A History of Sanskrit Literature: Classical Period, Vol. I c5.34

c5.34

Kalidasa's works are not only singularly devoid of all direct personal reference, but they hardly show his poetic genious growing and settling itself in a gradual grasp of power. Very few poets have shown a greater lack of ordered development. Each of his works, including his dramas, has its distinctive characteristics in matter and manner, it is hardly a question of younger or older, better or worse, but of difference of character and quality, of conception and execution. All efforts,² therefore, to arrive at a relative chronology of his writings have not proved very successful, and it is not necessary to indulge in pure guess-work and express a dogmatic opinion.