SUTTEE
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sni,—Your readers and your reviewer—whose courtesy and knowledge I appreciate—will be interested to know that suttee shows a tendency to recur even now. Last month a widow burnt herself privately ; and last NOvember another burnt in Bihar before a crowd that, according to newspaper report, prevented police interference. Sixteen accused have been sent up to the High Court, and the case should prove illuminating reading.
I have been perplexed for many years by the little interest my countrymen take in Indian affairs—and that little becomes almost nothing when we get away from politics.. I think it is because we have so little respect for their ideas and ideals. To-day we listen with contempt—eVen if we are too polite to show it—to stories, however beautiful, that represent a woman's personality as fulfilled in the absolute devOtion of herself to her husband. Much as I felt the unfairness of Miss Mayo's book, since then I have thought it an excellent thing that Indian civilization should find itself on the defensiVe —away from all atmosphere of panegyric or idealization.
and fighting for bare respect. The ending of suffering or injustice is the one thing worth doing ; and neither in the East nor the West is the intellect free until it criticizes freely, and wersee that what our ancestors held as to woman's place and duties was not good enough, at its best and highest, and at its worst was abominable.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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