Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/231

188 main part of Sanscrit Literature, being accompanied by excellent commentaries by Mallinatha supersede altogether, the use of the study of the abovenamed two works. Dhatupatha and Amarakosha, I beg leave to say that this commentator is not like his brethren who "blanch the obscure places and discourse upon the plain." Under the above considerations, I do not think it a good plan to spend the first years of study in the Sanscrit College in reading Mugdhabodha, Dhatupatha, and Amarakosha. Bhatti Kavya, the fourth and best work of Study in this Department, is a Poem, the theme of which is Rama and his adventures. This work was purposely written to exemplify the rules of Grammar. It is not altogether ill adapted for the Grammar Department.

After all these considerations, I beg leave to propose the following remodelled System of Study for the Grammar Department. Should the Council be pleased to adopt the suggestion, I do think, in my humble opinion, that in four years, the time prescribed now for Grammar study, the students shall have a thorough knowledge of Grammar and tolerable proficiency in Literature besides, and they will not experience that difficulty in the Sahitya Class which they do now, being made all at once, just after finishing an imperfect Grammar, to begin with the standard works without having had an insight into the language.

The System I would propose is this: The boys, instead of beginning the Grammar at once in the Sanskrit language, should learn some of the most fundamental rules dressed in the easiest Bengali; then they should go on with two or three Sanscrit "Readers," to be compiled. These Readers should consist of easy selection from the Hitopadesha, Panchatantra, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and from other works suited for the purpose. This will take the students some two years. After this they should begin with Sidhanta Kaumudi, Bhatttoji Dikhshita, the study of which