Volume II Part 28 (1/2)
Student--”I am not interested in your ideas Will you or will you not?”
Professor (flushi+ng with anger, like Sigurd the Bishop)--”No”
Student turns his back upon professor, and walks aith the air of one going to prepare for a vendetta
I have told you before that the first, second, and third year classes are ether But that e the subjects of their studies when they please, and do so occasionally by way of showing their disapproval of the professor
”You must not teach that subject: I wish you to teach us about Greek y instead” is a specihtful friends as the one described in your last letter, for the simple reason that I haven't any (You know that it is very difficult for n community of an open port) The Russian professor of philosophy, although boasting a Heidelberg degree, acknowledges to ht to be burnt alive (”for the saving of their souls”), and that he hopes to see the whole world under Catholic domination I fancy he dreams of the Russian conquest to come; and the Panslavic dream is not impossible! He is a queer man,--about fifty at least,--a bachelor Soft and cold--snowy in fact The Jesuit ientle, courteous, half-sy struck by sori that he be put to no trouble And the German, Dr R----, of whom I spoke rather unsympathetically before, seems to me now the finest , and his dog of a e, hard, direct--one of those rare German types with eyes and hair blacker than a coal His hand is broad, hard, warrasp I think I shall get fond of him, if he doesn't talk Virchow to me (For Virchow is my _bete noir_!
I hate his nareat surprise, I find this gri a kindness, and in speaking well of others Wherefore I feel that I a for Virchow
Of course, we o first
But as all have big salaries, all prepare for the rainy day I shall not coh I should prefer six But you can ies in the ministry of education about every twelve months,--and the political influences behind the students I a upon the safety-valves of a steam-boiler,--ineers studying how to be out of the hen the great whang-bang comes around
And when it does come, may it blow me, for a moment at least, in the immediate vicinity of Ellwood Hendrick
Ever affectionately, LAFCADIO HEARN
TO ELLWOOD HENDRICK
TOKYO, December, 1896
DEAR OLD FELLOW,--The Emperor paid us a visit the other day; and I had to don a frock-coat and a thing which inspired the Mohammedan curse,--”May God put a HAT on you!” We stood in sleet and snow--horribly cold (no overcoats allowed) and were twice permitted to bon before His Majesty I confess I saw only _les bottes de S M_ He has a deep coot cold, I think--nothingin the Far East--”The Gate of Everlasting Ceremony” But the ancient ceres are not beautiful My little wife tellsto you upon the roof of the house, he would get angry” So I aed to take cold,to H M” Of course this is half-jest, half-earnest There is a reason for things--for anything except--a plug-hat!
Affectionately, LAFCADIO HEARN
TO ELLWOOD HENDRICK
TOKYO, January, 1897
DEAR HENDRICK,--”Sentireat idea of Barrie The question with ested ancestry could produce such types as Grizel and Tommy I am not quite sure of it: I am still under the impression that blood _will_ tell, and that children of drunkards and whores are not apt to prove angels--though there must be exceptions when the better inheritance doreat art, and the tendency is to recognitions of truths deeper than those of ”Philistia” You were awfully good to send it; but I feel rather s so poor a sprat to your salmon
Never mind I'll send you ht to be in the printer's hands by the ti God, and Other Studies”--or so of that sort But only the Gods exactly know
Half of ical book--or nearly half--is also written I shall dedicate it probably to the Lady of a Myriad Souls--whose photo in a black frame decorates my japanese alcove Provided--I don't die or worse before it is finished Any suggestions? I's which philosophers, etc, call _inexplicable_ feelings Have you any? Please turn soed the _frisson_ (woman's touch), some colour-sensations, sublis--soests experiences Do you know any?
Ever faithfully, LAFCADIO
TO ELLWOOD HENDRICK
KOBE, February, 1897
DEAR HENDRICK,--Oh! have you read those two 's last--”McAndrews' Hymn,” and ”The Mary Gloster”? Especially the ”Mary Gloster” I have noHe is to lish poets, and greater than all before hiland, he is her a-man,--skald, scop, whatever you like: lineal descendants of those fellows to whoht here, and see us fight so that you canabout it”
Meanwhile the Holy Ghost has beco nothing for three days past Sirind_; but what's the use? I want to do so remarkable, unique, extraordinary, audacious; and I haven't the qualifications I want sensations--dreaood idea? Don't know Will I ever have any literary success?--So swings the penduluht to be