Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/14

6 have been successful in conveying, even in a small degree, the great beauty of this department of our literature.

With regard to the short chapter on pre-Mahomedan literature, which is chiefly Buddhistic, I regret to say that I was not allowed access to the materials collected by Mahāmahopādhyāya Haraprasad Shāstri in Nepal. The chief interest of this period is, however, linguistic and philological. When Mahāmahopādhyāya Shāstri publishes an account of his researches in that field, the world will, I feel sure, learn many things that are not found in this book.

It is stated on page 89 that Nula Panchānana, the great authority on genealogical questions, lived a hundred and fifty years ago. This is not correct. I have lately discovered that he must have lived about three hundred years ago, since in his family the present is the tenth genaration in descent from him.

On page 950 again, I have referred to the gentleman known as Hindu Stuart. The following additional particulars, taken from a book entitled "The story of the Lal Bazar Baptist Church" by Edward J. Wenger (p. 508) may be of interest in connection with his tomb in the South Park Street cemetery.—"This tomb is that of Major General Charles Stuart, who died on the 31st March 1828, aged 70 years. He is generally known as Hindu Stuart, because it is traditionally stated, that he became a Hindu and had his residence in Wood Street, Calcutta, full of idols. It is stated that Government refused to allow him to be cremated as a Hindu because of his position as a general officer of the British army, so gave him a burial in this cemetery, but allowed his tomb to be constructed in the shape of a Hindu temple with emblems of idolatry all about its exterior. In itself it is a very curious-looking structure …… Our interest in it lies more in the fact that he was one of the bitterest opponents of the missionaries in his day."