Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/393

 Everything was now complete, and, in the month of November, 1858, Vidyasagar retired from the paid public service for good. He felt himself at ease to have been able to break loose the trammels of servitude, and breathe the pure, free air of liberty. Most of his friends and relations deeply commiserated him at his loss of an appointment of such high emoluments, but he was never for a moment dejected, or lost his usual cheerfulness of heart. It is said that one of his friends, who was also an Inspector of Schools, had remonstrated with him on the indiscreetness of the step he was going to take. This was what he said on the occasion:—'Vidyasagar, you are going to take an unwise step. A post of 500 rupees is not easily obtainable, particularly for a Bengali-knowing Pandit like you. When you resign, what do you intend doing, and how will you manage to defray such heavy expenses?' Vidyasagar smiled, and said,—'My dear friend, what you say is true. I know that my post is valuable, but mind, nothing is more valuable in this world than self-respect. As to my expenses, what did I do when I threw up my office of the Assistant Secretary to the Sanskrit College? I am better off now. I have some income from my publications.'

Not only his friends and relations, but even some of the high Government officials felt a sincere commiseration for Vidyasagar. Among these, Sir Cecil Beadon, one of the Chief Secre-