Page:Vidyasagar, the Great Indian Educationist and Philanthropist.djvu/150

 to meet altered conditions. It would be an amazing perversion of truth to say that his policy was destructive. The customs, which though old were yet serviceable, he would retain. Even when he became Principal of the Sanskrit College he dressed himself in the scrupulously simple garment of an orthodox pundit. The food of Hindus accorded best with him and he strictly abstained from wines and spirits. The same rational conservatism permeated the higher concerns of life. Opposed as he was to the projected removal of the burning ghat from Nimtala, he supported the alternative proposal of effecting necessary improvements. He successfully contended against the alientation of Hindu religious endowment property; yet he believed that there was much room for reform in the management of religious trusts. He was in favour of educating the Hindu girls, but mainly in accordance with the indigenous system. As he was dead against their career of a professional teacher, he opposed Miss Carpenter's