Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/406

Rh own account to liquidate the debts of other persons. He was, no doubt, a very wise and prudent man, but the overflows of his charitable disposition found the uppermost place in his heart and drove away his wisdom and prudence, whenever an occasion presented itself. May be, he thought that these debts contracted solely for benevolent and charitable purposes must find their own means of liquidation. In fact, his debts had amounted to nearly 50,000 rupees, but he lived long enough to be able to clear them off before his death.

About this time, Gokulchand and Govinchand Basus, two brothers, of Bainchi, came to Vidyasagar, and said that Nilkamal Banarji intended distressing their homestead-land with premises for debts, and prayed for his assistance. Vidyasagar immediately paid 1,000 rupees to Nilkamal, and released the property of the Basu brothers. Subsequently, when Raj Krishna resigned his office of the Manager of the Sanskrit Press Depository, Vidyasagar appointed Gokulchand Basu to the vacant post on a monthly pay of 50 Rupees.

Some time after this, the premises of one Syama Charan Banarji were about to be put to auction sale for debts. Syama Charan supplicated Vidyasagar for help, who at once paid off his debts of 500 rupees and released his property.

We will notice here, in passing, an incident of his noble liberality, that happened some time after this. Baidya Nath Chaudhury, a respectable