Epistles (second series)

Miss. Alberta Sturges

LXX
19 W. 38, New York
8th July, 1895
Dear Alberta {Miss. Alberta Sturges},
I am sure you are engrossed in your musical studies now. Hope you have found out all about the scales by this time. I will be so happy to take a lesson on the scales from you next time we meet.
We had such jolly good time up there at Percy with Mr. Leggett--isn't he a saint?
Hollister is also enjoying Germany greatly,I am sure, and I hope none of you have injured your tongues in trying to pronounce German words--especially those beginning with sch, tz, tsz, and other sweet things.
I read your letter to your mother from on board. Most possibly I am going over to Europe next September. I have never been to Europe yet. It will not be very much different from the United States after all. And I am already well drilled in the manners and customs of this country.
We had a good deal of rowing at Percy and I learnt a point or two in rowing. Aunt Joe Joe had to pay for her sweetness, for the flies and mosquitoes would not leave her for a moment. They rather gave me a wide berth, I think, because they were very orthodox sabbatarian flies and would "not touch a heathen. Again, I think, I used to sing a good deal at Percy, and that must have frightened them away. We had such fine birch trees. I got up an idea of making books out of the bark, as was used to be done in ancient times in our country, and wrote Sanskrit verses for your mother and aunt.
I am sure, Alberta, you are going to be a tremendously learned lady very soon.
With love and blessings for both of you,
Ever your affectionate,
Swami Vivekananda

 

LXXXVII
R.M.S. "Britannic",
Thursday morning, Dec.5, 1895
Dear Alberta,
Received your nice letter last evening. Very kind of you to remember me. I am going soon to see the "Heavenly Pair". Mr. Leggett is a saint as I have told you already, and your mother is a born empress, every inch of her, with a saint's heart inside.
I am so glad you are enjoying the Alps so much. They must be wonderful. It is always in such places that the human soul aspires for freedom. Even if the nation is spiritually poor, it aspires for physical freedom. I met a young Swiss in London. He used to come to my classes. I was very successful in London, and though I did not care for the noisy city, I was very much pleased with the people. In your country, Alberta, the Vedantic thought was introduced in the beginning by ignorant "cranks", and one has to work his way through the difficulties created by such introductions. You may have noticed that only a few men or women of the upper classes ever joined my classes in America. Again in America the upper classes being the rich, their whole time is spent in enjoying their wealth and imitating (aping?) the Europeans. On the other hand in England the Vedantic ideas have been introduced by the most learned men in the country, and there are a large number among the upper classes in England who are very thoughtful. So you will be astonished to hear that I found my grounds all prepared, and I am convinced that my work will have more hold on England than America. Add to this the tremendous tenacity of the English character, and judge for yourself. By this you will find that I have changed a good deal of my opinion about England,and I am glad to confess it. I am perfectly sure that we will do still better in Germany. I am coming back to England next summer. In the meanwhile my work is in very able hands. Joe Joe has been the same kind good pure friend to me here as in America, and my debt to your family is simply immense. My love and blessings to Hollister and you. The steamer is standing at anchor on account of fog. The purser has very kindly given me a whole cabin by myself. Every Hindu is a Raja, they think, and are very polite--and the charm will break, of course, when they find that the Raja is penniless!!
Yours with love and blessings,
Vivekananda

CXVII

14 Greycoat Gardens,
Westminster, London S.W.,
3rd Dec., 1896.

Dear Alberta,
Herewith I enclose a letter of Mabel to Joe Joe to you. I have enjoyed the news in it very much and so I am sure you will.
I am to start from here for India on the 16th and to take the steamer at Naples. I will, therefore, be in Italy for some days and in Rome for three or four days. I will be very happy to look in to say goodbye to you.
Capt. and Mrs. Sevier from England are going to India with me, and they will be with me in Italy of course. You saw them last summer.
I intend to return to the U.S. and to Europe thence in about a year.

With all love and blessings,
Vivekananda.

CXX
Hotel Minerva, Florence,
20th Dec., 1896.
Dear Alberta,
Tomorrow we reach Rome. I will most possibly come to see you day after tomorrow as it will be late in the night when we reach Rome. We stop at the Hotel Continental.

With all love and blessings,
Vivekananda.

 

CLXIV
6 Place Des Etats Unis,
Paris, France,
10 September 1900.

Dear Alberta,
I am surely coming this evening and of course will be very glad to meet the princess (probably Princess Demidoff) and her brother. But if it be too late to find my way out here, you will have to find me a place to sleep in the house.
Yours with love and blessings,
VIVEKANANDA.
CLXV
The Math, Belur,
11th Dec., 1900.
Dear Joe,
I arrived night before last. Alas! my hurrying was of no use.
Poor Captain Sevier passed away, a few days ago -- thus two great Englishmen gave up their lives for us -- us the Hindus. Thus is martyrdom if anything is. Mrs. Sevier I have written to just now, to know her decision.I am well, things are well here -- every way. Excuse this haste. I will write longer ere long.
Ever yours in truth,
VIVEKANANDA.

 

LIII

Perros Guirec
Bretagne
22nd September, 1900

To Miss Alberta Sturges
on her 23rd birthday

The mother's heart, the hero's will,
The softest flower's sweetest feel;
The charm and force that ever sway
The altar fire's flaming play;
The strength that leads, in love obeys;
Far reaching dreams, and patient ways,
Eternal faith in Self, in all
The sight Divine in great in small;
All these, and more than I could see
Today may "Mother" grant to thee.

Ever yours with love and blessings,

Vivekananda.

Dear Alberta,

This little poem is for your birthday. It is not good, but it has all my love. I am sure, therefore, you will like it.Will you kindly send a copy each of the pamphlets there to madame Besnard, Clairoix, Bres Compiegne, Oise, and oblige?

Your well wisher,
Vivekananda.

 

Epistles (third series)

LIII

Perros Guirec
Bretagne
22nd September, 1900

To Miss Alberta Sturges
on her 23rd birthday

The mother's heart, the hero's will,
The softest flower's sweetest feel;
The charm and force that ever sway
The altar fire's flaming play;
The strength that leads, in love obeys;
Far-reaching dreams, and patient ways,
Eternal faith in Self, in all
The sight Divine in great in small;
All these, and more than I could see
Today may "Mother" grant to thee.

Ever yours with love and blessings,

Vivekananda.

Dear Alberta,

This little poem is for your birthday. It is not good, but it has all my love. I am sure, therefore, you will like it.Will you kindly send a copy each of the pamphlets there to madame Besnard, Clairoix, Bres Compiegne, Oise, and oblige?

Your well-wisher,
Vivekananda.

 

Epistles (fifth series)

CLXXXVI

To Miss Alberta Sturges

[Swami Vivekananda sent the following postcard.

[Constantinople,
November 1, 1900]
Dear Alberta,
How are you? I am having a grand Turkish time.
Yours,
Vivekananda

 

 

Back to Complete Known Letters