From ‘Epistles – Fourth Series’-chapter -V of Volume 8 of The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda.
CHICAGO,
September, 1894.
DEAR DIWANJI SAHEB (Shri Haridas Viharidas Desai),
Your kind letter reached long ago, but as I had not anything to write I was late in answering.
Your kind note to G. W. Hale has been very gratifying, as I owed them that much. I have been travelling all over this country all this time and seeing everything. I have come to this conclusion that there is only one country in the world which understands religion — it is India; that with all their faults the Hindus are head and shoulders above all other nations in morality and spirituality; and that with proper care and attempt and struggle of all her disinterested sons, by combining some of the active and heroic elements of the West with the calm virtues of the Hindus, there will come a type of men far superior to any that have ever been in this world.
I do not know when I come back; but I have seen enough of this country, I think, and so soon will go over to Europe and then to India.
With my best love, gratitude to you and all your brothers,
I remain, yours faithfully,
VIVEKANANDA.