Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/215

174 Rasik Chandra was a native of Bara, a village very near to Serampore. He had a great intimate friendship with Vidyasagar. He was so sincerely grieved at the death of his friend, that since that mournful event his health completely broke down. He lived only two short years after Vidyasagar. The deep, unfeigned grief, he felt at the loss of his sincere friend, rent his heart, and hastened him to the gates of death.

In 1848, appeared Vidyasagar's History of Bengal in Bengali. It was compiled from Marshman's "History of Bengal". It relates the events from the time of Nabab Serajuddowla to that of the Governor-General, Lord Bentinck. Vidyasagar styled his book, History of Bengal, part II., a "History of Bengal, Part I." compiled by Ramgati Nyayratna having already appeared. This latter book deals with the events prior to Serajuddowla. Vidyasagar's History of Bengal was appreciated by all clasessclasses [sic] of people. The language of the book is plain, easy, and elegant. The first edition contained the words 'written with the permission of Mr. Marshall', from which it may be surmised, that the book was compiled at his request. This was Vidyasagar's first translation from English. He has shown the same abilities here as in his previous translations from Sanskrit and Hindi. But merely abilities for translation or writing beautiful language do not make a good historian. He should put forth his energies to make careful researches and