Page:Ramtanu Lahiri, Brahman and Reformer - A History of the Renaissance in Bengal.djvu/145

 college, he sat by his younger brother’s bed till late at night, and read to him the text-books, without showing any signs of fatigue. Kali Charan was much benefited in this way, and he passed the examination. Was not this a striking incident of love and self-denial?

While Ramtanu was happily passing his time with his brothers and friends, his attention was often drawn to the great public questions of the day. In 1834 Lord William Bentinck, desirous of placing English education within the reach of the natives of this country, entered the lists against the majority in the Committee of Public Instruction, organised in 1823. They were in favour of the exclusive culture of Oriental languages, which they thought would be more desirable for Indians than the study of English literature. He was fortunate to find help in this arduous work from Lord Macaulay, who had arrived in Calcutta as a legal member of his Council, and whom he asked to see if the grant the Court of Directors had made in 1813, for the revival and improvement of literature, could not be utilised in promoting the cause of English education. Macaulay, after a careful examination of the document placed in his hands, gave, on 2nd February 1835, his opinion in writing; and the last paragraph coming from his pen was: “To sum up what I have said, I think it is clear that we are not fettered by any pledge, expressed or implied; that we are free to employ our funds as we choose; that we ought to employ them in teaching what is best to know; that to know English is better than to know Sanskrit or Arabic; that the natives are desirous to be taught English and are not desirous to be taught Sanskrit or Arabic; that neither as the language of law, nor as the language of religion, have the Sanskrit or Arabic any peculiar claim to our encouragement; that it is possible to make natives of this country thoroughly