Page:History of Bengali Literature in the Nineteenth Century.djvu/134

 110 BENGALI LITERATURE artist referred to above as Wilkins’ assistant was Panchanan,' of whom we have already spoken. Pancha- nan’s apprentice Manohar continued to make elegant founts of type in all the Eastern languages for sale as well as for the Mission, where he was “employed for 40 years and to his exertion and instruction Bengal is indebted for the various beautiful types of Bengali, Nagri, Persian, Arabie, and other characters which have been gradually introduced into the different printing establishments.”’? Much misconception seems to exist as to the exact nature of the services done by Carey হানি to Bengali literature by translating in Bengali literature. the Bible into that language. No doubt, here was the realisation of one of the highest ambitions of Carey as a missionary and in the history of Church Missions, it occupies a very high and well-deserved position. Carey has been called by enthusiastic admirers the Wyclif and the Tyndal, while Dr. Yates the Coverdale of the Bengali Bible.? Whatever may be the value of such comparisons, from the standpoint of Bengali literature it is, however, to say the least, ill-informed and misleading. The position which Wyclif’s, Tyndal’s and Coverdale’s versions respectively occupy in the history as well as the literature of England was translated through the efforts of the Sriram pur Mission into 40 different languages and dialects. See also Periodical Accounts rela- tive tothe Baptist Mss. Soc. vol i, pp. 292, 368, 417, 527: vol ii pp. 62, 132. Sce remarks on these oriental translations in William Brown, History of Missions, vol, ii. p. 71. 1 Panchdnan lived for only 38 or 4 years after this. Bengal Obituary p- 338. © Marshman, Hist. of Serampur Mission vol. i. p. 179. 3 Sthith op. cit. p. 186. But see Brown Hist. of Missions, vol. ii, p. 71 where Carey’s version isimpartially estimated to be now “given up as of no great value.” See Oal.. Rev. x. p. 134; Cal. Christ. Obsery. vol, xvii. p. 557.