To Swami Turiyananda

6 PLACE DES ETATS UNIS, PARIS,.

13th August, 1900.

DEAR BROTHER HARI, I got your letter from California. So three persons are getting spiritual trances; well, it is not bad. Even out of that much good will come. Shri Ramakrishna knows! Let things happen as they will. His work He knows, you and I are but servants and nothing else.

I am sending this letter to San Francisco - care of Mrs. C. Panel. Just now I got some news from New York. They are well. Kali is on tour. Write in detail about your health and work in San Francisco. And don't be indifferent to the question of sending money to the Math. See that money goes certainly every month, from Los Angeles and San Francisco.

I am on the whole doing well. I am shortly starting for England. I get news of Sharat. Recently he had an attack of dysentery. The rest are all well. This time few got malaria; nor is it so prevalent on the banks of the Ganga. This year, owing to the scarcity of rain, there is fear of famine in Bengal also.

By the grace of Mother, go on doing work, brother. Mother knows, and you know - but I am off! Now I am going to take a rest.

Yours affectionately,

CXC.

To Mr. John Fox

BOULEVARD HANS SWAN, PARIS,.

14th August, 1900.

JOHN FOX, ESQ.,.

6 Dr. Wolf Street,

Dorchester, Ma.s.s, U.S., America.

Kindly write Mohin (Mahendranath Datta, younger brother of Swamiji.) that he has my blessings in whatever he does. And what he is doing now is surely much better than lawyering, etc. I like boldness and adventure and my race stands in need of that spirit very much. Only as my health is failing and I do not expect to live long, Mohin must see his way to take care of mother and family. I may pa.s.s away any moment. I am quite proud of him now.

Yours affectionately,

CXCI.

(Translated from Bengali)

To Swami Turiyananda

6 PLACE DES ETATS UNIS, PARIS,.

August, 1900.

DEAR BROTHER HARI, Now I am staying on the sea-coast of France. The session of the Congress of History of Religions is over. It was not a big affair; some twenty scholars chattered a lot on the origin of the Shlagrma and the origin of Jehovah, and similar topics. I also said something on the occasion.

My body and mind are broken down; I need rest badly. In addition, there is not a single person on whom I can depend; on the other hand so long as I live, all will become very selfish depending upon me for everything. . . . Dealing with people entails constant mental uneasiness. . . . I have cut myself off by a will. Now I am writing to say that n.o.body will have sole power. All will be done in accordance with the view of the majority. . . . If a trust-deed on similar lines can be executed, then I am free. . . .

What you are doing is also Guru Maharaj's work. Continue to do it. Now I have done my part. Don't write to me any more about those things; do not even mention the subject. I have no opinions whatever to give on that subject. . . .

Yours affectionately,

VIVEKANANDA.

PS. Convey my love to all.

CXCII.

(Translated from Bengali)

To Swami Turiyananda 6 P LACE DES ETATS UNIS, DA FOREST P.O., SANTA CLARA CO., PARIS, FRANCE,

1st September, 1900.

MY DEAR HARI, I learnt everything from your letter. Earlier I had an inkling of some trouble between the full-fledged Vedantist and the Home of Truth - someone wrote that. Such things do occur; wisdom consists in carrying on the work by cleverly keeping all in good humour.

For some time now I have been living incognito. I shall stay with the French to pick up their language. I am somewhat freed from worries; that is to say, I have signed the trust-deed and other things and sent them to Calcutta. I have not reserved any right or ownership for myself. You now possess everything and will manage all work by the Master's grace.

I have no longer any desire to kill myself by touring. For the present I feel like settling down somewhere and spending my time among books. I have somewhat mastered the French language; but if I stay among the French for a month or two, I shall be able to carry on conversation well. If one can master this language and German sufficiently, one can virtually become well acquainted with European learning. The people of France are mere intellectualists, they run after worldly things and firmly believe G.o.d and souls to be superst.i.tious; they are extremely loath to talk on such subjects. This is a truly materialistic country!

Let me see what that Lord does. But this country is at the head of Western culture, and Paris is the capital of that culture.