Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/364

the widow-marriage movement * * * when the Indian Legislature passed an Act in 1856 legalising the marriage of Hindu widows, the first widow marriage under the Act took place in Calcutta in December 1856. It was followed by others, both in the Presidency town and in the district of Hooghly and Midnapore. * * * The several pamphlets issued in justification of his views show unrivalled powers of reasoning as well as deep knowledge of the Hindu scriptures and legal books. To help the movement he ran heavily into debt, which he lived long enough to clear." Of course, some of his friends helped him, now and then, with money, but that was too small to meet the demands. Besides, most of those, who had promised him large contributions, forsook him one by one like birds of passage. In a few years, his embarrassments grew upon him so heavily, that he had to seek re-entrance into public service, though without success, of which in its proper place. But he was not dispirited or dejected in the slightest degree. He was as resolutely firm as a rock. He had made the remarriage of Hindu widows the chiefest aim of his life. He was a victim to much persecution at the hands of his opponents. Some even went so far as to attempt at his life. But he was never daunted in the least. Nothing could move him a hair from his life-long aim. When his father, Thakurdas, heard that the life of his dear son was at risk, he sent a club-