Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/577

530 pitiful appeals of the paper moved him to a flood of tears, and he resolved to pay a visit to Birsingha, if it was only for once. Accordingly he gave orders for repairs to his house, but ill-health prevented him from carrying out his plan. His illness grew serious, which ultimately carried him off this wicked world, and thus saved him from committing a breach of promise.

In August 1869, he made a gift of the Sanskrit Press Depository to Braja Nath Mukhopadhyay of Krishnaghar. He had been highly dissatisfied with the working and conduct of his officials. As he was sitting one day surrounded by some of his friends and dependents, in course of conversation, he expressed a desire to give away his Depository to any body, who should come forward to receive the gift. Braja Nath, who was one of the company, said that he was prepared to receive the gift, if the donor should gladly and voluntarily give it to him. Vidyasagar at once made him the gift. It is said, that on the next day, some people offered him 10,000 rupees for the property, but he declined the offers, saying that when he had once given his word, he could not retract it even for a crore of rupees.

At 3 O'clock in the afternoon of the 20th February, 1870, Durga Charan Banarji breathed his last. He was one of the best friends of Vidyasagar. He was exceedingly generous and benevolent. He was a great help to our hero in re-