1884.] - on Bdmmohun Boy. 471 



and he devoted most of his time as a boy to a study of Persian and 

 Arabic rather than of Sanskrit. Throus-h his knowledfije of the 

 Koran he was led from his early youth to entertain the strongest 

 aversion to idolatry and polytheism, and his outspoken contempt for 

 his family idols led to serious misunderstandings between him and his 

 parents. The story that at the age of sixteen he wrote a book " Against 

 the idolatry of all religions " seems to rest on no good authority. But 

 there can be no doubt that at that early age Eammohun Roy had to 

 leave his paternal home to travel for many years in India and even 

 beyond the frontiers of India. 



After his return he entered the service of the East India Company, 

 and began to acquire a knowledge of English, which was at that time 

 a very rare acquirement for a Hindu gentleman. His hatred of every- 

 thing English was changed into a feeling of sincere respect through 

 his acquaintance with members of the Civil Service, and he was filled 

 with admiration for some of the master-works of English literature. 

 After he had acquired a sufficient fortune, partly by his own exer- 

 tions, partly by inheritance, he bought a house at Calcutta and 

 settled there in 1814. His house soon became the centre of the more 

 enlightened native society of Calcutta. The relations between 

 Englishmen and natives were far more cordial at that time than they 

 are now, and even such subjects as religion and native customs were 

 freely discussed between them. In these discussions Eammohun 

 Roy maintained that idolatry and polytheism were mere corruptions 

 of the ancient religion of India, and that the only book in which that 

 ancient religion could be studied was the Veda. He boldly denounced 

 the malpractices of the priests, published extracts from the Veda to 

 show that their teaching contravened the letter and spirit of their 

 own Bible, and thus gathered around him a number of followers who 

 tried to bring the religion of the people back to its original purity 

 and simplicity. He opposed the burning of widows, and at last 

 succeeded in having that hideous custom put down by law. 



He then turned to the study of the Old and the New Testaments, 

 and learnt sufficient Hebrew and Greek to be able to read tliese books 

 in the original. He afterwards published the ' Precepts of Jesus, 

 the Guide to Peac^ and Happiness,' and wrote in the preface:— 

 " This simple code of religion and morality is so adniii-ably calcu- 

 lated to elevate man's ideas to high and liberal notions of one God, 

 who has originally subjected all living creatures, without distinction 

 of caste, rank, or wealth, to change, disappointment, pain, and death, 

 and has equally admitted all to be partakers of the bountiful mercies 

 which he has lavished over nature, and is also so well fitted to regu- 

 late the conduct of the human race in the discharge of their various 

 duties to God, to themselves, and society, that I cannot but hope the 

 best effects from its promulgation in the present form." But, with 

 all his admiration for the teaching of Christ, Rammohun Roy would 

 never become a convert to Christianity. When Dr. Mitford, the 

 first Bishop of Calcutta, endeavoured to convert him, and in doing so 



Vol. X. (No. 77.) 2 i 



