INTRODUCTION. 99 line, viz “o co-so" which is to be found in the older MSS. of which one was shown me at Gaila, the poet’s birth place, some years ago. As there are six seasons (Rož), one Moon (*i) and four Vedas the date is 1416 Saka (A. D. 1494 ) i. e. the year after the date, I showed in the Asiatic Society of Bengal for April, 1910 (p. 166 ) to be the accession year of Husen Saha. I was further given to understand at the time I saw the MS. that the year 1416 Saka for the writing of Manasā Mangala agrees with the author's statement that the goddess ordered him to compose the work on the Sunday after the full moon of Shravana, which was Sunday.” ” The present Gaila and Fullashri ( the birth place of Vijaya Gupta) in the district of Backerganj once formed the same village; so the MSS. of Vijay Gupta's poems found there are more reliable than those found elsewhere, especially in regard to those passages which mention localities and dates in which copyists are generally found to commit errors. I am indebted to Babus Haragopala Daskundu, Haridas Palit, Basantaranjan Ray, Sibratan Mitra, Akrurehandra Sen and Anandanath Ray for supplying me with extracts from some of the poems which I could not secure here. I must here acknowledge my deep indebtedness to Babu Nagendranath Vasu, Prāchyavidyāmahārnava, without whose friendly aid, the preparation of the present compilation would have presented difficulties, which in my weak state of health, I could hardly have expected to cope with. My thanks are due to Mr. Allan Cameron, M. A., Professor of the Scottish Churches College, Calcutta, for kindly revising some of the proofs of this introduction with care. But as changes and additions were subsequently made, I am alone responsible for any errors that may be found in it. and I am painfully conscious that there are such errors, as owing to my bad health, I could not always do my best in respect of proof-reading. In conclusion my greatest thanks are due to Sir Asutosh Mookerjee, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta, without whose constant encouragement and help, this work would not have been completed. If the book is found to possess any merit, my highest reward will be the joy of proving worthy of his great kindness. BAGHBAzAR, CALcutta. DINESH CHANDRA SEN. 19, KANTA PUKUR LANE, The 25th January 1914.!
- Dacca Review, March, 1913, p. 457.
