Page:History of Bengali Literature in the Nineteenth Century.djvu/185

 PUNDITS AND MUNSIS 161 Although the influence of the Raja was so great on him, Ram Basu was at the same time a great friend of the Missionaries, consorted for many years with Thomas, and was for some time Carey’s Munsi. From whatever source the impetus might have come, Ram Basu wrote two important original works in Bengali under the patronage of the Fort William College— 1. Raja Pratapaditya Charitra,* 1801, July ; 2. Lipimala, 1802. Pratapaditya Charitra® is said to be “the first prose work and the first historical one His works. Prat@paditya Cha- ritra 1801. that appeared” (Long’s Catalogue). Its claim to be ০01091061০1 as having “wielded the power of sarcasm inherent in the language with singular effect." He was almost on the verge of avowing Christianity (See Culross, op. cit. pp. 61-62) but was possibly deterred by Ram-mohan. Ram Rim Basu is said to have written also a book called 43 চরিত্র 1) 1801 or the Immortal History of Christ in Verse 12 mo. 25 pp. Murdoch, Catalogue, however, dates it at about 1810. ‘ This work like Krsnachandra Rayer Charitra was written at the inducement of Dr. Carey. Ram Ram Basu helped Carey in his translation of the Bible (see footnote to p. 1183. See also Calcutta Review, vol. x. p. 134.) Ram Basu wrote, besides the works mentioned above, a Christian tract called the Gospel Messenger, which is also mentioned by Long. The description of this tract is thus given in Murdoch, Catalegue ; “Three months later (i.e. June 1800) a Tract was printed under the title of the ‘Gospel Messenger,’ which was written ‘to usher in the Bible.’ This little book contained a hundred lines in Bengali verse. The writer, Rim Rim Basu, had been convinced of the truth of Christianity through the instruction of Mr. Thomas. ‘The Gospel Messenger’ was the first thoroughly native tract printed in Bengali.” (op cit. p.4-5) See also Smith, op. cit, p. 203 ; Marshman, Hist. of Seramp, Miss. pp. 131-132. ? The title-page ৪৪১৭: রাজ! প্রতাপাদিতাচরিত্র। যিনি বাস করিলেন যশহরের ধুমঘাটে | একব্বর বাদসাহের আমলে ! রাম রাম বস্থুর as | ্রীরামপুয়ে 21