One thing in this connection is noteworthy. He condemned the Suttee not only because it was cruel, but also because, according to the Shasters, it was not the best way for the salvation of a woman, in as much as it led only to enjoyment in heaven, and was based on the hope of reward. He preached the higher self-sacrifice of the ancient Rishis which consisted in forgetfulness of self, in welldoing, and in the contemplation of the Supreme Being. He alone among ten thousand Brahmins of his age was the true Brahmin who had inherited the deep spirituality of his ancestors, the great Rishis of old, and the reasons given by him were not understood by his countrymen. However, it was principally through his exer'tions that the Suttee was abolished by legislation on the 4th of December, 1829. He also fought against the evils of Kulinism and polygamy, and is said to have presented a petition to the Government for prohibiting polygamy by legislation. Nor did he confine his energies to religious and social refor mation. He laboured above all other men for the spread of education among his countrymen. He wrote grammars, and did all that lay in his power for improving and enriching the Bengali language, It is a remarkable fact that the address which he presented to Lord William Bentinck was in Bengali, a circumstance which showed how deep was his love for his mother tongue. In the celebrated controversy between the Orientalists and the Anglicists he fought vigorously for English education, wrote the famous letter on education to Lord Amherst, and had the satisfaction of seeing the Hindu College established, though with rare disinterestedness he kept himself aloof from the management of the College, because he thought the leaders of the orthodox Hindu society might not like to act with him. He also helped David Hare, and especially Dr. Duff in their efforts for the spread of English education in this country. He established also an English school of his own about the year 1822. It is not generally known what a heavy debt of gratitude the country owes to Ram Mohun Boy for his efforts in the cause of English education. Nor was Ram Mohun Roy indifferent to politics. He it was who led the agitation against the Press regulations, the resumption of lakheraj holdings, and other grievances of his country. His memorials against the Press regulations are remarkable writings, and for the ability with which they are written, and the deep patriotism displayed in them, nothing that has since been written by his countrymen on the subject, will stand comparison with them. In legal discussions also he took part, and wrote a tract in favour of the power of alienation of the father over ancestral property, a power which has since then been amply recognized by the Courts, 1 and fought against what he called the modern encroachments upon the rights of females. সংাদ (কৗসুদী He also conducted a news-paper called the Sambad Koumoody, one of the first of its kind in Bengali. He wrote a geography, and translated parts of the Koran and the Bible in Bengali, besides publishing a grammar of the Bengali language, both in English and Bengali. In fact he tried to do alone all things that could be done by man for the good of his countrymen, In this way Ram Mohun Roy laboured for 16 years in Calcutta for the good of his country, and took no rest. Born at a time when people would prostrate themselves at the feet of Brahmins, and tremble at the sight of Englishmen, when women were treated as no better than slaves, when people knew not what freedom was, when the night of ignorance and super, stition had darkened the face of Bengal, Ram Mohun Roy brought down light from heaven, and made the blind to see, spoke about freedom and true manhood, with a voice of power the like of which had not been heard since the days of Buddha, put himself between the oppressed Hindu female and her oppressors, and single handed fought the battle of truth against idolatry and error, while his countrymen wondered and understood him not. Raja Radhakanta Deb, with his Dharma Sabha, and the whole country at his back, was no match for one who had been only a Collector's sheristadar. He was a giant among his contemporaries, and with his giant strength he fought the superstitions of his country, and the evil fate of this unfortunate land, while his countrymen wanted to take a life that was being freely spent for them. Ram Mohun Roy had been intending from a long time to go to England, but, as he said, he refrained from carrying this intention into effect, until his church had become strong. The Brahmo Somaj was established in 1828. The worship of the One True God was regularly carried on, and we have got, out of 98 sermons which were preached while he was at Calcutta, the first 17 in Bengali, and the translation of the first, second, and the sixth in English. He composed psalms, and established a mode of service for his church. His followers increased in numbers, till he was able to erect the Adi Brahmo Somaj building for his congregation in 1830. Now he felt himself free to go to England. Ram Mohun Roy started for England in November 1830. He went to England with three objects in view, (1) To represent the grievances of the emperor of Delhi, who conferred upon him the title of Raja, and sent him as his ambassador to the king of England. (2) To be present at the approaching discussion of the House of Commons at the renewal of the East India Company's charter, upon which the future Government of India whether for good or for evil so largely depended. (3) To present memorials in favour of the abolition of the Suttee which he carried with him from India, and to counteract the agitation carried on there by the powerful orthodox leaders of the Hindu society. He had no holiday time of it while in England. At the request of the Board of Control he submitted in writing his famous evidence to the Select Committee of the House of Commons, upon the working of the Judicial and Revenue systems of India, and the general character and condition of its native inhabitants, and upon various important matters connected with India. He also wrote various pamphlets such as the advantages and the disadvantages of European colonization in India,' and published a collected edition of some of his works. He presented the petitions he had brought with him in support of the abolition of the rite of Suttee to the House of Commons and the House of Lords in person, and had the satisfaction of being present when the appeal against the abolition of the Suttee was rejected on the 11th of July 1832. He was received in England and in France with distinguished honor by kings and peers and savants alike. But the hand of death was upon him in the midst of his success and glory, and the first native of India who set foot on the shores of England did not return to tell the story of his visit, to his mother country. Thus in a foreign land died the greatest Indian of modern times. His countrymen reviled and persecuted him while living. Faults he might have had, and even the sun has its spots. But his character in calm heroic courage and thorough independence, in utter sincerity which disdained to conceal the little failings of his life, and complete forgetfulness of self in the cause of the good of his country, ennobled the race to which he belonged. His countrymen have honoured him not. But his religion has flourished and his country has prospered; his works have lived and are bearing fruit; no other reward did he seek or hope for in this world. Ram Mohun Roy died on the 27th of September 1833, and was buried on 18th October, at Stapleton Grove in Bristol. Ten years after, his remains were removed to the cemetery of Arno's Vale near Bristol, where a tomb was raised upon his grave by his distinguished countryman, Dwarka Nath Tagore, and in 1872, the following inscription was engraved on the tomb BENEATH THIS STONE REST THE REMAINS OF RAJA RAMMOHUN ROY BAHADOOR UNITY OF THE GODHEAD ; HE CONSECRATED HIS LIFE WITH ENTIRE DEVOTION TO THE WORSHIP OF THE DIVINE SPIRIT ALONE. TO GREAT NATURAL TALENTS HE UNITED A THOROUGH MASTERY OF MANY LANGUAGES, AND EARLY DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE GREATEST SCHOLARS OF HIS DAY. HIS UNWEARIED LABOURS TO PROMOTE THE SOCIAL, MORAL AND PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, HIS EARNEST ENDEAVOURS TO SUPPRESS IDOLATRY AND THE RITE OF SUTTEE, AND HIS CONSTANT ZEALOUS ADVOCACY OF WHATEVER TENDED TO ADVANCE THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE WELFARE OF MAN, LIVE IN THE GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF HIS COUNTRYMEN. THIS TABLET RECORDS THE SORROW AND PRIDE WITH WHICH HIS MEMORY IS CHERISHED BY HIS DESCENDANTS. HE WAS BORN IN RADHANAGORE, IN BENGAL, IN 1774, AND DIED AT BRISTOL, SEPTEMBER 27TH, 1833. We have attempted to give within a short compass the accounts of a most eventful life. For the purposes of an introduction to his works, it will, we think, be deemed sufficient. His writings were the chief work of his life. We publish them as far as we have been able to collect, and only hope that they will be read with the regard they deserve. In publishing these works a few words are perhaps necessary as to the way in which they have been compiled and arranged. The works of Raja Ram Mohun Roy went through several editions in his life-time here and in England. In 1832 he publishe 1 in England a collection of his works under the title of "Translation of several principal books, passages, and texts of the Veds, and of some controversial works on Brahmunical Theology," with an introduction which will be found in the Appendix. We have followed the arrangement adopted by the author in the above edition as far as it goes. The tracts and essays contained in that volume are to be found in pages 1 to 154 and 295 to 370 of the present volume. We have inserted other tracts and essays published at Calcutta in the remaining pages. As we have said above, these works went through several editions in the Raja's life-time. We have compared the several editions as far as we could find them, and have tried our utmost to ensure the correctness of the present volume. In the London Edition of his books Ram Mohun Roy adopted the method of Dr. Gilchrist in spelling Sanskrit words in English, But in his works published in Calcutta he also used other modes of spelling. We have not attempted to change the Gilchrist method of spelling adopted by him in England, but in some cases, for the sake of uniformity as well as for the purpose of making the words intelligible, we have changed the spelling; but in doing so, we have not followed a new method of our own, but have only adopted |