Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/573

526 as much as the Bengali language, however newly shaped, must bear some shade of the elegance and beauty of the great writer's style.

The Bengali language has its origin in Sanskrit. As a matter of consequence, the inflexion of gender and other changes are formed in accordance with the rules of the mother tongue. But in most cases, the practice is at present being deviated from. Bankim Chandra's language shows that in some cases he has strictly followed Sanskrit in the inflexion of his words, while in others he has quite deviated from it. This deviation is almost general with most of the authors of the present day, with the honourable exception of the very able and thoughtful writer, Kali Prasanna Ghosh of Dacca. Some are still of opinion, that Bengali should follow its mother language in the inflexion of gender and other changes, and a deviation from it would make it incorrect. In the correct use of the inflexions, Kali Prasanna Ghosh has no equal. But the modern writers of Bengal do not like to bind themselves to follow Sanskrit in every respect. In fine, the Bengali language, like the English, is under change. But we must repeat again, that however alteration it might undergo in shape, beauty, or melody, it must always remain deeply indebted to Vidyasagar. It will not be an easy thing to discard him altogether; his frame-work must unavoidably be taken up.