LIFE OF BABU SURENDRA NATH BANEBJEE. 113 tor to Mr. Bayley. As he has no friend or acquaintance there, I have been requested to give him an introductory note to yoo, and I do so with great pleasure. I can say without breach of truth that he is not an ordinary person in the country. He has a knowledge of Greek, Latin, Arabic, Persian, Hindusbanee and of course of English and Bengalee, and I have reason to think that his acquaintance with these languages is not merely superficial. You may have read in the Englishman sometime ago, remarks highly commendatory of his Latin composition, in the notice that that journal took of the Examination of St. Zavie'r's College. His Latin Essay was the best of those pro- duced. He had no friends or parent's care to superintendent over his education. When he came to town he brought with him some know- ledge of Persian .and knew almost no body. He has since acquired all that I have above stated and the admiration and regard of not a few among those whose good opinion it is worth having. Hia perseverance and thirst after knowledge are truly wonderful, and such as is very rare among the new class. &c &c. ice. Yours affectionately, Bam Tonoo Lahirv. To Babu Gobind Chnnder Basak, Deputy-Collector, MlDKAFOBE. LIFE OF BABU SURENDBA NATH BANEBJEE CHAPTER I. HIS BIRTH, PARENTAGE AND EDUCATION. Babu Surendra Nath Banerjee, the orator, the life and soul of all political agitation in Bengal, and one of the few active workers in the field of education, comes from a very respectable family of Rarhee Brahmins. His great grand-father, Babu Gour Kishore Banerjee, came from the Faridpur District and settled at Moni- rampur, a few miles from the Railway Station at Ba- rrackpur, where the illustrious subject of this sketch now resides. His grand-father Babu Goluck Chunder held an appointment in the Salt Department under the Bengal Board of Revenue, and it was in this capa- 15
