A tribute to Nehru, written for an unidentified volume.
(Carbon copy of a typed original, corrected by hand in pencil. Written some time after the assassination of Gandhi on 30 Jan. 1948.)
—————
Transcript
INDIA’S PLACE IN THE WORLD.
by Lord Pethick-Lawrence.
I am happy to be given the opportunity to pay a tribute to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the pages of this volume. During the years that I have been privileged to count him among my friends my admiration for his qualities has steadily grown. But he has told me that where so many have rendered service to his country he dislikes being singled out for special praise. On the personal side I will content myself therefore with the one incontrovertible statement that India has been indeed fortunate to have as her first Prime Minister a man of his noble character, rich and varied experience and exceptional breadth of outlook.
India has secured control of her own destiny at a time when the whole civilisation of the world is being reincarnated. Old customs and old ideas which have held sway almost from the dawn of history are being discarded. The nation-states of Western Europe in which these ideas were recently embodied are fallen from their high estate. New thoughts are filling the minds of men and women. Some of these have already taken shape. Others are in the realm of the subconscious waiting to be born. India has not merely to adapt herself to these kaleidoscopic changes in the pattern of human life, she has also to play an active part in the conception and gestation of the civilisation that is to be. How important this part is will be realised when we descend from the general to the particular.
First, on the purely material plane, the world is being transformed by the new powers of mass production, radio, television, flight, radar and atomic fission. Every one of these is capable of being used to set men and women free from the sordid scramble for animal existence and enable them to develop to its full stature their physical, moral and spiritual being. But alternatively they may be abused so as to bring about the greater enslavement and degradation of the human race. Which shall it be? The voice of India will be an important factor in the decision.
Next come the recent biological discoveries including new means of eradicating disease in men plants and animals. It is even possible that we are on the eve of revolutionary changes in the whole matter of the growth & production of food. India has suffered grievously in the past from malnutrition and preventible ill health. The responsibility now rests upon her own scientists to find out the remedy and upon her statesmen to apply it.
The civilisation now passing away was founded upon inequality. Even upright and religious men and women seemed to see nothing wrong in a structure of society in which some people lived in luxury while others toiled unceasingly and remained in squalor and degradation. But Gandhiji was one of those who saw in this system an affront to human dignity; and he inveighed against it unceasingly by precept and example. At first the doctrine of communism in its pure form seemed to be the answer but in its application it has got entangled in power politics and totalitarian dictatorship. The new civilisation has to be founded upon human equality; and India in memory of her Mahatma and in accord with the generous impulses of her Prime Minister will wish to take a foremost place among the nations who are imbued with the new spirit.
In the realm of internal government India has astonished the world by her achievement. Even those of us who had the greatest faith in her statesmen scarcely dared to hope that she would be able to integrate the whole of her territory in so short a time and with such general approval. The highest praise is due to all those who have contributed to this remarkable result. It augurs well for the future stability of her State and provides a fine example to other nations.
What of the international outlook? Here I am convinced that India has a part of paramount importance to play. She occupies a pivotal place on the map of the world. She looks westward to Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, eastward to China to the Pacific and to the Americas, northward to the lands of the Soviet Union in Asia, South West to the varied races of Africa and South East to the new civilisation of Australia and New Zealand. So situated she cannot exist isolated and detached.
The world needs friendship and co-operation. It needs the mutual interchange of materials and ideas. Above all it needs peace. But peace like liberty requires eternal vigilance for its preservation. It requires the constant avoidance of the pairs of opposites—arrogance and cowardice, aggressiveness and subservience, self-sufficiency and undue dependence, anarchy and regimentation. A free and democratic India in close association with other likeminded free and democratic peoples can be a great bulwark of peace and of constructive fellowship in the community of nations.
Long may Panditji be spared to exercise his wise leadership in guiding the destinies of his country!
Text as 5/117a.
(Carbon copy, corrected by hand in ink.)
Headingley - thanks him for his letter to his wife, has been given two weeks to live, Blakesley's consistent kindness towards him, asks him to help his wife in the management of his children
RJ got the Bond for £1000 and transfers. He should have seen Saunders, the Secretary, yesterday but was delayed through work. He has tried and failed to see him since. No decision has been made concerning the Principal - 'I fear there is no strictly legal claim for it [the interest] - still it will be very shabby to with hold it - unless indeed they have been keeping the money unused to meet the Board if called on - not a very likely thing - Saunders is to write to me in a day or two and say if he will pay it'. RJ agrees with WW that the Principal should be reinvested in No.1 Eastern Counties guaranteed shares - 'but suppose there are none in the market - shall I wait till there are or invest in some other of the guaranteed shares of the Eastern or North Eastern companies'. The markets are rising so RJ will press Saunders.
Ambassade de France à Londres - Is touched by the sentiments Frazer has expressed on Saint Aulaire's departure from London, has been pleased to get to know him and thanks him for his work to ensure close ties between the two countries.
13a Hanover Terrace, Ladbroke Grove, W.11. - Fears that he will not be able to visit this vacation because he has lectures to give and prepare and is going away for Christmas. Is sorry that she does not have better news of Norton and unsure whether being 'shut away in a rest-cure' is the best thing for him. Mrs Waley [Rachel Sophia Waley?] returns tomorrow; he understands she is much better.
Hallington Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne. - Has been looking at the books left to him in their father's will, and believes that Bob should have the collection of over a hundred volumes in the 'Pipontine [sic: Bipontine] or Deux Ponts Edition in old white binding', currently in Sir George's study, many of which contain notes by Macaulay. Feels that Bob would appreciate these notes much better than he would himself, since they are 'on points of classical scholarship and history in which [he is] an ignoramus'. Would give him great pleasure to think of the books 'in the new Library at the Shiffolds' and often read by Bob.
Robert's place in class, with masters' comments, for Latin, French, Divinity, History, Geography and Arithmetic, with comments on English, Music, Drawing and General Conduct. Date for the beginning of next term given.
Hotel des Alpes, Mürren. - Arrived yesterday and plan to stay for more than a week; it is a 'wonderful place' though the air is 'rather fatiguing' at first. She will rest today; Sir George is very well and 'walks a great deal'. The electric railway to Interlaken is pleasant and travels through some fine passes. Very sorry to hear from Elizabeth about the Russells; [their separation] is 'surprising and very sad'; sure Russell is 'difficult, & the family are rather uncompromising' but he is 'a quiet good fellow'; does not know her [Alys] well but thought she seemed 'to belong to another "monde"'. Likes to think of Julian almost walking; asked what is settled about the nurses, and whether Mrs Catt is going to the hospital; it is very sad. People must be very anxious about the weather [for the Coronation]; is glad to be 'out of it all'; Mürren is completely quiet, with no road for carriages, and Bob would love it. Glad Julian likes his cart. George says [he and Janet] are going on 12 July to the Lakes, and would like to come to Wallington in September; asks if Elizabeth and Robert could be there for some of that time. Is glad the [Lake] Hunt was a success once more, it is 'a wonderful institution'. Thinks C[harles] and M[ary] will enjoy themselves at the [Coronation] festivities. Sends love to Robert, and asks if Mr [Roger] Fry is coming.
The Bri[tish] Mus[eum] Lib[rary]. - Is staying at Hare Court till Wednesday, when [Charles] Sanger starts for Greece; he is no better yet. Wrote to Aunt M[eg Price] about the piano suggesting 'delicately' that they might make an exchange [of an upright for a grand] one day; thinks it will be all right. Went on his bicycle to Dorking to see the Frys, and saw Laurence Binyon and another friend, with whom he went up Leith Hill. Has got on quite well with his play recently. Would like to see Bessie in her 'new spectacles, like a professor'; Curry & Paxton say Ambro [Hubrecht]'s spectacles are ready, asks whether he is to send them or bring them over. Thinks "Wuthering Heights" 'altogether more wonderful' than anything Charlotte [Bronte] wrote, though he does not 'depreciate Villette etc'. Forgot to take the measurements of the table but will as soon as he returns. Teases Bessie about her old fondness for 'the Sweedish [sic] Inst. doctor' [see 9/37]
Postmarked Staines. - Has just received Trevelyan's pencil letter: does not remember receiving anything about Act IV [of "The Bride of Dionysus"] since Trevelyan visited; Tovey will adapt his suggestions in the letter of 23 February for the end of Act I. Begins to say that he cannot fit in 'Since evil is no evil' for musical reason, but realises in writing that he can. Has tackled Theseus slightly differently from the plan in his last letter, so he no longer seems to blame P[oseidon?] for not fighting Zeus.
Harnham, Monument Green, Weybridge. - Asks whether he is quoting a stanza beginning 'Walker with one leg' correctly, and whether Balzac composed the C.H. ["Comedie Humaine"] in a summer house. Looks forward to seeing Trevelyan on Wednesday, and hopes that he will be coming out to India in the autumn. Is reading [James?] Fergusson and Vincent Smith [on India].
9 Grand Parade, St. Leonards, Sussex. - Can 'hardly hold a pen' [due to arthritis] but must send thanks for the 'beautiful translations from the classics' [this year's "From the Shiffolds"]; it 'takes a poet to render poetry into another tongue'. Christmas and new year best wishes.
Handed in at Holmbury St Mary; sent to Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - 'Son [Paul] born [yesterday] evening both doing very well indeed Trevelyan'.
Sent 9.50 am, received at Stratford on Avon office 10.52 am.
Correspondence, 1961, 1964, 1974, 1989.
Trinity College - When WW last wrote he had not seen the article on RJ in the Quarterly Review: 'I think you have great good luck in escaping out of my hands for I had not ventured to say so broadly what I supposed your plan to be though I expected to leave nearly the same impression, and I certainly never dreamt of quoting you to the extent to which Lockhart's [John Lockhart] established reviewer has done...I am quite sure both from what he says to me and still more from the inscrutable manner in which the whole business of the Review is carried on that he is very far from absolute, and that there is some greater power behind his editorial throne'. WW thinks that RJ's success among the existing political economists, will depend greatly 'on its being explained to them what you are supposed to have different from their doctrine'. If RJ wants 'candid and thinking readers you must go to Germany'. The master of Trinity - Christopher Wordsworth - 'is delighted' with RJ's book ['An Essay on the Distribution of Wealth, and on the Sources of Taxation: Part 1. - Rent', 1831] and impatient for the next volume on wages. WW gives his comments on the review of Whately [Richard Whately].
2 letters from A. Brauer, 1932, to Blichfeldt.
'Remarks on work of Blichfeldt', n.d. (c.1947-50).
2pp. ms. notes by Davenport.
4pp. miscellaneous ms. notes on Blichfeldt, made by Davenport, n.d. (c.1947-50).
'Various topics in the theory of numbers', 1953-54.
6pp. typescript draft of a lecture by Davenport, containing material on 'Blichfeldt's Principle'.
Both receipts numbered 33, and signed by the same collector, Samuel C. Kingston. One receipt records payment of 'Poor's Rate', 'Lighting Rate', 'General Rate' and 'Watering Rate'; the other payment of 'Metropolis Main Drainage Rate' (with no payments for the 'Vestry Sewers Rate' and 'Ranelagh District Rate'),
4 bundles.
Edinburgh - References to Henri Victor Regnault's researches on steam and his formula are given in the Memoires de l'Academie des Sciences and occupy a whole volume printed in 1847. HVR's hygrometer [an instrument which measures the humidity of the air or other gases] is superior to Daniell's [John F. Daniell]: 'It acts by drawing air by aspiration through ether in a tube, whose exterior is silvered and receives the dew'. JDF has difficulty answering WW's question about the Polarity of Bismuth: 'My impression on reading Tyndall's paper was in his favour, but not quite confidently [John Tyndall. On the Existence of a Magnetic Medium in Space, 1855]. On the other hand I do not know what opinion Faraday has of late maintained. I confess that his language and that of Thomson (who is understood to agree with him) is almost metaphysically obscure and that Thomson in his later published correspondence with Tyndall seemed to me almost to admit the fact except in words'.
20 Somerset Terrace, Duke’s Road, W.C.—Reflects on yesterday’s fine weather, and her activities with Pearse and others. Encloses a letter from Newnham, and refers to her proposed purchase of the Dutch House and land for building.