२२० भारतीय साम्राज्य. [ भाग आनंदभरांत टाळ्या पिटल्या, व सकौतुकाश्चर्य माना डोलविल्या. मग अशा रसिकजनांनींही कालिदासचम- कृति स्वयमेव संस्कृतांतच अवलोकन केली असती तर त्यांच्या आनंदास काय पारावार होता ? आमच्या कविवरासंबंधी पाश्चात्यांचे अभिप्राय लक्षांत ठेवण्या- सारखे आहेत, सबब ते या खाली थोडक्यांत देतोंः- "K&lidása the celebrated author of the Sakunta- la, is a masterly describer of the influence which Nature exercises upon the minds of lovers. Tender- ness in the expression of feeling, and richness of creative fancy have assigned to him his lofty place among the poets of all nations." ( Alexander von Humboldt.) "No composition of Kàlidasä displays more the richness of his poetical genius, the exuberance of his imagination, the warmth and play of his fancy, his profound knowledge of the human heart, his delicate appreciation of its most refined and tender emotions, his familiarity with the workings and counter-workings of its conflicting feelings,- in short, more entitles him to rank as the shak- speare of India," (M. Williams.) शकुंतला नाटकाविषयी एक प्रसिद्धसुभाषित लो- कांच्या तोंडी आहे, त्यावरून तत्संबंधी लोकप्रियता सहजीं ध्यानांत येण्यासारखी आहे.
