Page:The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur R. Venkata Ratnam, volume 2.djvu/416

 tions over land and sea, but anon, under the seal and spell of a pet idea, shrank into a little vessel. However, now that he has "past to where beyond these voices there is peace, "let none allow a few "wandering isles of night" to bedim the glory of the "source and fount of day."

Equally great in his own way was, the darling child of India, the far-famed advocate of widow-marriage; who passed away on the 29th of July, at the ripe age of seventy-one. Born a Brahmin of the very highest sect (a Kulin Bannerjea), he had exceptionally good opportunities for studying the sociology of the Hindus, especially what we may term its dark aspects. Though descended from parents in rather narrow circumstances, he nevertheless had the benefit of a very sound education, in virtue of which he received from the classical Navadweepa (Nuddea) the high title of Vidyasagara. In fact, he was "a gem of purest ray serene" which no obscurity could hide. The native genius