Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/1020

 974. BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [Chap. selections from some of our old poems. The purely grammatical element is not very prominent among the various subjects comprised 11) the book. The Bengali writers who wrote grammar before Raja Rama Mohana_ Roy had in their heads the rules of Sanskrit grammar, and thonght that the Bengali language as a matter of course was bound to conform to them. But Raja Rama Mohana Roy discarded Sanskrit grammar in so far as its rules could not be philologically applied to Bengali. We refer our readers to pages 727 and 738 of his Bengali works. He observed the genius of our language, and in what respects it differed from Sanskrit ; he formulated principles based on the natural laws which govern Bengali, and treated the subject scientifically. He also indicated the broad lines on which a comprehensive Bengali grammar might be compiled. Unfortunately, however, no other writer on the subject after Raja Rama Mohana Roy was possessed of his great insight to continue the work that he had commenced; and the 3engali grammar has since fallen hopelessly into the hands of Sanskrit-knowing pandits. These with their erudite enunciation of rules about Sanskrit compound-words and its prosody have dominated the situation. Following too closely the steps of Mugdhavodha they are applauded by critics who belong to the same school. The Gaudiya Bhasar Vyakaraha by the Raja is a highly original publication and contains many im- portant rules. On page 724 he deals with the pro- nunciation of words. He says that in Bengali the difference of pronunciation between 4, 4, 4, is not observed; but there are certain exceptions