100 Dr. 7?. Mitras remarks on Mr. A. Grote. [MARCH, 



of that district, and he had to proceed to the Cape of Good Hope for a 

 change. His two years' sojourn at the Cape did not, however, do him 

 much good, and, after a few months' service in East Burdwan, he had to 

 proceed to England on September 10, 1845. On his return to India, 

 in November, 1848, he was put in charge of the Calcutta Collectorate and 

 of the office of the Superintendent of Stationery and Stamps — acting also 

 for a short time as special Deputy Collector in connexion with the 

 Revenue survey of Midnapur. He entered the Board of Revenue as 

 officiating Junior Secretary in July, 1852, and soon after became the 

 Senior Secretary; which office he held till March, 1856, when he was 

 appointed Commissioner of the "Nuddea Division. The last office he 

 held till July, 1859, when he became a member of the Board of Revenue, 

 whence he retired on July 5, 1868. His official life was one of un- 

 broken success, characterised as much by consummate tact and ability, 

 as by the most kindly and considerate feeling for the well-being of the 

 millions who, from time to time, were placed under his control. There 

 are still living many friends and subordinates who cherish a lively 

 remembrance of the kindly actions which proceeded from his generous 

 and affectionate nature. It was during his administration as Commis- 

 sioner of the Nuddea Division that the Indigo disputes between Indigo 

 planters and ryots came to a head, and it must be said to his honour that 

 he never for a moment forsook the side of the weak and the helpless. 



Mr. Grote's connexion with this Society dates from 1849, when he was 

 elected an Ordinary Member. In the following year he was elected a 

 member of the Council, and early in 1852, Joint Secretary. For some 

 time he was the sole Secretary, and it was a time when the financial 

 affairs of the Society were very much involved. His diligence, earnest 

 attention to the affairs of the Society, and great social influence with his 

 friends enabled him, however, soon to surmount all difficulties, and to 

 restore the Society to a healthy position. I advert to his social influence 

 particularly, as therein lay much of the secret of his success as a Secre- 

 tary. Extensive private correspondence among a wide circle of friends? 

 inviting recruits, encouraging the lukewarm, and urging the old mem- 

 bers to forward notes and papers, often suggesting subjects, and offering 

 co-operation or literary help, form no part of the official duty of a Secre- 

 tary, and yet those are just the duties which are the most conducive to 

 the advancement of public institutions, and in which Mr. Grote distin- 

 guished himself most. He was elected a Vice-President of the Society 

 on six different occasions, (1856, '57, '58, '63, '67, and '68) and held the 

 office of President for five years (1859 to 62 and 1865). He took an active 

 part in the negociations which culminated in the transfer of the So- 

 ciety's natural history museum to Government, and in the course of it 



