Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/131

92 the United States of America, was the son of a farmer. The great Napoleon, who rose to be Emperor of France, was at first employed as a private. Benjamin Franklin was a printer. The great poet Chaucer was an ordinary soldier. Shakspeare was an actor. But why seek other countries? What was Keshub Chunder Sen, the great Bengali orator? He was at first a mere clerk of twenty rupees. Harish Chunder Mukharji, the first independent-spirited Editor of the "Hindoo Patriot" was an humble clerk. Lord Clive, the Founder of the British Empire in India, came out to this country as a clerk to the East India Company. The great Vidyasagar, of whom we are speaking, and who, by dint of perseverance, assiduity and honesty, rose to such eminence, began with a post of fifty rupees.It was not, therefore, very strange that he should apply himself to learn English with his usual zeal and earnestness, and be able to master it soon.

The famous Doctor Durga Charan Banarji, father of Babu Surendranath Banarji, the present great orator of Bengal, and renowned Editor of "The Bengalee," was his first English teacher. Durga Charan Babu was not a doctor (medical practitioner) then. He was, at that time, a teacher in the Hare School. He used daily to visit Vidyasagar's house, and there engage himself in various pastimes. The post of the Head Writer in the Fort William College having, at this time, fallen vacant, Darga Charan Babu was appointed to the post, on a