LETTERS OF A JAVANESE PRINCESS
But you do not know why. What one naturally thinks when one speaks of visiting strange lands, is of seeing and understanding new things, enjoying oneself, and perhaps also of learning accomplishments.
But when we feel so much for the suffering of our people, is it strange then that there should be in us a great longing to do something that will help them? What has that to do with our desire to go to your country? We wish to gather knowledge and bring back to our people the treasures of other lands, of your own country first of all. We do not wish to change the spirit of the native Javanese, but to cultivate the goo which is latent in them. That is the goal which we have set before our eyes.
It is such a pity that we live so far from each other. How nice it would be if we could exchange thoughts and ideas. Things can be expressed so much better in spoken than in written words. But our correspondence is very pleasant to me, we meet at so many points. How gladly I should teach you to know and understand my people. A wonder artist must rise up in Java to tell of our race in beautiful words to his fellow countrymen. Just as Fielding has written of the Burmanese. Now we have only that notorious book by Veth[1] that has brought so many pens into motion, and caused a storm of anger to break forth.
Every land has its own individual faults. India just as well as every other country on this round earth. Poor India, in foreign lands one knows so bitterly little of you, and a book like that of Veth will certainly not gain you sympathy. Augusta de Wit[2] writes with understanding, and in beautiful lan-
- ↑ "Java; Geographisch, Ethnolgisch, Historisch," 3 vols. Haraam 1875-80, by Professor Veth of Leyden.
- ↑ "Facts and Fancies about Java," by Augusta de Wit.
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