To: Henry Fawcett, Esq., M.P.
Address
10 South St.
Park Lane W.
April 17, 1880
My dear Sir
Thank you for your brief note about the letter of deplorable length, with which I troubled you, upon certain matters of Indian finance, just before the elections.
I did not expect that you could attend to these matters then.
But the time for taking some steps about the ryots appears to have come. The zemindars have sent an agent over to plead nominally the cause of the people of India: But this means of course of the zemindars of India Bengal.
It is curious and strange how this man has the ear of what are called the Radicals here. The alliance between Liberals and zemindars must rest on the most wonderful misconception on our parts.
It is a question now: by what means we can best uphold the Rayats (Ryots) is it not? Is not their unrepresented and defenseless state the question great point?
The glorious spirit of the Liberal elections, in which the defeats may have been as great a success as the victories - principle versus beer - shows that England is again herself, twice herself.
Mr. Rathbone writes: "It is sufficiently glorious for me to have been even among the slain in such a fight."
This uprising of the English people for freedom and justice for themselves - and for freedom and right to be promoted by England throughout the world - is so solemn, and the consequences so momentous, for Europe as for England, and for India too that one asks, has there been any greater crisis since the Commonwealth?
We have Mr. Gladstone as a sort of Cromwell - Mutatis Mutandis. And can we foresee much more what the march of things will be than they could when they had got rid of the King?
12 years hence, shall you see the restoration of a Charles? And then look forward, not much more than twice that time ahead, to the glorious Revolution?
Could but Milton and Lord Lawrence have looked forward!
O that men, administrative men may rise to the height & width & fullness & greatness of this time!
And we must never forget that, in no Ministry have Indian questions been so systematically ignored or shunted, as in Mr. Gladstone's.
Somebody prayed for only "one pulses's beat" of omniscience. O for only "one pulses's beat," (say I,) of Mr. Gladstone as Chancellor of the Exchequer for India!
(If a verse of "God Save the Queen" could be given to India, it would make how great a difference in the national feeling for India.) Yet it is the logical consequence of empress!
You will soon be immersed in business: Might I pray - not that you will re-read my letter on some points of Indian finance, but that these points may receive a far wider attention than I could possibly draw in a letter at your hands. And if I might be commissioned to procure any information for you from India, I should be only too highly honoured - take it for what it is worth.
Pray believe me ever your faithful servant,
Florence Nightingale
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In India must we ever forget that we cannot attain the people's good without the people? This seems a paradox, but Indian finance is always attempting it, is it not?
F.N.
