History of Bengali Language and Literature c11.27

c11.27

All this was due to the indefatigable industry of Dr. Carey and his colleagues. They were determined to publish the Bible in Bengali, and this Carey was ultimately able to do. Imagine his great delight when on the 18th of March, 1803, Mr. Ward set the first types with his own hands and presented him with the first sheet of the Testament. We find the following account of him in the notice of his career published by the British and Foreign Bible Society at his death in 1834. "The extent of his zeal may be judged by the fact that, in conjunction with his colleagues, he has been instrumental in giving to the tribes of Asia the sacred scriptures in whole or in part in between 30 and 40 different languages." He acquired Bengali with a thoroughness which we scarcely find in any other