Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/116

Rh and pressure, induced him to appear at the examination at 12 O'clock. The subject for that year's prose composition was Truthfulness. Isvar Chandra's essay was considered the best, and he own the prize of one hundred rupees. He had now the satisfaction to see the tree of his hard toil fruitful. Sooner or later, honest labour must have its fruits. Such is God's dispensation. Isvar Chandra's second composition in poetry too was considered one of the best, and he won a prize for that also.

Here, again, at this young age, we find in Isvar Chandra a noble instance of strength of mind, independence of opinion, firmness of purpose, soundness of judgment, and gentleness of heart. While in the Vedanta class, his teacher Sambhu Chandra Vachaspati, like all his former teachers, was greatly attached to him for his merits, and consulted him on all points. He was a widower at this time, and was grown old and infirm; but he had a great mind to enter again into married life. He consulted Isvar Chandra, seeking his advice on the point. The young pupil heard the arguments of his teacher patiently, but could discover nothing important in them. He thought the professor's proposal extremely unreasonable and selfish, and openly expostulated with the old man on the impropriety of his resolution. Vachaspati was greatly offended with his pupil at his strong protests, and made strenuous attempts to bring