Page:History of Bengali Literature in the Nineteenth Century.djvu/52

 28 BENGALI LITERATURE upon a sound footing until many years elapsed. Even in 1793, the preamble to the several Regulations of that year show that there must have been much confusion, abuse of justice, delay in procedure, and uncertainty of jurisdiction in civil and criminal courts. The reforms cf Cornwallis were not only in the right direction in these respects but they also struck a note of sympathy with the poor suffering ryot. But the ruin of the zemindars, begun by Mir Kasim and hastened by the zara settlement, was finally completed by the celebrated measure of 1793, which, though it did credit to the benevolent intentions of Cornwallis proved at least for the time being disastrous to many an ancient aristocratic family of Bengal. It would Reforms of 1793. be out of place to discuss here this measure in all its bearings,’ but it must be admitted that it was not only insufficient in affording protection to the ryot against the rack-renting power of the ‘zemindar but it also became the means of wzseftling many old zemindaries. It created a class of landlords destitute for the most part of public spirit and higher euiture. The principle of the permanence of assessment, co-operating with splendid ferti- lity of the Ganges valley, afforded, no doubt, a happy prospect of peaceful multiplication of the people and spread of civilisation, yet the wealthy ancient aristocracy, which for a long time constituted the main support of society and the great patron of arts and literature; was slowly breaking down under the stringent rules which put up their large estates to public auction at the mercy of the highest bidder. The class of up-start zemindars who stepped into their 1 See on this question, Field, op. cit; Harrington’s Analysis ; Seton- Karr, Cornwallis, ch. ii; Fifth Report, p. 12 et. seq; Mill, op. cit. bk. vi ch: 6-6; R. C. Dutt, op, cit. ch. v, ete,