Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/224

Rh no Principal. The executive functions of the Principal were discharged by the Secretary and his assistant. In the beginning of 1851, these two posts were abolished, and in their stead the post of Principal was created. Vidyasagar was made the first Principal in January, 1851.

Babu Jogendra Nath Bandyopadhyay, mentioned above, in his biography of his father-in-law, Madan Mohan Tarkalankar, says:—

'It is said, that when the post of the Secretary was vacant in the Sanskrit College, Bethune reqested Tarkalankar to accept the situation. But he recommended Vidyasagar to Bethune as the proper person qualified for the post, and Vidyasagar was accordingly appointed Secretary'.

But Vidyasagar does not admit this. In his preface to the eleventh edition of the Vetala-Panchavingsati, he has clearly refuted Jogendra Babu. Among other things, he says:—

'There is no truth in this story. It is a mere fiction invented by the author. Madan Mohan Tarkalankar entered the Sanskrit College as professor of Belles-lettres in 1846, and he left it in November 1846 and went away to Murshidabad as Judge-Pandit of the place. During his tenure of office in the Sanskrit College, the post of the Secretary never fell vacant. It was all along held by Babu Rassamoy Dutt. How can it be possible then, that the post of the Secretary having fallen vacant, and having been offered to Madan Mohan