Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/1036

 990 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. converts. The death of the Raja, and a total absence in the field of any suitable personage on whom his mantle could fall, gave an opportunity for a time to the Christian Missionaries to renew their attempts at proselytising with redoubled zeal. Stray cases come to our notice which show the vigorous procedure of these gentlemen. In 1845, Umega Chandra Sarkar and his wife were converted by Dr. Duff in a manner which created a great sensation amongst the whole native population of Calcutta. In fact on the very day of their conver- sion, the Hindus raised Rs. 40,000 to found a Hindu School in order to counteract the influence of Chris- tian teaching in the schools established by the Missionaries. At this juncture another great man appeared to take up the work of the great reformer. His intel- lectual powers were not so great as those of Rama Mohana Roy, but his strength of character, faith Devendra. as নী ই Natha in religious views, power of sacrifice for the cause Tagore. of what he considered right, high-mindedness and unflinching advocacy of theism have deservedly lift- ed him to the rank of a Risi in popular estimation. Devendra Natha Tagore has, moreover, furthered the cause of Bengali literature in no inconsider- able degree. He was the son of the distinguished Dwarka Natha Tagore who was called Prince Dwar- ka Natha in England, and who enjoyed the great confidence of our revered and beloved Queen Vic- toria during his stay in that country. Devendra Natha, heir to a princely fortune, and a man of re- markably handsome features and rare accomplish- ments, in his early youth realised the truth that life was short, fortune was transitory and religion