trouble, for these never occur. But the art of tormenting is carried to its highest pitch in teaching prosody; for they would gladly keep us at work for two years in learning as much as an English tutor would teach in a fortnight. We ask for grain: they give it us on the condition that we will, with it, submit to eat the straw. Their memory is well exercised, their judgment is fettered; and they counsel us to learn, as they do, long vocabularies by rote, whereas by reading the poets we can easily acquire an ample stock of all the words that are in use. Such unwise counsels have disheartened many a student; while others, more submissive, have stored their memories with all the tutor prescribed, and yet remained unable to use the language.
Telugu has been called the Italian of India. In the poems, and as spoken in retired villages, it may merit this name; but, like Italian, it has some rough and rude dialects, more or less mixed with foreign languages. In another point there is a resemblance. Learned men of Rome or Naples, who know English, prefer writing in English, because, according to the refined Della Crusca rules, they cannot write Indian faultlessly. In like manner the learned Telugus of our days find a difficulty in writing correct ordinary prose, because, however well it may be composed, critics cavil at many expressions or modes of spelling. After some study, I found it best to neglect their refinements, but to imitate their example closely in speaking and writing. The models 1 have given in the Reader of a simple natural style will enable the learner to judge for himself.
Many years have passed since the first edition of this Grammar was printed. In that period I have re-composed nearly every page; particularly attending to the remarks made by students
Let not the beginner be alarmed at the size of this Grammar. There is very little to be learnt by heart. The grammar terminates with the tenth book,* page 291. He should read it so as to be able to find such rules as are required whenever they are wanted, and few of these seem hard to remember.
Some have urged me to simplify the grammar, by rectifying
- The first book has been already reprinted in large octavo, with iprovements,and prefixed to the Dictionary.
