his first love the princess Kanakarekha, a corpse, as he thought before him; he could scarcely believe that it was not a dream, and although he could not but be conscious of his possessing his waking faculties, yet as he was satisfied of the impossibility of the princess having been conveyed to the place where he was, he concluded it was some magic device, intended for his perplexity and destruction: he therefore hastily quitted the chamber to explore the others, in each of which he found a similar spectacle, and the apparently lifeless tody of a lovely damsel lay extended on a splendid couch. Quitting the last apartment, he looked more deliberately round him, and beheld on a lower level a spacious reservoir of water: descending to this he observed grazing on the borders a handsome horse ready saddled the animal allowed him to approach, and appeared so perfectly gentle that Saktideva proceeded to mount. On this, however, the horse started away, and at the same time throwing out his hinder leg, kicked Saktideva with such violence, that he fell backward into the reservoir: the violence of his fall plunged him considerably below the surface; and upon his rising again above the water, what was his surprise to find himself in the midst of a well known pond in his native city Verddhamana."

It was with much difficulty, that Saktideva on making his way out of the water, could believe the evidence of his senses, and when he could no longer doubt, he repaired to his home, sorrowfully pondering on the marvellous event that had befallen him. His father who had long considered him as lost, welcomed his return with rapture, and called his kinsmen to a festival, to celebrate his son's recovery. On the day following, the first thing that saluted Saktideva's ears, was the old proclamation, that whoever had seen the Golden city, should be

*There is more humour, though less poetry in this version of the adventure with the horse, than in the story of the second Calendar, in the Arabian Nights, the conception is however, clearly the same in both, as is that of the forbidden chambers,

rewarded with the Princess. Consoling himself with the idea, that if he had lost Chandraprabhà he had made sure of the Princess, he hastened to the palace, and announced that he was come to claim her hand. The king referred him to her as before. She recognised him, and said he was again come with some tale of his own invention, and should be punished as an impostor. Whether I am an impostor or not replied Saktideva, I hope, Princess, you will satisfy my curiosity. I have just seen you in the Golden city, lifeless on a couch. I find you living here. How can this be. He speaks the truth exclaimed the Princess-he has visited the Golden city, and fate reserves him for still greater wonders. For me, I resume my own body and my own abode: a curse denounced upon me, by a holy Sage, made me, Gracious king, thy daughter, but in me behold a female of celestial origin, and not of mortal mould. The knowledge of my former state, accompa nied my present being, and hence my reluctance to wed with one of human kind. Hence also the condition to which my hand was attached, for the discovery of the Golden city by a man, was the period assigned by the Sage to my humiliation. It is now terminated and I return to my former rank." So saying she vanished. The sorrow of the king was excessive for her loss, nor was Saktideva less affected by this, his second disappointment-collecting his fortitude, however, he determined to follow the Princess, and endeavour to find his way to the Golden city once more.

With much fatigue, but little danger, Saktideva effected his return to the Island of Utsthula, the Princely chief of which had lost his life in endeavouring to promote his success: as the whole of the crew perished the Islanders had never learned his fate, and upon Saktideva's re-appearance amongst them, without his companion, the sons of the chief accused him of having murdered their father. Had the latter been engulphed as Saktideva asserted, how happened it, they urged, that he who was in the same vessel, could have escap.

ed-they therefore commanded him to be secured, and confined in a temple of Chandi, to whom they determined to sacrifice him a victim, on the following morn ing.

Having left him, thus secured, he addressed him self to the Goddess, and entreated her protection,and his prayers were not in vain. The Goddess appeared in his dreams, and told him not to fear, and cheered by her assurances he rose in the morning with all his apprehensions removed. At day break, the sister of his persecutors came to the temple to offer her devotion, and was instantly struck by the personal graces of the prisoner. She enquired his story, and being satisfied of his innocence, promised, if he would become her husband, she would intercede with her brothers in his behalf. Saktideva was nothing loth and Vindumati accordingly prevailed on the brethren, influenced also by the power of Chandi to give trust to their prisoner's protestations of his innocence, and assent not only to his release, but to his marriage with their sister.

Some time after their nuptials Vindumati having excited his curiosity with respect to her origin, consented only to gratifiy it upon his taking a vow to do what she should desire him to this with some hesitation he agreed, and she then told him that she was a native of the skies, a Vidyadhari, condemned to assume a mortal form for touching her face with the dry tendon of a cow-while thus engaged in conversation, her brothers entered in violent apprehension, and called upon Saktideva to arm, and go forth, for a wild boar was laying waste the lands, and had destroyed a number of persons. Saktideva immediately mounted his horse, and went in pursuit of the animal whom he attacked, and wounded; the Boar fled, and plunged into a cave into which Saktideva followed him. He had gone but a few yards, when the whole scene was changed, and he found himself in a garden adjoining to a palace in the presence of a damsel of exceeding loveliness: as soon as he recovered a little from his surprise, he addressed the dam

sel, and enquired who she was; She replied that she was a princess, daughter of a King of the south, termed Chandavikrama, that her name was Vindulekha, and she had been carried off from her father's house by a Daitya, the owner of the garden, and who being accustomed to ravage the country in the form of a boar, had that day received a mortal wound from the hand of some gallant chief. The princess having communicated her story to Saktideva put similar questions to him, and on his complying with her request, she claimed him as her fated husband, and returned with him to his dwelling, where they were married.

Vindumati became pregnant, and when the eighth month had arrived, the first wife of Saktideva reminded him of his vow: her demand was that he should put Vindulekha to death, and strangle the babe with his own hands. Saktideva stood aghast at this horrible proposal, but his wife insisted on the fulfillment of his vow, nay she appealed to the Princess, who to the surprise of her husband, was equally urgent with him to accomplish the barbarous act. These importunities and the weight of his obligation at last prevailed, and he perpetrated the act: in the same instant, the Princess vanished, and instead of an unborn babe, Saktideva held a Scymitar of more than earthly splendour in his grasp. He turned to Vindumati, and she explained the mystery. We are all of the Vidyadhara race, four sisters, the daughters of their ancient King, condemned to mortal shapes for the offences of our former being; our deliverance was only to be effected by the achievements you have performed: one sister you saw at the Golden city, another was the Princess of Verddhamana, I am the third, and the fourth has just disappeared. Come; let us to the Golden city: the sword you hold commands a free passage through the air, and you are yourself changed to the condition of a Vidyadhara. So saying she also vanished. Saktideva followed them and arriving at the Golden city, found the four Vidyadharis assembled awaiting his arrival; they

then repaired together to the old king, who welcomed Saktideva as his son-in-law, and consigned to him the sovereignty over the Golden city, changing his name from Saktideva to Saktivega.

Your Majesty is now made acquainted with my story, continued the king of the Vidyadharas, for I was the Brahman in my former existence, and was elevated to the rank I hold by the favour of Sankara. At the time I succeeded to this dignity my father-in-law announced to me that I must be prepared to resign it, upon the birth of the Son of Vatsa, who in due season should obtain the sovereignty over the spirits of air. Our master is now born, and I was anxious to be the the first to offer my homage; I have been highly honour. ed by permission to behold him, and I now take my departure.

So saying Saktivega bowed to the young Prince, to Vatsa, and the queens, and vanished from their sight.

(Continued from No. V. page 152.)

LETTER VI.

AGRA, THE 20TH SRABUN.

From Ram Chunder to Krishen Churn Gooroo.

In my last letter I ventured to suggest as a means of intellectual improvement among my countrymen, that some of the periodical papers which are published among them should either assume the character and style of European works of the same sort, or should be entire transcripts of them. I was the more led to this conclusion by observing that this very presence is recognised among themselves, for the English papers are now very commonly subscribed to and read by learned natives, who have a knowledge of English, while the native papers have still a very limited circulation. This I have been told by a friend is partly owing to the high prices of the latter; but the fact is that the taste for reading newspapers is not yet very general among the natives, although it is highly desirable it should become so. A periodical paper in one of the native languages, filled with useful and interesting articles of information would introduce itself to the notice of many individuals, who either through jealousy or want of industry would not undertake the perusel of a larger work.

But my love for English literature is not confined to this alone, but would make me wish to see it make a principal part in the education of all classes of inhabitants in this country. This however is by no means the universal opinion. I remember to have heard a debate between two