Dalpatram (1820–1898) and Narmad (1833–1886) are the trailblazers of modern Gujarati literature. Dalpatram's "Venacharitra" portrays his command over hilarity and wittiness. He contributed in prose and poetry. His prose works include plays, essays and other works such as "Laxminatak", "Mithyabhiman", "Streesambhashan", "Tarkikbodh", "Daivagnadarpan" and "Bhootnibandh". His poetry include "Farbasvilas", "Farbasvirah", "Dalpatpingal" and "Hope Vachanmala". Modern studies of Gujarat and its language began with the British administrator Alexander Kinlock Forbes shortly after the British occupation of the region. Alexander Forbes carried out an extensive investigation of Gujarati culture and literature over the previous thousand years and amassed a large collection of manuscripts. An organisation named after him, called the Farbas Gujarati Sabha, dedicates itself to the preservation and promotion of Gujarati literature and language and history from its headquarters in Mumbai. The first Gujarati dictionary, known as "Narmakosh", was composed and compiled by Narmad; it is essentially a history of the world, and also an authority on poetics. He moved away from the subjects of medieval literature and wrote on freedom, nationalism, nature and romance. He attempted many varieties of poetry and smoothly adapted English verses into Gujarati. He wrote the first autobiography "Mari Hakikat" of Gujarati literature. He also wrote essays and plays. His "Rukmini Haran" and "Virasinh" are considered by scholars to be masterpiece compendia of poems.