Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/415

372 he looked upon the young pundit with utmost veneration. After this, whenever Vidyasagar visited Burdwan, the Maharaja received him most cordially and treated him with much respect. He bore so much fond regard for the venerable pundit, that on one occasion, he voluntarily offered the latter his native village, Birsingha, as a Taluk, but Vidyasagar declined this offer too, saying that he would accept the Taluk, when his means would permit him to let lands to the tenants free of rent.

It was this Maharaja Mahatabchand Bahadur, who had backed Vidyasagar in his widow-marriage movement, and had been one of the subscribers to the petition presented to the Government of India, as the under-quoted letter will show:—

"My dear sir,

"You will no doubt be glad to hear that his Highness the Maharaja of Burdwan has promised his assistance to the furtherance of the sacred cause of the marriage of Hindu widows. ∗∗∗ It is really a matter for congratulation, that the first man of Bengal is going to take up the cause.

He entertains such enlightened views that we have every reason to hope for substantial assistance from him. The Maharaja is not a hasty man, nor does he consent to be led by others, but always thinks for himself and forms his opinions of things after mature deliberation. Now that his Highness is convinced of the goodness of the cause, I have