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TWO CLOUDED YEARS
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life.' In another speech delivered about the same time he observed that the essential qualifications of a Viceroy of India, were 'courage and sympathy'. Courage he had in abundance, the courage to defy public opinion and to exalt his personal ideals above those of the cominunity he governed; of sympathy he had but little. He loved the people of India after a fashion that they did not appre- ciate, which excited their resentment, and prepared the way for those difficulties and embarrassments from which the Government long suffered.

The message of the Congress was communicated by the President, and Lord Curzon thanked him and the Congress for the welcome.

In February, 1899, the Indian Association presented him with an address of welcome. As Secretary, I introduced the deputation and read the address. An incident took place which is worth mentioning. We were assembled in the throne room awaiting the arrival of the Viceroy. An aide-de-camp came a few minutes before His Excellency entered the room, apparently with a view to satisfying himself that all the arrangements were in proper order. He noticed that two of the members of the deputation had Indian pump-shoes on. They were asked to take them off and appear without shoes, or retire from the deputation. They chose the latter course. The incident created a painful impression, and one or two other members of the deputation wanted to follow the retiring members; but it was felt that it would be discourteous to the head of the Government, and perhaps in the long run prejudicial to the interests that we represented.

There were only two occasions when I personally came in contact with Lord Curzon in India. I was never bidden to his presence by his command; and his policy and his public measures never inspired me with the desire to solicit an interview with him for conversation on public questions. The deputation was the first opportunity I had of meeting Lord Curzon. I was impressed by the pomp and grandeur of the viceregal surroundings, so different from the days of Lord Ripon, and the stately and sonorous periods of the viceregal reply. We were beginning to feel unhappy; and the order of the Government of India with regard to the Calcutta Municipal Bill caused the gravest disappointment and anxiety about the future.

The second time I met Lord Curzon was at the public meeting held at the Town Hall in honour of Queen Victoria's memory,