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 VII.] ‘BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 877 20. Memoir of Pitamvar Singh by the Rey. W. Ward. “On the 31st of May, 1818, the first newspaper ever printed in any oriental language, was issued from the Cri Ramapore Press; it was called the Samachara Darpana or the ‘Mirror of News.’ It was started jointly by Dr. Marshman and Dr. Ward. In February, 1818, Dr. Marshman_ published the Dikdargana, a monthly journal, in which amongst other subjects, there was given an account of the life of Raja Krishna Chandra of Nadia. The Satya Pradipa by Mr. Townsend,—started in 1850, was a most useful paper ; it gave a precis of news, correspondence, wood-cuts with descrip- tions of objects in art and nature. The above list shows that European writers, chiefly missionaries, were the pioneers in all depart- ments of vernacular-writing which grew into favour with the awakening of Hindu intelligence under British rule. Every subject, from the principles of Arithmetic, Botany, Astronomy, Anatomy, Chemis- try down to Law, is comprised in this list. The extraordinary energy displayed by foreign writers in mastering the idioms and technicalities of our language, and dealing with such widely divergent subjects, is a sure proof of the earnestness of their philanthropic mission. The writer of the present treatise can hardly refrain from giving expression to his gratitude, while reviewing these works, for the impetus given by them to the native mind in acquiring the knowledge so essential for the needs of modern civilisation. They laid the foundations upon which the vast fabric of our present-day- News== papers and Magazines, The impetus given by European writers.