Mahatma Letter No. 26

This is Letter No. 102 in Barker numbering. See below for Context and background.

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Page 1 transcription, image, and notes

Received Simla, 1881.

My dear young friend, I am sorry to differ from you in your last two points. If he can stand one sentence of rebuke be will stand far more than what you would have me alter. Ou tout ou rien — as my frenchified K.H. taught me to say. I have thought your suggestion No. 1 — good and have fully adopted it, hoping that you will not refuse some day to give me lessons of English. I had "Benjamin" stick a patch in the page, and made him forge my caligraphy while smoking a pipe on my back. Not having the right to follow K. H. I feel very lonely without my boy. Hoping to be excused for writing, and refusal, I trust you will not shrink from telling the truth, if need be, even in the face of the son of "a member of Parliament." You have too many eyes watching you to afford making mistakes now.

M.

NOTES:

• "tout ou rien" means "all or nothing" in French.