Dutt, Romesh Chunder: The literature of Bengal: being an attempt to trace the progress of the national mind in its various aspects, as reflected in the nation’s literature from the earliest times to the present day ; with copious extracts from the best writers (Calcutta, 1877)

INTRODUCTION, j

the position occupied by women in society, the| feelings
of kings towards the people, and of the peopl^ towards
their kings, the relation between rival princes arid chiefs,
- the occupations, thoughts and condition of the people,
their sources of wealth, their apprehensions and dangers,
the syste#nipof the warfare of that age, the weapons used
for ^offence and defence, the religion, politics and society
of the period1. To the Historian of India, the book would
at ouce show how fkv the Aryan nation had progressed in
civilizatioa, how far military science had improved since
Jhe'time of the simple warriors on the banks of the Indus
of the Vedic period* how far the country had been en-
riched, how far luxury had crept into society with the
increase of wealth. '

In the same way, the poems of KMidasa show us in
i what respects the country had progressed or retrograded
since the age of the Mahabharata. About the time of
Kalidasa the civilization of India had reached its utmost
height, and was beginning to wane. The kings of Kalidas's
period were more luxurious and given to pleasure, and less
warlike £han those of the time of the Mahabharata.
Luxury and indolence had crept into society and had
already told detrimentally on the energies of the nation.
Refinement in everything had reached its extreme
height, and pervaded the court and the camp, the king
and the people.

Nor are these the only data on which to base a His-
tory of Iudia. We have besides a succinct account o?
the religious revolutions that took place in India. Every^
revolution was an awakening of the national mind, o We.