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IX
OUR ORIENTAL FUTURE
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of Schopenhauer that "Indian philosophy, streaming back to Europe, will produce a fundamental change in our knowledge and thought." Then would come true the words of the Swami Vivekananda: "The land above all of introspection and spirituality is India. Hence have started the founders of religion, and here again must start the wave which will spiritualise the material civilisation of the world. Political greatness or military power is never the mission of the Hindus. But there has been the other mission given to us: to accumulate, as it were, into a dynamo all the spiritual energy of the race, and to pour forth that concentrated energy on the world. India's gift to the world is the light spiritual."

But these are dreams, the light infantry of speculation, only skirmishers from the ivory gate. The flank of England is too solidly posted to be readily turned by such assailants as these.

We have to look at facts. Facts tell us that, for generations still to come, our third phase in India, our policy of prosperity, will not reach its fulfilment, or be crowned with final success. Facts tell us, too, that, even if our aim were to be consummated to-morrow, it would not satisfy India at all. Therefore, a fourth phase of policy must be initiated, and indeed is beginning to-day.

In that fourth phase the Indian question will be not of prosperity, but of freedom. On our solution of that question will depend the ultimate future of England.