Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/276

 CHAPTER XVII

THE MISSION TO ENGLAND

I have had many opportunities of exchanging views with Mr. Tilak during his stay in England, and every time that I have spoken with him, I have felt that he was truly a statesman and not a mere politician. The way in which he was able to take a sane view of the Indian situation in Britain, within a few days of his arrival in this country (England) made me marvel at his perspicuity St. Nihal Sing

NEVER abject, never fanatical, Mr. Tilak's methods of political agitation were a unique combination of manliness, astuteness and a sense of proportion. He disdained the constant waitings, never-ending mendicancy that characterised the efforts of some of the extreme Moderates. On the other hand, he kept clear from the noxious weed of anarchism. Within these two clearly -defined limits, he was willing to work in any way, if he was sure of the wisdom of the path. He was^ " an operator, a co-operator, and a non-cooperator.'* He liked to vary his means with changes in circumstances. In 1904, he had spoken to a Congress resolution supporting political deputations to England. He was, then, anxious to rouse the Moderate leaders from their dangerous slumber and when the Congress Depu-