Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/298

255 But he subsequently found out that he had been circumvented by malicious reports. He at once called upon the injured person at the latter's residence, and with tearful eyes and pitiful tones, implored his forgiveness, saying,—'Kaviratna, I have unjustly done you a great wrong. Please, tell me how can I redress it?' What greatness of heart!

Vidyasagar was kind and affectionate, equally to his family, relations and friends. Babu Syama Charan Bisvas, one of the late Vice-Chairmen of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation, was among Vidyasagar's particular friends. In Calcutta, his house stood in front of that of Vidyasagar; but his ancestral home was at village Paintel, in the Hugh district, some 19 or 20 miles off Calcutta. At the urgent request of his dear friend, Vidyasagar once visited Paintel. Many poor people of the locality came to him to beg for assistance, and he distributed his charities liberally. The people of that place, even to the present day, remember his name with grateful tears. After his return from Paintel, he had an attack of Fever, accompanied with polypus and bleeding of the nose, which, neessitated the use of snuff for some time, but, in a short time, he gave it up. It is said, that he acquired the habit of smoking tobacco, when he was 31 or 32 years old, under the following circumstances.

Doctor Navin Chandra Mitra of Barasat, who lived in Jhamapulcur, Calcutta, was in terms of