1885: Calcutta to Surrey
I write to you amidst the din of this distant city, reflecting upon the nature and purpose of our English mission here in India. Recently, my thoughts have been drawn to a stirring declaration made long ago by William Wilberforce in 1813:
“Let us endeavour to strike our roots into the soil by the gradual introduction and establishment of our own principles and opinions; of our laws, institutions and manners; above all, as the source of every other improvement, of our religion and consequently of our morals”.
This statement seems to encapsulate the very spirit of our Empire’s civilising mission. Yet it also raises a question I must place before you with utmost sincerity and curiosity: do you agree that the English race is indeed superior and that it is not merely our right but our solemn obligation to follow Wilberforce’s course—to implant our principles, laws and religion upon India, thus guiding its people toward greater refinement?
The belief that we carry a divine mandate to civilise “lesser” peoples weighs heavily on the conscience of many here. It colours our interactions, shapes our education of the natives and informs the work of missionaries and administrators alike. And yet, I confess, this very conviction prompts in me a troubling reflection: how are we to reconcile this sense of superiority with the knowledge of our own country’s struggles—poverty, unrest and social discord—that might give pause before asserting such an unquestioned right?
Still, the words of Wilberforce echo on in numerous government halls and mission schools, driving a determination to remake this vast land in England’s image, by law, custom and faith. This, it seems, is both the burden and the pride of our nation’s role in the world.
I await your thoughts with keen interest, dear cousin, for no subject could be more vital to the understanding between us.
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