A WITTY HINDU
(New Discoveries, Vol. 1, pp. 216-17.)
[Minneapolis Journal, December 15, 1893]
SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
ENTERTAINS ANOTHER LARGE AUDIENCE
A large number of people assembled at the Unitarian church last evening for the purpose of listening to Swami Vivekananda of India. The customs and manners of the people of that country were described, (The lecture was “The Manners and Customs of India”, of which there is no verbatim transcript available. Cf. the following American newspaper report, “The Manners and Customs of India” , for other highlights of the lecture.) and during his lecture the Brahmin took occasion to show up some of the rough points of America. He is of the humorist order and his quick replies and witty sallies rarely failed to evoke applause. He would not admit that his people were wrong in everything, but there were a great many things peculiar to India which the Americans did not approve of and yet which might be all right. He had never seen husband and wife go before a magistrate to tell their troubles. They grew up with the idea that they were to be married and they loved each other as brothers and sisters.
He described the customs of his country, the temples, the art of the juggler and all of the other peculiarities of oriental countries in a manner that was charming. Following the address a number of questions were asked by persons in the audience.