The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 8/Epistles - Fourth Series/LXXVI Mary
LXXVI
To Miss Mary Hale
63 ST. GEORGE'S ROAD,
LONDON, S.W.,
30th May, 1896.
DEAR MARY,
Your letter reached just now. Of course, you were not jealous but all of a
sudden were inspired with sympathy for poor India. Well, you need not be
frightened. Wrote a letter to Mother Church weeks ago, but have not been
able to get a line from her yet. I am afraid the whole party have taken
orders and entered a Catholic convent — four old maids are enough to drive
any mother to a convent. I had a beautiful visit with Prof. Max Müller. He
is a saint — a Vedantist through and through. What think you? He has been a
devoted admirer of my old Master for years. He has written an article on my
Master in The Nineteenth Century, which will soon come out. We had long talk
on Indian things. I wish I had half his love for India. We are going to
start another little magazine here. What about The Brahmavadin? Are you
pushing it? If four pushful old maids cannot push a journal, I am blowed.
You will hear from me now and then. I am not a pin to be lost under a
bushel. I am having classes here just now. I begin Sunday lectures from next
week. The classes are very big and are in the house. We have rented it for
the season. Last night I made a dish. It was such a delicious mixture of
saffron, lavender, mace, nutmeg, cubebs, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cream,
limejuice, onions, raisins, almonds, pepper, and rice, that I myself could
not eat it. There was no asafoetida, though that would have made it smoother
to swallow.
Yesterday I went to a marriage à la mode. Miss Müller, a rich lady, a friend who has adopted a Hindu boy and to help my work has taken rooms in this house, took us to see it. One of her nieces was married to somebody's nephew I suppose. What tiring nonsense! I am glad you do not marry. Good-bye, love to all. No more time as I am going to lunch with Miss MacLeod.
Yours ever affectionately,
VIVEKANANDA.