"In reading Professor Sen's book, I have been interested in this gradual emergence of the Bengali language from Prakrit and Apabhramsa. As usual, we find at the beginning devotional and lyric songs and mystical poetry, followed by narrative poetry. Gradually literary prose develops, and drama, and finally, fiction. Professor Sen gives many details about past writers. What I have been interested in is the broad sweep of the progress of the Bengali language and, especially, in its development during more or less recent times when it was reacting to Western influences..." - from the Foreword by Jawaharlal Nehru.