Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/11



When the author asked me to write out a foreword when I was in Bombay in the month of June, I readily consented, because I thought that he would forget all about it after I left. But the author is inexorable and here am I trying to dictate a foreword.

It is difficult for me to say anything about the late Lokamanya, as I feel overwhelmed whenever I think of his greatness. Yet his greatness was so simple. No analysis of his genius or character is possible because of that very simplicity. I confess I cannot analyse his greatness ; I can only say what has been said from a thousand platforms in India that he was a man of whom India is proud.

It is unnecessary for me to refer to his love of country, pride of race, indomitable courage, unflagging perseverance and spirit of sacrifice which made his activities so real. All these are a matter of record in the recent history of Indian Nationalism.