950 BENGALI LANGUAGE & LITERATURE. [ Chap. insight into its manners. customs, religion and poli- tical institutions. I refrained however, from carry- ing this intention into effect until the friends who coincided with my sentiments should be increased in number and strength. My expectations having been at length realised in November, 1830, I em- barked for England, as the discussion of the East India Company’s Charter was expected to come on, by which the treatment of the natives of India and its future government would be determined for many years to come, and an appeal to the King in Council against the abolition of the practice of burning widows was to be heard before the Privy Council; and His Majesty the Emperor of Delhi had likewise commissioned me to bring before the authorities in England certain encroachments on his rights by the East India Company. I accord- ingly arrived in England in April, 1831.”* Rama Mohana Roy was requested to give his evidence before the Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Judicial and revenue systems of India. He was also examined on the condition of the native inhabitants of India. His answers, aoa as already mentioned, were remarkable as showing in Eng- ; ; e টু এ land his great command over the subjects in which he was thus consulted. Through his earnest attempts
- Miss Carpenter introduced this Autobiographical sketch
into her book ‘Last Days in England of Raja Rama Mohana Roy’ with the following remarks. :— “The following letter from Rama Mohana Roy himself first appeared in the * Athenwum ' and in the Literary Gazette, from one or other of which it was copied into various papers. It was written just before he went to France. It was probably designed for some distinguished person who had desired him to give an outline of his history ; and he adopted this form for the purpose. The letter may be considered as addressed to his friend Mr. Gor- don of Calcutta.”
