Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/666

Rh Society, in the publication of very many valuable tracts in English and Bengali and in other acts, will doubtless be long cherished in grateful remembrance by all lovers and promoters of temperance in this country. "27 Nov, 1875. (Sd) "Isvar Chandra Sarma." We embrace this opportunity to say a few words in connection with the Society referred to in Vidyasagar's letter quoted above. No sane man can question the incalculable good the British Government has done to this country. May we ever live in peace under the benign rule which was so providentially offered to us, when the country was groaning under the miseries of anarchy. But, at the same time, no man of sense can deny that Europeans have been, in a manner, eating away the vitals of the land by bringing in with them the alcoholic poison of Europe. With the foundation of the British rule in India, most of the natives of the upper classes, in endeavouring to imitate the manners and practices of their rulers, whose peculiarities in every respect fascinated them, imbibed their habits of drinking spirituous liquors and wines. During those early days, we are deeply pained to say, most of the highly educated and influential promising youths of the country succumbed prematurely to the dreadfully fatal effects of the evil practice, who, but for it, might have lived to a good old age and done