Volume I Part 20 (2/2)
LAFCADIO HEARN
TO JOHN ALBEE
NEW ORLEANS, 1883
DEAR SIR,--Your very kind letter, forwarded to ement and comfort than you, perhaps, even desired One naturally launches his first literary effort with fear and tre; and at such a ti effect upon his future hopes and aio, in the intervals of rest possible to snatch during reportorial duty on a Western paper I was then working fourteen hours a day Subsequently I was four years vainly seeking a publisher
Naturally enough, the stories are not even now all that I could wish the I may escape so far from the tread better in point of literary execution It has long been ous to that warery hitherto peculiar to Latin literature Being of a meridional race myself, a Greek, I _feel_ rather with the Latin race than with the Anglo-Saxon; and trust that with ti different frolish or American romance
This host; but with youth, health and such kindly encourageiven me, I believe that it ement froratefully yours,
LAFCADIO HEARN
TO H E KREHBIEL
NEW ORLEANS, September, 1883
DEAR KREHBIEL,--I trust you will be able to read the hideously writtenas I could find leisure to copy it The negro songs are taken from a most extraordinary book translated into French froraphical society The author was one of those errant traders who travel yearly through the desert to the Soudan, and beyond into Timbuctoo occasionally, to purchase slaves and elephants' teeth fros who rule the black ant-hills of Central Africa I have only yet obtained the great volu Perron, the learned translator, in his ”Feives some curious chapters on ancient Arab music which I must try to send you one of these days The japanese book--a rather costly affair printed in gold and colours--is rapidly beco scarce I expect soon to have some Hindoo music; as I have a subscription for a library of folk-lore and folk-lore music of all nations, of which only 17 volumes are published so far--Elzevirians These mostly relate to Europe, and contain much Breton, Provencal, Norman, and other music But there will be several volu, we ends of all nations, introducing each legend by appropriate music
I have nearly finished a collection of Oriental stories from all sorts of queer sources,--the Sanscrit, Buddhist, Talmudic, Persian, Polynesian, Finnish literatures, etc,--which I shall try to publish
But their having been already in print will et a publisher for the fantastics, and I alad of it; for I feel somewhat ashamed of them now I have saved a few of the best pieces, which will be rewritten at some future time if I succeed in other matters Another failure was the translation of Flaubert's ”Teood publisher seeinal is certainly one of the e, and weird beyond description Some day I may take a notion to print it myself At present I am also busy with a dictionary of Creole Proverbs (this is a secret), four hundred or ed; and, by the way, I have quite a Creole library, e the Creole dialects of both hemispheres I have likewise obtained favour with two firms, Harpers', and Scribners'--both of who I choose to send in You see I have ested
So much about end was very peculiar indeed There is nothing exactly like it either in Baring-Gould's y,” or any of the Oriental folk-lore I have yet seen The ghostly sweetheart is a universal idea, and the phantohtful novelty Many thanks for the pretty little tale
I don't think you will see me in New York this winter I shudder at the bare idea of cold Speak towith volcanic vapours, of suns ten tier, and vast lemon-coloured le like boas,--and clouds of steel-blue flies,--and skeletons polished by ants,--and atmospheres heavy as those of planets nearer to the solar centre!--but hint not to me of ice and slush and snow and black-frost winds Why can't you come down to see me? I'll show you nice music: I'll enable you to note down the ombo feve_ and _calas_ and _latanir_ and _patates_
If you can't co or summer; but I would rather be whipped with scorpions than visit a Northern city in the winter months In fact few residents here would dare to do it,--unless well used to travelling Soes produced here by clio, and which ought to appear soon (as I was paid for it), you will observe some brief observations on the subject; but the said subject is curious enough to write a book about By the way, I have become scientific--I write nearly all the scientific editorials for our paper, which you soht to spend a few months here: it would make him crazy with joy to perceive those picturesquenesses which o to Cincinnati next week or so; but I'o, I'll write you
As to your protest about correspondence, I think you're downright wrong; but I won't renew the controversy Anyhow I suppose we keep track of each other, with affectionate curiosity I ae Baker: he is a splendid type,--you would have becoh! if you ever come down here, we'll make you enjoy yourself in earnest Please excuse this ra letter
Your Creolized friend, LAFCADIO HEARN
P S By the bye, have you the original music of the Muezzin's call,--as called by the first of all Muezzins, Blal the Abyssinian, to whoht by Our Lord Mohahtiest and sweetest in Islam In those first days, Blal was persecuted as the slave of the persecuted Prophet of God And in the ”Gulistan,” it is told how he suffered But after Our Lord had departed into the chamber of Allah,--and the tawny horseates of India, conquering and to conquer,--and the young crescent of Islalory that filled the world,--Blal still lived with that wonderful health of years given unto the people of his race But he only sang for the Kalif And the Kalif was Omar So, one day, it came to pass, that the people of Daed the Caliph, saying: ”O Commander of the Faithful, we pray thee that thou ask Blal to sing the call to prayer for us, even as it was taught him by Our Lord Mohammed” And Omar requested Blal Now Blal was nearly a century old; but his voice was deep and sweet as ever And they aided hireat silence burst oncethe _Adzan_, even as it has still been sung for more than twelve hundred years from all the minarets of Islam:
”God is Great!
God is Great!
I bear witness there is no other God but God!