Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/456

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WARDS' INSTITUTION.
413

Woodrow will act as President of the committee and will arrange the place and time of meeting in communication with his colleagues:—

(Sd.) "W. S. Atkinson
"Director of Public Instruction.
"No. 3041.

"Copy forwarded to Pundit Eshwar Chunder Vidyasagar for information.

"Fort William   (Sd.) "W. S. Atkinson
"The 29th August 1863 "Director of Public Instruction."

Besides these important works, both private and public, he had to attend to many minor matters. He had almost daily to decide and settle many intricate questions on Hindu Law and politics. On the 16th May, 1864, Mr. Stanforth of Ranchi referred the following question to Vidyasagar for decision:—

"A, a zemindar is an idiot. His tenants give him in marriage, but the Zemindar does not understand at the time what the matter (marriage) is. In course of time, this wife of the Zemindar gives birth to a son. Whether this son can be a lawful heir to the Zemindar?'

On the 22nd June of the same year, Vidyasagar passed the following decision:—

"This son is the lawful heir. Although the Zemindar, at the time of his marriage, does not understand what the matter is, yet such defective