He had an uncommon strength of mind and fixedness of purpose. He had many obstacles in his way, but he overcame them with manly spirit and easy alacrity. The difficulties and troubles rather served to encourage him the more. He has shown to the world that poverty is no hindrance to the attainment of an object. He has left an unparalleled example of noble heroism for the poverty-stricken. With such a precedent before one's eyes, one cannot lose heart, even under most adverse circumstances.
When Isvar Chandra was reading in the second year class of the Belles-lettres department, his younger brother, Dina Bandhu,[1] came to Calcutta to prosecute his studies in the Sanskrit College.
Now there were thus three members[2] of Thakurdas's family in Calcutta, for him to maintain with his slender means, besides those that were living in Birsingha. We have already said, that Thakurdas had a very limited income. It was not, therefore, possible for him to retain a domestic or cook. Poor Isvar Chandra had to do everything. He did all the marketing and cooking. Coal had not then come into use in Calcutta for purposes of cooking, which was done by fire-wood. Little Isvar
