History of Bengali Language and Literature c11.20

c11.20

He had started in life as a cobbler. When, however, by his great diligence, piety, scholarship and strength of character he had raised himself to a position of eminence as missionary, he was dining one summar day in 1786 with the Governor General, the Marquis of Hastings, at Barrackpur Park, opposite Çri Rāmapur and, "overheard one of the guests, a general officer, making enquiry of one of the Aides-de-Camp, whether Dr. Carey had not been a shoemaker, on which he stepped forward and exclaimed, 'No Sir, only a cobbler!'" "Carey might be seen" writes John Clark Marshman "walking eight or ten miles to Northampton with his wallet full of shoes upon his shoulders and then returning home with a fresh supply of leather to fulfil his engagements with a Government contractor."