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106 of Government rather than openly to take part in political controversies. His opinion was constantly asked by the authorities and carried all the weight of his great name and position. Popularity he altogether disregarded. Having the full courage of his convictions, he cared nothing for the approval or disapproval of others, once he was convinced of the justice of the course he had advocated.

In all matters that related to the spread of education the Maharaja was keenly interested. At Burdwan he established an Anglo-Vernacular School which he threw open to boys of all creeds and classes. This Institution which has since been raised to the status of a college provides a free education in English, Bengali, Sanskrit and Persian for poor and deserving students, and a separate department for girls has since been added. Himself of a studious disposition and well educated, he did much to encourage literature and scholarships. He was particularly desirous that the Mahabharat, the Ramayana, and the other religious books of his faith should be more widely disseminated and made accessible to all, not only in cheap Sanskrit editions but in Bengali translations, which alone could popularise them in modern Bengal. With this object he engaged the services of some of the most famous Pandits of the day. For over thirty years their labours continued, resulting in the republication of the original Sanskrit books with Bengali translations, which have done so much