Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/114

Rh The wonderful talents of Isvar Chandra remind us of what the great Indian poet Bhava Bhuti has very justly sung on the subject:—

"বিতরতি গুরুঃ প্রাজ্ঞে বিদ্যাং যথৈব তথা জড়ে ন তু খলু তয়োর্জ্ঞানে শক্তিং করোত্যপহন্তি বা। ভবতি চ তয়োর্ভূয়ান্ ভেদঃ ফলং প্রতি তদ্‌যথা প্রভবতি শুচির্বিম্বগ্রাহে মণির্ন মৃদাং চয়ঃ॥" i.e.

'The preceptor imparts instructions equally to the sharp and the dull; but he can neither increase nor decrease their powers of comprehension. The great difference in the extent of their knowledge is due to their own merits. It is a pure, transparent gem, and not a lump of clay, that has the power of reflection.'

Shortly after he had passed the Law Committee examination, the post of the Judge-Pandit of Tippera, a district in East Bengal, fell vacant. Young Isvar Chandra applied for the situation, and was favoured with the appointment. But his father would not permit him to go to such a distance. He was, therefore, obliged to decline the offer. He had toiled hard to pass the law examination, and then had applied for the post, simply to help his father in his pecuniary difficulties. But