Epistles (first series)

Frankincense Leggett

C/o Miss Dutcher
Thousand Island Park, N.Y.
18th June, 1895
Dear Friend {Mr. F. Leggett},

A letter reached me from Mrs. Sturges the day before she left, including a cheque for $50. It was impossible to make the acknowledgment reach her the next day; so I take this opportunity to ask you the favour of sending her my thanks and acknowledgment in your next to her.
We are having a nice time here except, as an old Hindu proverb says, that "a pestle must pound even if it goes to heaven". I have to work hard all the same. I am going to Chicago in the beginning of August. When are you starting?
All our friends here send their respects to you. Hoping you all bliss and joy and health, and ever praying for the same.
I remain, yours affectionately,
Vivekananda

c/o Miss Dutcher
Thousand Island Park, N.Y.
7th July, 1895
Dear Friend {Mr. F. Leggett},

I see you are enjoying New York very much, so excuse my breaking into your reverie with a letter.
I had two beautiful letters from Miss MacLeod and Mrs. Sturges. Also they sent over two pretty birch bark books. I have filled them with Sanskrit texts and translations, and they go by today's post.
Mrs. Dora 7 is giving, I hear, some startling performances in the Mahatma line.
Since leaving Percy 8 I have invitations to come over to London from unexpected quarters, and that I look forward to with great expectations.
I do not want to lose this opportunity of working in London. And so your invitation, coupled with the London one, is, I know, a divine call for further work.
I shall be here all this month and only have to go to Chicago for a few days sometime in August.
Don't fret, Father Leggett, this is the best time for expectation--when sure in love.
Lord bless you ever and ever, and may all happiness be yours for ever, as you richly deserve it.
Ever yours in love and affection,
Vivekananda

c/o Miss Dutcher,
Thousand Island Park, N.Y.
31st July, 1895
Dear Friend {Francis Leggett},

I wrote you before this a letter, but as I am afraid it was not posted carefully, I write another. I shall be in time before the 14th. I shall have to come to New York before the 11th anyway. So there will be time enough to get ready.
I shall go with you to Paris, for my principal object in going with you is to see you married. When you go away for a trip, I go to London. That is all.
It is unnecessary to repeat my everlasting love and blessings for you and yours.
Ever your son,
Vivekananda

Epistles (second series)

CII

63 St. George's Road, London S.W.
6th July, 1896.
Dear Frankincense {Mr. Leggett},
. . . Things are going on with me very well on this side of the Atlantic.
The Sunday lectures were quite successful; so were the classes. The season has ended and I too am thoroughly exhausted. I am going to make a tour in Switzerland with Miss Muller. The Galsworthys have been very very kind. Joe 56 brought them round splendidly. I simply admire Joe in her tact and quiet way. She is a feminine statesman or woman. She can wield a kingdom. I have seldom seen such strong yet good common sense in a human being. I will return next autumn and take up the work in America.
The night before last I was at a party at Mrs. Martin's, about whom you must already know a good deal from Joe.
Well, the work is growing silently yet surely in England. Almost every other man or woman came to me and talked about the work. This British Empire with all its drawbacks is the greatest machine that ever existed for the dissemination of ideas. I mean to put my ideas in the center of this machine, and they will spread all over the world. Of course, all great work is slow, and the difficulties are too many, especially as we Hindus are the conquered race. Yet, that is the very reason why it is bound to work, for spiritual ideals have always come from the downtrodden. Jews overwhelmed the Roman Empire with their spiritual ideals. You will be pleased to know that I am also learning my lessons every day in patience and, above all, in sympathy. I think I am beginning to see the Divine, even inside the high and mighty Anglo-Indians. I think I am slowly approaching to that state when I should be able to love the very "Devil" himself, if there were any.
At twenty years of age I was the most unsympathetic, uncompromising fanatic; I would not walk on the footpath on the theatre side of the streets in Calcutta. At thirty-three, I can live in the same house with prostitutes and never would think of saying a word of reproach to them. Is it degenerate? Or is it that I am broadening out into the Universal Love which is the Lord Himself? Again I have heard that if one does not see the evil round him he cannot do good work--he lapses into a sort of fatalism. I do not see that. On the other hand, my power of work is immensely increasing and becoming immensely effective. Some days I get into a sort of ecstasy. I feel that I must bless every one, everything, love and embrace everything, and I do see that evil is a delusion. I am in one of these moods now, dear Francis, and am actually shedding tears of joy at the thought of you and Mrs. Leggett's love and kindness to me. I bless the day I was born. I have had so much of kindness and love here, and that Love Infinite that brought me into being has guarded every one of my actions, good or bad, (don't be frightened), for what am I, what was I ever, but a tool in His hands, for whose service I have given up everything, my beloved ones, my joys, my life? He is my playful darling, I am His playfellow. There is neither rhyme nor reason in the universe! What reason binds Him? He the playful one is playing these tears and laughters over all parts of the play! Great fun, great fun, as Joe says.
It is a funny world, and the funniest chap you ever saw is He--the Beloved Infinite! Fun, is it not? Brotherhood or playmatehood--a school of romping children let out to play in this playground of the world! Isn't it? Whom to praise, whom to blame, it is all His play. They want explanations, but how can you explain Him? He is brainless, nor has He any reason. He is fooling us with little brains and reason, but this time He won't find me napping.
I have learnt a thing or two: Beyond, beyond reason and learning and talking is the feeling, the "Love", the "Beloved". Ay, sake , fill up the cup and we will be mad.
Yours ever in madness,
Vivekananda.

CXIX
13th Dec., 1896.

Dear Frankincense {Mr. Leggett},
So Gopala 58 has taken the female form! It is fit that it should be so--the time and the place considering. May all blessings follow her through life. She was keenly desired, prayed for, and she comes as a blessing to you and to your wife for life. I have not the least doubt.
I wish I could have come to America now if only to fulfil the form "the sages of the East bringing presents to the Western baby". But the heart is there with all prayers and blessings, and the mind is more powerful than the body.
I am starting on the 16th of this month and take the steamer at Naples. Will see Alberta in Rome surely. With all love to the holy family.
Yours ever in the Lord,
Vivekananda.

XLV

Chicago
26th Nov., 1899.

My dear Mrs. Leggett,

Many, many thanks for all your kindness and especially the kind note. I am going to start from Chicago on Thursday next, and got the ticket and berth ready for that day.
Miss Noble is doing very well here, and working her way out. I saw Alberta the other day. She is enjoying every minute of her stay here and is very happy. Miss Adams (Jane Adams), as ever is an angel.
I shall wire to Joe Joe before I start and read all night.
With all love to Mr. Leggett and yourself,

Ever yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.

LI

17th April, 1900.

My Dear Mr. Leggett,
Herewith I send the executed Will to you. It has been executed as desired by her, and of course, as usual, I am requesting you for the trouble of taking charge of it.
You and yours have been so uniformly kind to me. But you know, dear friend, it is human nature to ask for more favours (now that they have come) where it gets from.
I am only a man, your child.
I am so sorry A__ has made disturbances. He does that now and then, at least used to. I do not venture to meddle, for fear of creating more trouble. You know how to manage him best. By the time you receive this letter, I will be off from San Francisco. Will you kindly send my Indian mail C/o Mrs. Hale, 10 Aster Street, Chicago, and to Margot in the same place? Margot writes very thankfully of your gift of a thousand dollars for her school.
May all blessings ever follow you and yours for your uniform kindness to me and mine, is the constant prayer of

Yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.

PS. I am so glad to learn that Mrs. Leggett has already recovered.

Epistles (third series)

XLV

Chicago
26th Nov., 1899.

My dear Mrs. Leggett,

Ever yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.

LI
17th April, 1900.

Yours affectionately,
Vivekananda.

PS. I am so glad to learn that Mrs. Leggett has already recovered.

Epistles (fourth series)

XXXIX
To Mr. Francis Leggett
New York,
10th April, 1895.
Dear Friend {Mr. Leggett},
It is impossible to express my gratitude for your kindly inviting me to your country seat. I am involved in a mistake now and find it impossible for me to come tomorrow. Tomorrow I have a class at Miss Andrews' of 40 W. 9th Street. As I was given to understand by Miss MacLeod that that class could be postponed, I was only too glad at the prospect of joining the company tomorrow. But I find that Miss MacLeod was mistaken and Miss Andrews came to tell me that she could not by any means stop the class tomorrow or even give notice to the members, who are about 50 or 60 in number.
In view of this I sincerely regret my inability and hope that Miss MacLeod and Mrs. Sturges will understand that it is an unavoidable circumstance, and not the will, that stands in the way of my taking advantage of your kind invitation.
I shall only be too glad to come day after tomorrow, or any other day this week, as it suits you.
Ever sincerely yours,
Vivekananda.

Epistles (fifth series)

LV
To Mr. Francis H. Leggett
54 W. 33rd St.
New York
THE 4TH MAY '95
Dear Friend,
Many thanks for your kind present. The cigars are indeed delicious--and a hundred times so, as coming from you.
With everlasting love and regards,
I remain yours truly,
Vivekananda

LXVII
To Mr. Francis Leggett
[Thousand Island Park, U.S.A.
August 1895]
Dear Friend,
I received your note duly.
Very kind of you and noble to ask me to have my own time to London. Many thanks for that. But I am in no hurry for London and, moreover, I want to see you married in Paris and then I go over to London.
I will be ready, Father Leggett, at hand and in time--never fear.
Yours affectionately ever,
Vivekananda

XCIII
To Mr. Francis Leggett 112
63 St. George's Road, London, S.W.
6th July 1896
To Francis Leggett, Esq.
Dear Sir,
Herewith I constitute you as my attorney and representative in regards to all publication pamphlets etc., written or dictated by me, their copyright, sale, etc., in the U.S. of America.
Yours affectionately,
Vivekananda

CXI
To Mrs. Francis Leggett
Almora
20 June '97
Dear Mother--
Herewith I take the liberty to introduce to you Miss Tremayne of London, a particular friend of mine going over to the States.
Any help given to her would greatly oblige.
Yours in the Lord,
Vivekananda

CLXXX

To Mrs. Francis Leggett

[Swami Vivekananda sent the following telegram on Friday, August 3, 1900, when the S.S. Champagne (which he had boarded in New York on July 26) docked at Le Havre, France.]

[Postmarked: Friday, August 3, 1900]
Arrive a huit hres Stlazare--Vivekananda

[Translation: "I arrive at eight o'clock (p.m.) St. Lazare--
Vivekananda".]

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