Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 1
Letter ID: 307
Sri Aurobindo — Roy, Dilip Kumar
December 24, 1932
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Today a Kanchenjungha of correspondence has fallen on my head, so I could not write about humanity and its progress. Were not the later views of Lowes Dickinson greyed
over by the sickly cast of a disappointed idealism? I have not myself an exaggerated respect for humanity and what it is – but to say that there has been no progress is
as 
much an exaggerated pessimism as the rapturous hallelujahs of the nineteenth century to a progressive Humanity were an exaggerated optimism. However of that later, if it may be; if I don’t get on my head too persistent an avalanche of Kanchenjungas.
I shall manage to read through the chapter you sent me, though how I manage to find time for these things is a standing miracle and a signal proof of a Divine Providence.
Yes, the “progress” you are making is of the genuine kind,– the signs are recognisable. And after all, the best way to make Humanity progress is to move on oneself – that may sound either individualistic or egoistic, but it isn’t: it is only common sense.
Yadyadācarati śreṣṭastattadevetaro janaḥ.3
1 SABCL, volume 22; Letters of Sri Aurobindo. 2 Ser. grayed
2 SABCL, volume 22; Letters of Sri Aurobindo. 2 Ser. at all is
3 Whatever the best do is put into practice by the rest (Gita, 3.21).
Current publication:
[A letter: ] Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindo to Dilip / edited by Sujata Nahar, Michel Danino, Shankar Bandopadhyay.- 1st ed.- In 4 Volumes.- Volume 1. 1929 – 1933.- Pune: Heri Krishna Mandir Trust; Mysore: Mira Aditi, 2003.- 384 p.
Other publications: