CRITICAL NOTICE.
The present edition of the Malavikagnimitra is based upon a collation of seven MSS., six of which are written in the Devanagari and the remaining one in the Telagu character. They are as follows:-
(1) A MS. in the office of the Secretary to the Dakshinâ Prize Committee and originally belonging to Mr.Ganesh Shâstrî Lele. It is altogether a recent MS., not being older than six years. It contains thirty-four and a half oblong leaves, of thick blue paper, and is written in a bold and legible hand. Its colophon is इति कालिदासविरचितमालविकाग्निमित्रनाम नाटकं समाप्तम् । श्रीर्भूयाल्लेखकपाठकयोः ।। ६ ॥ शके १७८५ रुधिरोद्रारीनामसंवत्सरे भाद्रपदशुक्ल १२ द्वादश्यां गुरुवासरे लेखनं परिपूर्णमस्तु ॥ शुभं भवतु ॥ यादृशं पुस्तकं दृष्ट्वा तादृशं लिखितं मया । यदि शुद्धमशुद्धं वा मम दोषो न विद्यते ॥ १ ॥ जलाद्रक्षेत्स्थलाद्रक्षेद्रक्षेत्शिथिलबन्धनात् । मूर्खहस्ते न दातव्यं एवं वदति पुस्तकं ।। २ । भग्नपृष्ठिकटिग्रीवा स्तब्धदृष्टिरधोमुखम् ॥ कष्टेन लिखितं ग्रन्थं यत्नेन परिपालयेत् ॥ ३ ॥ I have called this MS. A.
(2) Another MS. belonging to Mr. Govind Shâstri Nirantara of Nassick, a very correct and reliable one. It ends with the couplet: सप्तसप्ताश्वसु-[कु?]- मिते राक्षसाह्वयवत्सरे । निरंतरोपाभिधेन गोविन्देन व्यलेखि यत् । and thus bearing the date Śâl. 1777, i.e. A.C. 1855. Besides having been copied, it seems, from a
