Volume I Part 22 (1/2)
The trouble kindly taken by you in transcribing the little words of praise by a lady was more than compensated by the success of its purpose, I fancy The only pleasure, indeed, that an author derives fro such commendations fro copies ”hither and thither” was too kind; I could scold you for it! Still, the consequences indicated that the bookuntil the publisher pockets 1000
Have you seen the exquisite new edition of Arnold's ”Light of Asia”? It has enchanted ely new and beautiful worshi+p After all, Buddhision of the future Is not the cycle of transration actually proven in the vast evolution froh innumerable myriads of brute form? Is not the tendency of all modern philosophy toward the acceptance of the ancient Indian teaching that the visible is but an emanation of the Invisible,--a delusion,--a creature, or a shadow, of the Supreme Dream? What are the heavens of all Christian fancies, after all, but Nirvana,--extinction of individuality in the eternal interblending of man with divinity; for a bodiless, iness, and no ony and death of universes, are these not pictured forth in the Oriental teachings that all things appear and disappear alternately with the sluht or the day, of the Self-Existent? Finally, he efforts of Ronoli to convince us of the interrelation--the brotherhood of animals and of men were anticipated by Gautaht Man could now revolutionize the whole Occidental religious world by preaching the Oriental faith
Very affectionately, LAFCADIO HEARN
If Symonds praises Whitman, I stand reproved for my least doubts; for he is the very apostle of _classicism_ and _form_
TO H E KREHBIEL
NEW ORLEANS, Decereatly enjoyed that sharp, fresh, breezy letter froiven While I ahted with his success, I cannot say I have been surprised: he possessed such rare and splendid qualities of integrity and manliness--coupled with uncommon quickness of business perception--that I would not have been astonished to hear of Congress it were possible to be a politician and an upright member of modern American society,--which is doubtful Please let me have his exact address;--I would like to write hiht in regard to hbred artist of being asked to write soazines--excepting the _Atlantic_--do not appear to be controlled by, or in the interest of, scholars Fancy how I felt when asked (indirectly) by the _Century_ to write so ”SNAPPY”!--even I, who a of an artist, only a word-artist in embryo! I also suspect you are correct in your self-interest: your _forte_ will never be _light_ work, because your knowledge is too extensive, and your artistic feeling too deep, to be wasted upon puerilities It has always seeth and beauty as the subject you treat is deeper To any eneral spirit and aspect of a science, isolated facts are worthy of consideration only in their relation to universal and, perhaps, eternal laws: anecdote for the mere sake of anecdote is simply unendurable
Five years of hard study here have resulted in altogether changing my own literary inclinations,--yet, unfortunately, to no immediate purpose that I can see; for I norant to succeed as a specialist in any one topic But a romantic fact--the possession of which would have driven o, perhaps--now affects eneral principle to be elucidated And the mere ideas and melody of a poem seem to me of small moment unless the complex laws of versification be strictly obeyed Hence I feel no inclination to attempt a story or sketch unless I can find soratify fancy Unless a rourate a totally novel style,--I think it can have no lasting value The old enthusias to fillthat some day or other I shall be able to utilize the to write physiological novelettes or stories,--based upon scientific facts in regard to races and characters, but nevertheless of the most romantic aspect possible: natural but never naturalistic Still, I aested by popular foreign novelists, that I fear it reat affliction is my inability to travel I hate the life of every day in connection with any idea of story-writing: I would give anything to be a literary Columbus,--to discover a Romantic Aion,--to describe the life that is only fully treated of in universal geographies or ethnological researches Won't you sydad, Algiers, Ispahan, Benares, Sakok, Ninh-Binh,--or any part of the world where ordinary Christians do not like to go! Here is the nook in which my romanticism still hides But I know I have not the physical qualifications to fit e required to make such researches valuable I suppose I shall have to settle down at last to so horribly prosaic, and even devoid of philosophic interest
Alas! O that I were a travelling shoemaker, or a player upon the sambuke!
I have two--nay three--projects sown: the seed has not yet sprouted I expressed to Harpers' a little Dictionary of Creole Proverbs--a mere compilation, of course, from many unfamiliar sources; ”Blal” is under consideration at the _Century_ (where, I fear, they will cut up every sentence which clashes with Baptist ideas on the sinfulness of Isla ”seriously exa wearisoain snatch time to write Ah yes!--for God's sake (I suppose you believe just a small bit in God) don't try to conceive how I could sympathize with Cable! Because I never sympathized with him at all His awful faith--which to ives a neutral tint to his whole life a us There is a Sunday-school atmosphere But Cable is more liberal-minded than his creed; he has also rare analytical powers on a sether;--nothing is ridiculous in the general order of the world: but at a certain point it prevents the ;--its horizon is solid stone and its sky aable to comprehend either the reason or beauty of belief The loss is surely well reco up of the Star-spaces,--the recognition of the Eternal Life throbbing simultaneously in the vein of an insect or the scintillations of a million suns,--the comprehension of the relations of Infinity to hu that there are such relations,--and that the humblest atom of substance can tell a story ends, orlong-winded again I conclude with a promise soon to forward another little bit of queer music Hope you like the last Come down here and I will turn you loose in my library I need hardly specify that if you come, your natural expenses will be represented by 0,--that is, if you condescend to live in hbourhood It is not romantic; but it is comfortable I'm sick of Creole Romance--it nearly cost oblin, LAFCADIO HEARN
TO H E KREHBIEL
NEW ORLEANS, February, 1884
DEAR KREHBIEL,--I hope you ement of ---- As you say, I have a peculiar and unfortunate disposition; nevertheless I had better reasons for estions to you than it is now necessary to specify
Your syrinx discoveries seem to me of very uncommon importance What is now iinal instruions whence the American and West Indian slave-elements were drawn?--an account of which slave-sources is to be found in Edwards's ”History of the West Indies” The Congo dances with their music are certainly importations frostone's account of thethe Batokas? I would like to know if it is a syrinx We have no big public libraries here; but if you have time to make some West African researches, one could perhaps trace out the whole history of the syrinx's ration I send you the latest inforet thethe various West Indian dances in brief--also the negro-Creole bottle-dance, danced over an upright bottle to the chant--
”ca ma coupe,-- ca ma coupe,-- ca ma coupe,-- ca!
ca ma coupe,-- ca ma coupe,-- ca ma coupe,-- ca!”
I've reopened the envelope to tell you soestion
I was quite pleased to hear you like raph; and I have a little proposition Do you know that a htful book was recently published in France, consisting wholly of odd ied between friends by mail Each impression should be very brief Why couldn't we do this: Once every month I'll write you the queerest and et up--based upon fact, of course--not more than two hundred words; and you writethat has struck you in relation to new musical discoveries In a year's time ould have twenty-four little pieces between us, which would certainly be original enough to elaborate into e the public by printing them I would contribute 100 or so--if we couldn't find an enthusiastic printer The book would be very s should be perfectly monstrous, you know--ordinary facts, or ideas that could by any chance occur to coidly excluded
I don't think I can go North till April March would be too cold for ers is not now strong,--I'o to the theatre on account of the artificial light, never read or write after dark; and I anticipate no special pleasure except that of seeing an old friend, and talking much monstrous talk about matters which I but half understand
Yours very affectionately, L HEARN
TO H E KREHBIEL
NEW ORLEANS, February, 1884