comparisons are as "two drops of tears resembling jem, fell down from the eyes,"," "stood like a piller" etc.
The writer while giving the descriptions often addressed the reader as "you", e.g., "Reader ! are you sad at the sadness of Sarala and are you thinking about Kaminikanta ? Then to-day go to Simla for once".
Letters are another thing to be noticed. The language of the letters are easy, simple, and thought expressive. One letter is given as an example, This letter is written by Kaminikanta's father to his son's father-in-law.
"Dear Sir,
I would not have been so sorry to send news if your son-in- law Kaminikanta had finished his play of human life. Kaminikanta is not dead but for us and for your daughter he is dead. Yesterday he had gone to the missionaries to be christened. We did not even dream that this was in the mind of Kaminikanta. Hearing this, I straightway went there, much I instructed, much was said even I censured him but his mind did not turn back. What is to be done ? Grief was in the fate and it had befallen. What is the use to be sad at this any more? If it be possible, please go once and try to bring him back. No more can I write, all at home are weeping day and night and the distress can be endured no longer.
Yours well wisher,
Sri Ram Chandra Chattupadhya."
The novel has gained the quality of a drama for the use of much dic- tions of dialogues to express the thoughts of the characters. As the dialogues help on one hand to express the characters, similarly these play the major part in creating humour in the minds of the reader. Whatever might be the subject matter of Kaminikanta, at least pleasure can be had by reading the dialogues.
There is no name of the author in Kaminikanta. The main purpose of writing this book is to preach Christianity and though the elements of this novel are debaring from, yet from the historical point of view it has suffi- cient value.
Since it is the first novel in Assamese language given by the Christian Missionaries, there is no denying the fact that the Assamese people are
indebted to them. *
- Translated from Assamese by Anil R. Momin, 2nd. Year I. A.
