introduced. The verses of Vemana above mentioned, the Sumati Satacam, the Sampaga manna Satacam, the Calahasti Satacam and many others, are comprehended under this head ; and cited as specimens of the common dialect: even in the vulgar language of the rustic villager, (perhaps the most harmonious of all,) are to be found thousands of anonymous verses (chatudhara) or songs, which are preserved by oral tradition alone, many of these are very beautiful, and sonic are believed to be the offspring of the chief poets of the language.
Little apology appears necessary for calling the student's attention to this outline. If he is ambitious of attaining an intimate acquaintance with the Telugu tongue, or of extending a knowledge of European learning with all its benefits, to the natives of India, by compositions in their language, it is obvious that without studying their standard writings, he can neither possess the one nor become in any degree qualified for accomplishing the other. We might as reasonably indeed expect a foreigner to compose originally in English or to translate the productions of his own language correctly into ours, without having read any of our leading authors, as to imagiue.that an exact acquaintance with the Telugu can be attained but by patient study and a careful examination of its chief compositions.
