The English Governess at the Siamese Court

The English Governess at the Siamese Court

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Title: The English Governess At The Siamese Court
Author: Anna Harriette Leonowens
Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8678] [This file was first posted on July 31, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE ENGLISH GOVERNESS AT THE SIAMESE COURT
BEING RECOLLECTIONS OF SIX YEARS IN THE ROYAL
IN THE ROYAL PALACE AT BANGKOK
BY
ANNA HARRIETTE LEONOWENS.

With Illustrations, FROM PHOTOGRAPHS PRESENTED TO THE AUTHOR BY THE KING OF SIAM.
[Illustration: Gateway Of the Old Palace.]

TO MRS. KATHERINE S. COBB.
I have not asked your leave, dear friend, to dedicate to you these pages of my experience in the heart of an Asiatic court; but I know you will indulge me when I tell you that my single object in inscribing your name here is to evince my grateful appreciation of the kindness that led you to urge me to try the resources of your country instead of returning to Siam, and to plead so tenderly in behalf of my children.
I wish the offering were more worthy of your acceptance. But to associate your name with the work your cordial sympathy has fostered, and thus pleasantly to retrace even the saddest of my recollections, amid the happiness that now surrounds me,--a happiness I owe to the generous friendship of noble-hearted American women,--is indeed a privilege and a compensation.
I remain, with true affection, gratitude, and admiration,
Your friend, A. H. L.
26th July, 1870.

PREFACE.
His Majesty, Somdetch P'hra Paramendr Maha Mongkut, the Supreme King of Siam, having sent to Singapore for an English lady to undertake the education of his children, my friends pointed to me. At first it was with much reluctance that I consented to entertain the project; but, strange as it may seem, the more I reflected upon it the more feasible it appeared, until at length I began to look forward, even with a glow of enthusiasm, toward the new and untried field I was about to enter.
The Siamese Consul at Singapore, Hon. W. Tan Kim-Ching, had written strongly in my favor to the Court of Siam, and in response I received the following letter from the King himself:--
"ENGLISH ERA, 1862, 26th February. GRAND ROYAL PALACE, BANGKOK.
"To MRS. A. H. LEONOWENS:--
"MADAM: We are in good pleasure, and satisfaction in heart, that you are in willingness to undertake the education of our beloved royal children. And we hope that in doing your education on us and on our children (whom English, call inhabitants of benighted land) you will do your best endeavor for knowledge of English language, science, and literature, and not for conversion to Christianity; as the followers of Buddha are mostly aware of the powerfulness of truth and virtue, as well as the followers of Christ, and are desirous to have facility of English language and literature, more than new religions.
"We beg to invite you to our royal palace to do your best endeavorment upon us and our children. We shall expect to see you here on return of Siamese steamer Chow Phya.
"We have written to Mr. William Adamson, and to our consul at Singapore, to authorize to do best arrangement for you and ourselves.
"Believe me
"Your faithfully, (Signed)
"S. S. P. P. MAHA MONGKUT."
About a week before our departure for Bangkok, the captain and mate of the steamer Rainbow called upon me. One of these gentlemen had for several years served the government of Siam, and they came to warn me of the trials and dangers that must inevitably attend the enterprise in which I was embarking. Though it was now too late to deter me from the undertaking by any arguments addressed to my fears, I can nevertheless never forget the generous impulse of the honest seamen, who said: "Madam, be advised even by strangers, who have proved what sufferings await