A Book's Magic Spell

The black plague enhanced my influence with the poor Indians, and increased my business and my responsibility. Some of the new contacts with Europeans became so close that they added considerably to my moral obligations.

The black plague increased my influence among poor Indians, as well as my business and responsibilities. Some of my new relationships with Europeans became so close that they greatly increased my moral obligations.

I made the acquaintance of Mr. Polak in the vegetarian restaurant, just as I had made that of Mr. West. One evening a young man dining at a table a little way off sent me his card expressing a desire to see me. I invited him to come to my table, which he did.

I met Mr. Polak at the vegetarian restaurant, just as I had met Mr. West. One evening, a young man dining at a nearby table sent me his card and asked to see me. I invited him to join me at my table, and he came over.

‘I am sub-editor of the Critic,’ he said. ‘When I read your letter to the press about the plague, I felt a strong desire to see you. I am glad to have this opportunity.’

‘I am an assistant editor of the Critic,’ he said. ‘When I read your letter to the press about the plague, I really wanted to meet you. I am glad to have the chance.’

Mr. Polak’s candour drew me to him. The same evening we got to know each other and we seemed to hold closely similar views on the essential things of life. He liked simple life. He had a wonderful faculty of translating into practice anything that appealed to his intellect. Some of the changes that he had made in his life were as prompt as they were radical.

Mr. Polak’s openness drew me to him. We got to know each other that same evening. We seemed to share very similar views on the essential things in life. He liked living simply. He had a remarkable ability to put into practice anything that appealed to his intellect. Some of the changes he had made in his life were as quick as they were radical.

Indian Opinion was getting more and more expensive every day. The very first report from Mr. West was alarming. He wrote: ‘I do not expect the concern to yield the profit that you had thought probable. I am afraid there may be even a loss. The books are not in order. There are heavy arrears to be recovered, but one cannot make head or tail of them. Considerable overhauling will have to be done. But all this need not alarm you. I shall try to put things right as best I can. I remain on, whether there is profit or not.’

Indian Opinion was becoming more expensive to run every day. Mr. West’s very first report was alarming. He wrote: ‘I do not expect the business to make the profit you thought it probably would. I am afraid it may even make a loss. The accounts are not in order. A great deal of overdue money needs to be collected, but the records make no sense. The accounts will need considerable work. But none of this need alarm you. I will do my best to put things right. I will stay on, whether or not the business makes a profit.’

Mr. West might have left when he discovered that there was no profit, and I could not have blamed him. In fact, he had a right to arraign me for having described the concern as profitable without proper proof. But he never so much as uttered one word of complaint. I have, however, an impression that this discovery led Mr. West to regard me as credulous. I had simply accepted Sjt. Madanjit’s estimate, without caring to examine it, and told Mr. West to expect a profit.

Mr. West might have left when he discovered there was no profit, and I could not have blamed him. In fact, he had a right to criticize me for saying the business was profitable without proper proof. But he never said a single word of complaint. I do have the impression, however, that the discovery led Mr. West to think I was gullible. I had simply accepted Sjt. Madanjit’s estimate without bothering to check it, and told Mr. West to expect a profit.

I now realise that a public worker should not make statements of which he has not made himself sure. Above all, a votary of truth must exercise the greatest caution. To allow a man to believe a thing which one has not fully verified is to compromise truth. I am pained to have to confess, that in spite of this knowledge, I have not quite conquered my credulous habit for which my ambition to do more work than I can manage is responsible. This ambition has often been a source of worry more to my co-workers than to myself.

I now realize that someone who serves the public should not make claims without first checking that they are true. Above all, a person devoted to truth must be extremely careful. Letting someone believe something I have not fully checked is a compromise of truth. I am pained to admit that, despite knowing this, I have not quite overcome my habit of believing things too easily. This habit comes from my ambition to do more work than I can manage. That ambition has often caused my co-workers more worry than it has caused me.

On receipt of Mr. West’s letter I left for Natal. I had taken Mr. Polak into my fullest confidence. He came to see me off at the station, and left with me a book to read during the journey, which he said I should be sure to like. It was Ruskin’s Unto this Last.

When I received Mr. West’s letter, I left for Natal. I had confided everything to Mr. Polak. He came to see me off at the station and gave me a book to read on the journey. He said I was sure to like it. It was Ruskin’s Unto this Last.

The book was impossible to lay aside, once I had begun it. It gripped me. Johannesburg to Durban was a twenty four hours’ journey. The train reached there in the evening. I could not get any sleep that night. I determined to change my life in accordance with the ideals of the book.

Once I began the book, I could not put it down. It gripped me. The journey from Johannesburg to Durban took twenty-four hours. The train reached Durban in the evening. I could not sleep that night. I decided to change my life according to the book’s ideals.

This was the first book of Ruskin I had ever read. During the days of my education I had read practically nothing outside text-books, and after I launched into active life I had very little time left me for reading. I cannot therefore claim much book knowledge. However I believe I have not lost much because of this enforced restraint. On the contrary, the limited reading may be said to have enabled me thoroughly to digest what I did read. Of these books, the one that brought about an instantaneous and practical transformation in my life was Unto this Last. I translated it later into Gujarati entitling it Sarvodaya (the welfare of all).

This was the first book by Ruskin I had ever read. During my education, I had read practically nothing besides textbooks. After I began working, I had very little time left for reading. So I cannot claim to have much knowledge from books. However, I believe I have not lost much because I was forced to read so little. On the contrary, my limited reading may have allowed me to fully absorb what I did read. Of these books, Unto this Last brought about an immediate and practical change in my life. I later translated it into Gujarati and titled it Sarvodaya (the welfare of all).

I believe that I discovered some of my deepest convictions reflected in this great book of Ruskin, and that is why it so captured me and made me transform my life. A poet is one who can call forth the good latent in the human breast. Poets do not influence all alike, for every one is not evolved in an equal measure.

I believe I found some of my deepest convictions reflected in this great book by Ruskin. That is why the book captivated me and led me to transform my life. A poet can bring out the good that lies hidden in the human heart. Poets do not influence everyone in the same way, because not everyone is equally developed.

The teachings of Unto this Last I understood to be:

I understood the teachings of Unto this Last to be:

1. That the good of the individual is contained in the good of all.

1. The good of each person is included in the good of all.

2. That a lawyer’s work has the same value as the barber’s, inasmuch as all have the same right of earning their livelihood from their work.

2. A lawyer’s work has the same value as a barber’s work, because everyone has the same right to earn a living through their work.

3. That a life of labour, i. e., the life of the tiller of the soil and the handicraftsman, is the life worth living.

3. That a life of work, that is, the life of a farmer or craftsperson, is the life worth living.

The first of these I knew. The second I had dimly realised. The third had never occurred to me. Unto this Last made it as clear as daylight for me that the second and the third were contained in the first. I arose with the dawn, ready to reduce these principles to practice.

I knew the first of these principles. I had a vague understanding of the second. The third had never occurred to me. Unto this Last made it perfectly clear to me that the first principle included the second and third. I got up at dawn, ready to put these principles into practice.