the higher (Bengali) publications." As far as they go, however, they will be very useful, and we are happy they are inserted in the volume. The following are specimens of the selection: 807. গণ্ডুষ জল মাত্রেণ সফরী ফরফরায়তে । The minute Saphari fish makes a pother in a handful of water! Said of a low person unduly elated with a small advancement, and so assuming a ridiculous importance. 817. ষাড়শী ভাবনা য্য সিদ্ধি ভবতি তাড়শী। As the forethought or apprehension, so is the result. Intimating, that people successfully accomplish only what they plan with prudence and pursue with zeal; and that success often depends upon our own hope of obtaining it. 822. পতিতঃ পৰ্বতো লঘুঃ । A fallen mountain is lightly regarded. Meaning that, when a person once prosperous declines in circumstances, he ceases to be respected; also that what in apprehension seemed difficult or alarming becomes easy by use or supportable by endurance. 843. একেন চক্রেণ নরথ্য গতির্ভবেৎ । A chariot moves not on a single wheel! A censure on those who would excuse their own indolence under the notion of an irresistible fate; and intending that Providence and human exertion are always co-operative. 855. শনৈঃ ২ ক্ষিপেৎ পাদ° শনৈঃ পৰ্বত লঙ্ঘন। Proceed onwards leisurely, even a mountain may be crossed by degrees! Is the serpent not fearful when decked with jewels? Insinuating the danger of associating with the vicious, though adorned with learning and science. We close the volume, cordially thanking the intelligent author for the important assistance which he has afforded us, and recommending all our readers who wish a complete acquaintance with the Bengáli language, or with the Hindu character, to avail themselves without delay of his valuable labours. * Calcutta Christian Observer for July, 1832, p. 77. BETA. Poetry. THE BREAKING-UP OF THE FEAST. Sin and concupiscence marry together, and riot and feast it high.-And if you will nurse their children, and give them whatsoever is dear to you, then you may be admitted into the house of feasting and chambers of riot, where sin dwells: but if you will have the mother, you must have the daughters; and there is none of you all, that ever entered into this house of pleasure, but he left the skirts of his garments in the hands of shame, and had his name rolled on the chambers of death. Spirit, that livest within! The walls of thy house are shaking; The revel thou holdest with sin In discord wild is breaking. For the lusts of the flesh and the eye Have risen in anger high, And the Will holds fiery strife With the pomp and pride of life: They had sworn to be thy slaves for aye, They leave thy dwelling in high disdain, Have stripp'd the gaudy colours away, That cover'd its walls of clay. And hark! to the guests of thy heart How they curse thee ere they depart! Jeremy Taylor. Spirit, ho Spirit, be bold! There's a fearful one at thy gate; Darkness, and Silence, and Cold, And Horror around him wait. Spirit, away! away! No time, at the coming of Death, For question, or delay; He is doing his will on the flitting breath, And the perishing walls of clay. They are old, and batter'd, and cover'd with rust, And hark! they are toppling in, There's a heavy rushing of dust to dust. Spirit, that livest within! Hast heard of the sting of sin ? It has broken thy bonds of clay; Away, free Spirit, away, If thou mayest Who are those that wait thee without, Poor fallen soul ! dost thou know? They came to thee, Virtue, and Faith, and Prayer; But thou would'st not let them nigh. They came to thee, Lust, and Sin, and Care; Thou hast feasted them well and high! And the grateful hirelings bring A sceptre and robe for their king. Ho, don thy kingly gear! Alas! the robe is remorse and despair, A maddening shriek, a deepen'd gloom,— MISSIONARY SONNETS. SONNET III. Up to the Gospel-mount, my soul ! and look A thread of silvery light, now lost, now found,- 1 Thess. vi. 13, 14. M. M. |