Page:The Origin and Development of the Bengali Language (Volume 1).pdf/12

xiv Sir George Grierson has described as ‘without any donbt the most important book dealing with the Modern Indian languages that has appeared since the publication of Hoernle's Grammar of the Gatudian Languages in 1850,’ has, in the clarity of its exposition and in the width of its erudition as well as in the sureness of its judgment, offered me the best model that I eould have. But in my own book, as I find, I had to discuss many points, some of them side-issues. especially in the Introduction, which should be but merely touched upon om oa work of a professedly linguistic character, not being immediately à proper for history of language; and perhaps, I had to be fuller in detail; and at times, repetition became, unavoidable. That was due partly to the fact that an appreciation of the racial, historical and cultural background was thought to be helpful in following the linguistic development; and the reason of the repetition is that the work of re-writing and printing my hook went hand-in-hand (so that I had no opportunity of surveying the present work as a whole before the printing of it was finished), and that the same phenomenon had to he viewed from different aspects, and a repetition of a fact cr an argument was felt to be necessary where a mere reference was not enough. I hope, however, that the general unity of the work has not suffered thereby. I have tried my best not to be dogmatic, and although I had to speculate and hypothesize at times to explain facts, I hope I have not let loose my fancy to roam freely, unchecked by the restraints of science. In my book no great points have been raised, no remarkable theories advanced; and fortunately there is hardly any scope for that. I have simply tried te apply the methods of Comparative Philology, as aceepted by the present- day masters of the science, in working out the history of Bengali. A number of things have come into my notice as one of the first workers in the field along what may be called scientific lines, at least among Bengali speakers: and these would strike any other observer. Many of the views expressed may ultimately prove to be wrong, with the aecession of new facts—as, for instance, from the systematic study of the dialects of Bengali and of the cognate speeches. The work here submitted, however, is the onteome of sincere labour in a subject for which I have the greatest love,