PREFACE.
In publishing these biographies, the writer need hardly offer any apology. The Lives of the most eminent amongst his countrymen, whether living or dead, must always be a priceless treasure to the country. The struggles and triumphs of Hurish Chunder Mukherjea, the indomitable perseverance and the noble patience of Shyama Churn Sirkar, the eloquence of Ram Gopal Ghose and his devotion to the true interest of his country, not to speak of the achievements of those now living, form the brightest page in the annals of modern Bengal. The author is conscious of the imperfect character of his work, and of the defects in matter and manner from which the work suffers; but he can truly affirm that he has made an honest attempt, with what little success, it is not for him to say, to preserve in a durable form, the work of some of the greatest amongst his countrymen. The Lives of the living are to be found side by side with those of the dead, and this may seem to be an anomaly. But it is really not so, if the matter is somewhat carefully examined. There is no record to speak of, of the lives of Hurish chunder Mukherjea, Shyama Churn Sirkar, Degumber Mitter, and Ram Gopal Ghose. The author felt that before he wrote of the living, he owed an yet unredeemed duty to the dead. In the interest of biography and for the sake of preserving in a durable form, the work of such men as Raja Degumber Mitter, Shyama Churn Sirkar, Hurish Chunder Mukherjea, and Ram Gopal Ghose, he has ventured to include in one work the Lives of the dead with those of the living. It is hardly necessary for him to offer an explanation as to why it should be considered desirable to publish so early, the Lives of living celebrities, many of whom are still in the vigour of life, and manhood, and who, we trust, have yet many long years of usefulness before them. The writer may refer to the Lives
