Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/188

Rh development and progress of the English prose literature has been a most wonderful thing. No doubt, the spread of England's trade and extension of its territories have rendered much help in this direction, yet there is still another more prominent cause of its so rapid a progress. It had a very good model before its eyes. The French prose literature was the best model it could have. Want of freedom and poverty of the Bengalees are great obstacles to the development and progress of their national language. The decrease of an eager desire for a knowledge of Bengali, on the part of the natives of the country, generated by the predominant influence of English, and want of good models are among other very powerful obstacles. No doubt, English is, at present, a good model, but it also serves to make the Bengali literature impregnated with foreign ideas and notions, a state of things not at all desirable. It is, therefore, that we think that the perfect development of the Bengali literature is still in the womb of the distant future. Nevertheless, it is a happy sign, that it is on its way of progress, and not quite at a stand-still.

It is quite impossible, in the short space at our disposal, to review all the books, that had been written before the "Vasudeva-Charita", and to discuss at length the gradual development and progress of the Bengali literature. Those who are interested in the matter, and want to have an insight into it are requested to refer to Yates' "Introduction to