Page:History of Bengali Language and Literature.djvu/927

 VII. ] BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. 883 even after Chatterton’s Death of Charles Bodwin. Poor Chandi Das, poor Vidyapati and Kavi Kaa- kana! the tears of your departed spirit fell on the big towns of Bengal which lay under the charm of European influence,—mixed with nocturnal dews and unheeded by Young Bengal, who despised their own country from the bottom of their hearts and yet posed as representatives of the people in public meetings ! The College of Fort William. The College of Fort William established by Lord Wellesley in 1800 was an institution, which having directly in view the imparting of knowledge of different languages and other subjects to the European candidates for the Civil Service, proved to be a bond of sympathy and good will between the rulers and the ruled. The test of proficiency was high and severe. It was laid down that ‘ Before any Civilian could obtain a degree, he was required to demonstrate his knowledge of the native lan- guages by holding in regard to the service in Ben- gal, four disputations in the Persian or Bengali lan- guage before all Calcutta in an august assembly comprised of the natives of rank and learning, A know- ledge of Rajas, Foreign Ministers, Pundits and Munsies.”” the verna- It was further ordained that “no promotion was to cular es- sential for be given in the public service throughout India in the Rulers. any branch of the service held by Civilians except through the channel of the College.” This College was a place where the European candidates ‘for the Civil Service, European _profes- sors and some of the best Indian intellects met on