History of Bengali Language and Literature c8.54

c8.54

As a natural consequence of this neglect, a large number of valuable manuscripts has been allowed to be eaten by worms or destroyed by fire, unknown and unheeded. The Battalā Printing Agencies of Calcutta, which have undertaken to minister to the literary wants of a rustic folk have preserved a considerable portion of them by printing them on paper of very inferior quality, the printer's devil having freely distorted and tampered with the readings. Yet, though meagre in number and poor in execution, the Battalā Presses have preserved what otherwise would have met with a certain destruction, and though late we have now risen to a consciousness of the gratitude which we owe to them for this invaluable service.