Volume II Part 44 (1/2)

I a your words about the japanese dances: as you have seen a living exae them all severely hereafter Of course there are dances and dances I wish that you could see the dancing of a pair of _miko_,--little shi+ntoas a hovering of butterflies

Your ”Origins of Art” is a book that seee of some sher spheres, I think I was alish critics, evidently incapable of perceiving that the sterling value of such a book is suggestive,--that it was intended to make men think, not to furnish some intellectual lazy-bones with ready-h Leouzon Le Duc's delicious prose-translation I think of forests of birch, and lakes inter into lakes, and rivers that roar in lonely places, and ”liver-coloured earth” Wonder if the earth is really that colour?--the ground of arden, after a shower, is exactly ”liver-colour”--a rich reddish brown

Please convey my humble thanks to Mrs Hirn, and believe me

Yours most sincerely, LAFCADIO HEARN

TO YRJo HIRN

TOKYO, April, 1902

DEAR PROFESSOR,--Many thanks for the archaeological treatise, and for your kindness in sending ood will that can iive me so much of his time) And please to conveyletter

Concerning your project for another volume of ”Exotica,” kindly assure Mrs Hirn that she is as fully authorized as I can authorize her to translate whatever she pleases to select from my books

By the way, you appear to have been deceived by some bookseller; for none of my books are out of print, except ”Some Chinese Ghosts,” and that byuninterested in the social and political changes of Finland, I feel, as every generous thinker ought to feel, sincere regret at the probable disappearance of a national civilization, and the inevitable loss of intellectual freedoreat political crime Here in japan, I watch, day by day, the destruction of a wonderful and very beautiful civilization, by industrial pressure It strikesin which intellectual liberty will alether with every other kind of liberty,--the time when no man will be able to live as he wishes, much less to write what he pleases The future industrial communism, in its blind dull ill be much less liberal than Russian rule, and incoetting less conservative; and I ilishman and the American of the future may flee to the new Russia in search of intellectual freedoreat opportunity to merit, and every latitude to mental liberty If you should ever have to leave your own beloved country, I think you would be most happy in America

The Far East is not impossible--if you wish very much to visit it

Government service anywhere is not a bed of roses; and Tokyo is said to be the most ”unsympathetic” place in the world But salaries are fair; and a three years' sojourn would furnish rich experience If you ever want _very_ much to see japan, perhaps you may be able to obtain a Governations, and ”high places” Then I can write more to you about the h to be envied in a brotherly way I wish you every happiness on your European journey

How ain!--I have three boys to look after, however, and all things are uncertain I aht little son;--you knohat hopes and fears the possession involves His travels with you will be of priceless advantage to hih Ear and Eye--while the senses are most fresh and plastic

Sincerely yours, LAFCADIO HEARN

TO DR AND MRS YRJo HIRN

TOKYO, May, 1902

DEAR FRIENDS,--I a able to send you to-day only ”Kokoro” and ”Gleanings in Buddha-Fields”--these being the only books of mine, not in your possession, that I could lay hands on However, they are the best of the earlier lot; and I iine that you will be interested especially in the latter japan is changing so quickly that already some of the essays in ”Kokoro”--such as the ”Genius of japanese Civilization”--have become out-of-date By the way, have you seen Bellesort's ”La Societe japonaise?”--a wonderful book, considering that its author passed only about six htful surprise of your albue that some of the pictures are exactly what I drea the ”Kalewala” In fact, the book illustrates the ”Kalewala” for me: even the weird expression in the eyes of the old Kantele-singers seems to me familiar Of course, the views of city streets and splendid buildings were all surprises and revelations; but the hills and woods and lakes looked like the Finland of my reveries Of all the views, that of Tmatia seemed toin it of _deja vu_, ht My affectionate thanks to you both I shall ever treasure the book and reivers

LAFCADIO HEARN

TO MRS HIRN

TOKYO, June, 1902

DEAR MRS HIRN,--I have received the copy of _Euterpe_, so kindly sent ave me much pleasure

What a nice little paper _Euterpe_ is! Long ago we used to have good papers like that--real literary papers, in nearly the same format--in America Now, alas! they have becoood literature in Aher fiction; ”sensationalisazines; and poetry is silent I wish there could be another paper in A, in reading your translation, whether there is no better word for the English ”ghostly” than _lish nahostly_ father” And I at_” really has the sense of ”infinitely” The Buddhist thought is that the innermost eternal life in each of us becomes ”infinite” by union with the One, when the shell of Karma is broken Individuality and personality exist only as passing phenomena: the Reality is One _and_ infinite