education at home, according to the custom of his family, he, when eight years of age, entered the Hindoo College, and continued his studies there till the age of seventeen. After leaving the College he completed his English education at home under the private tuition of Captain D. L. Richardson, the well-known scholar and poetical writer, the Rev. Dr. Nash, and other competent European instructors.

Along with that devotion to Sanskrit studies which we have seen to have been hereditary in the family for a long series of generations, he displayed from an early period a marked taste for literary composition both in English and in the vernacular, and especially for poetry, as the verses contributed by him to the Provakar, then edited by the well-known Bengalee poet, Ishwar Chundra Gupta, and in the Literary Gazette, testify.

At a comparatively early age he turned his special attention to the drama, and has not only, by his liberal patronage and per

sonal exertion, done more than any man living to develop and raise the character of the native stage, but has himself composed a large number of Bengalee dramas and farces in the vernacular, among which the 'Bidya Sundara Natak' occupies the foremost place, and is entitled to rank among the classical compositions of the day.

His æsthetic taste soon led him to see that an improved orchestra was the necessary complement of an improved stage. Here his musical knowledge stood him in good stead, and, along with his brother, Sourendra Mohun Tagore, he applied himself with success to the task of developing a new system of concerted music, which has now been generally adopted for dramatic and other purposes.

He was largely instrumental in the organisation of the theatrical entertainments at the Belgatchia Villa which helped so much to popularise the Bengalee drama in its modern form, and thus paved the way for the establishment of public native theatres.

Though theatrical performances by pro

fessional' native artistes are now, thanks to the stimulus thus given to the taste of the people, almost nightly occurrences in Calcutta, the private dramatic entertainments still given by the Maharaja in his house have not only lost none of their old attraction, but occupy a position of pre-eminence in the public estimation, and are attended by the élite of both the European and the native community.

Maharaja Jotendra Mohun Tagore has been, from the commencement of his public career, an active member of the BritishIndian Association, and, after filling for some time the office of Honorary Secretary, he was, in 1879, elected its President.

In the beginning of the year 1870 Sir William Grey appointed him a Member of the Bengal Council, in which capacity he rendered such excellent service that in 1871 he was nominated for a further term of membership by Sir George Campbell.

The following letter, inviting him to retain office, testifies to the high opinion enter

tained of him by a Lieutenant-Governor who

was above flattery :

'Belvedere, Alipore, October 5, 1871.

'MY DEAR RAJA,—I hope you will allow me to nominate you for another term in the Bengal Legislative Council. Your high character and fair mode of dealing with all questions render your assistance especially valuable, and I have much confidence that you are a man not bound to class interests, but prepared to look to the good of the whole community, high and low alike.

'Believe me, very truly yours,

(Sd.) G. CAMPBELL.

'Raja Jotendra Mohun Tagore, &c.'

Previously to his retirement, Sir George Campbell's predecessor in office, Sir William Grey, had strongly recommended Jotendra Mohun to the Government of India for a suitable title, and on March 17, 1871, Lord Mayo accordingly conferred on him the rank of Raja Bahadur.

M

In making this recommendation, Sir William Grey wrote:

'Babu Jotendra Mohun is a man of great enlightenment, and has had a thoroughly good English education. He is one of the leading members of the native community, is of unexceptionable private character, and is held by his fellow countrymen in the highest respect. He is a useful member of the Council of the Lieutenant-Governor, and takes a deep and thoughtful interest in the progress of the country. He has estates in the districts of Midnapore, Faridpore, Moorshadabad, Rajshahye, Nuddea, and the Twenty-four Pargannas, and during his lifetime enjoys the revenue of the large estates of the late Rai Prosunna Coomar Tagore in Rungpore and other places. He has always been found ready to contribute liberally to schools, roads, and other objects of public interest, both in Calcutta and in the districts in which his estates are situated, and has helped to promote science and literature amongst his countrymen by large contri