Page:Bengal Celebrities.djvu/199

 [ IOO ] Alexander Mackenzie. But recognition of merit is not an easy affair, and Mr. Ghose may console himself with the idea that he speaks and writes for a fit audience though few. Scarcely had he practised four years at the bar when he had to yield to the pressure of Pundit Ishwara Chandra Vidyasagara and accept a Professor- ship in the Metropolitan Institution. Of>ly at the insistence of that great man and to render a service to a public institution at a critical period of its history, he took the risk of sacrificing his prospects at the bar. A further sacrifice was involved in his Municipal Commissionership which made great demands on his time and attention. He has also been for several years a Presidency Magistrate and a Fellow of the University of Calcutta. These honorary offices have been to him no sinecure. He has had to work hard in every capacity. As an honorary magistrate he enjoys the confidence of practitioners to an extent such as few others do. Added to alt this has been the work, mostly unremunerated, of advising and writing petitions for men with grievances. He has had, in addition, to prepare or revise essays, speeches, and other writings of several gentlemen, likewise to draft addresses or memorials on behalf of public bodies. Not the worst of his enemies would charge him with any the least violation of honesty as a commissioner or as a journalist or in any other capacity. He has consistently sought to be true to principles. Many years ago he wrote "Kristo Das Pal : A study" highly spoken by competent critics, and he has more recently written "The Memoirs of Maharaja Nub Kissen Bahadur." Shortly after the publication of the latter work he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was President of the Bengal Provincial Conference held at Midnapore. He has been for many years an Examiner to the University Calcutta, and he was last year selected by the Government of _ India as a Member of the Committee to draft Regulations for the University of Calcutta. Mr. Ghose is still in active life and has, it^nay be hoped, a great future before him. Every visitor is always welcome in his house, and he is always ready and cheerful in rendering service. On some points he refuses to be communicative, namely, first, the literary projects which he seems to have in mind, second, the private complimen tary letters he has received from great men with reference to his writings and opinions, and third, the religion which he has had made his own and which seems to have profoundly influenced his mind.