This page needs to be proofread.

350 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [December, 1873. evil deeds, and, like the reed, never lose their hollowness. 2. Though the frog dwells always in the beauteous and wide pool it never divests itself of its slime ; and though those who have no sound knowledge learn faultless and illus¬ trious sciences, yet they have not ability to understand them. 3. 0 good lord of the heaped- up mountain land! while it is indecorous to extol the good qualities of persons before their faces, what are those wretches’ tongues made of, who, standing in the presence of those persons, de¬ clare their faults, for the purpose of destroying their reputation ? 4. O beauteous and fair ma¬ tron ! women of high birth will not set off their beauty by ornaments as slave-girls. Courtesans who thus pride themselves on their dress will pass away (fruitlessly) or despised by all, just like the sudden swelling of a river, which soon passes off altogether. 5. Those mean persons are of the nature of the chisel, which without being struck will not even penetrate a tender leaf, though resting upon it; they will give nothing to the kind-hearted, but will give any¬ thing to those who employ force, if they meet them. 6. The mountaineer thinks of his moun¬ tains, the husbandman of his productive lands, the wise think of the special benefits they have received from others, and the fool thinks only of the abuse he has received. 7. For one good turn they have received from another the wise will endure a hundred evils afterwards inflicted. But if they have received a hundred good turns and have suffered only one evil turn, fools will consider the hundred good turns as evil. 8. The base in prosperity will not do these things which those who are of high birth will do even in adversity. Though one place rings ( of gold) upon the tusks of a hog, O thou who hast eyes like a lance! it will never become a warlike elephant. 9. Many persons fade away like the lotus-leaf (having been ob¬ liged to alter their tone of speech) after they exultingly boasted of their intention to others, ! saying, To-day we will grow rich ; yea, this very day we will grow rich ; after a time we will grow rich. 10. The serdei-plant, though growing in water and green in colour, has no moisture in it. So the world has in it persons who are as useless as the great stony rocks, though they abound in great wealth. Chapter 37.—Miscellanies. 1. 'Though it be a building on which the clouds creep, a fort exceeding strong, shining resplendent with the gems stored up in it, of what benefit is it ? The house of him who has no beloved and excellent wife is to the view a dreadful forest. 2. Though they be guarded (as it were) with naked swords, with unrelaxing vigi¬ lance, should there be the smallest possible relaxa¬ tion of that vigilance, the period will be short indeed before they begin to act ignominioosly. And long indeed will that period last during which softly speaking females will not desire to return to proper conduct. 3. The woman who bold in opposition threatens blows is as death. She who resorts not to her kitchen betimes in the morning is an incurable disease, and she who gives grudgingly the food she has prepared is a household devil. Women of these three kinds are a destroying weapon to their hus¬ bands. 4. Though he is advised to eschew marriage, he eschews it not; though the sound of the dead-drum pierces his ear he heeds it not. Moreover the wise say that the delusion which leads him to think that matrimony is indeed a pleasant state is a crime worthy to be punished by stoning. 5. The highest grade of virtue is living in persevering austerities. The middle grade of virtue is living in mar¬ riage with wives who are dear to us. The lowest grade of all is, thinking that money does not come in fast enough, covetously to follow after and abide with those persons who know us not. 6. The chiefest of the learned are those who spend their time in learning many sciences. The next in rank are those who give to the worthy the goods acquired by merit in a former birth, and thus pass their time. Tin* lowest of all are those who cannot sleep for envy, arisiug from the feeling that they have not fared luxuriously or obtained sufficient wealth. 7. As the fruitful shoot of tho red- grained rice becomes afterwards itself red rice and flourishes, O lord of the city (lndra) sur¬ rounded by fruitful fields which are covered by red rice! in the same manner the learning of the father becomes the learning of the son. 8. The wealthy and the excellent perish, while the sons of concubines and the base wax great, the lower place becoming the upper place. Thus the world subsists, the lower part becoming the upper part of an umbrella. 9. 0 good lord of the victorious mountain-land where the falling streams sweep along gems! it were better that