Page:A General Biography of Bengal Celebrities Vol 1.djvu/31

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22 LIFE OF MR. MANOMOHUN GHOSE. Miss Mary Carpenter. Beforethis time, no other Indian had qualified himself for the Bar except Mr. Gyanendra Mohun Tag ore, who however, never practised in this country. To Mr. Ghose," therefore, belongs the credit of being the first Indian who has achieved success in his profession. We shall describe here- after, how Mr. Ghose succeeded in giving a healthy tone to the criminal administration of this country, and what are the real secrets of his marvellous success at the Bar. Mr. Ghose, at the beginning of his career at the Calcutta Bar, had enormous difficulties to con- tend with. The members of the English bar hesitated in those days, to mix on terms of social equality with a Bengali gentleman ; while on the other hand, his countrymen naturally disapproved of the adoption on his part, of European modes and habits of life. The English members of the bar declined to recog- nize him as one of their number, unless he was pre- pared to live like an Englishman, while on the other hand he was assured that, he had not the remotest chance of getting any support from his countrymen, unless he was prepared to identify himself with them in all social and religious matters. Mr. Ghose, however, resolved to steer a middle course, instead of being swayed by the prejudices and unreasonable suggestions of either party. Besides the social dif- ficulties, already referred to, Mr. Ghose, had scarcely v a friend in the profession to help him in the beginning;. He was, however, fortunate enough, early in his career, to win the esteem and confidence of some of the Judges of the High Court, such as Mr. Justice Kemp, the late Mr. Justice Dwarka Nath Miner, and Mr. Justice Phear who treated him with marked consideration. In 1869, while he was still struggling in his profession, he sent his renown- ed second brother Mr. Lai Mohun Ghose, to compete for the Civil Service and to get called to the bar. The first celebrated case which- Mr. Ghose con-