C *68 1 deep sense of justice and his firmness of character have often brought him into painful collision with his official superiors, but on the other hand, made him an object of deep love and respect to his countrymen and not a few of the ruling race. His benevolence also has led him to identify himself with the well-being of his neighbours in all places where his service has taken him, and leave some work of public usefulness in them. It is, however, his service to Bengali poetry that will make his memory live longest amongst his countrymen. His very first- work, Abakasranjini, made it apparent that a great poet had risen, a poet of the same rank as Michael Madhusudan Datta and Babu Hemchandra Bandyo- padhayay, and the great Bengali critic and novelist, Babu Bankim- chandra Chattopadhyay, who then edited the Bangadarshan t at once recognised this fact in his review of the book, Babu Navin- chandra has since sustained and both deepened and widened hit reputation by a series of brilliant performances. His Patatir Yuddha is the favourite of every Bengali reader, and the more remarkable of its passages are in the mouth of every lover of Bengali verse. It was followed by Hangamati, PaivataJt, Kuruk- sfutra, Prabhosk, Amitabha, Bhartumati, metrical translations of the Phagavadgita and Lhe Cha ndi, Khrishta and Prubastr PatrA, all of which have, in a remarkable degree, adorned and enriched the Bengali language.
