Volume II Part 45 (2/2)

Should I attempt to lecture on literature in America, I should only follow the saitireat possibilities Subjects upon which I think that I have been partly successful are such as these:--

The signification of Style and Personality

Respective values of various styles Error of the belief that one ical signification of the true Realism--as illustrated by the Norse writers and, in ical signification of Roe Meredith: illustrating the application of the Evolutional Philosophy to Ethics

D G Rossetti and Christina Rossetti

The Poetical Prose and the Poetry of Charles Kingsley

Four great masters of modern prose: Carlyle, Ruskin, De Quincey, Froude

The mystical element in modern lyric verse (I use the terious with the passional emotion)

Of the truth and the ideal beauty in Tolstoi's Theory of Art

”Beyond gesting the probable lines of ethical evolution

Very heterogeneous, this list; but I have purposely made it so I have had to lecture upon hundreds of subjects, without ever having had the time to write a lecture (I have to lecture here twelve hours a week, on four different subjects--and to do one's best is out of the question

The authorities never pay the slightest attention to what the professor does; _but they hold him strictly responsible for the success of his lectures!_)

I think that I have hinted ways in which Iof certain literary values--There is also the subject of Cora certain kinds of books ought to be of some practical worth The art of what _not_ to say,--the art of focussing effects,--thei a literary personality;--these can be talked of, I think, without a knowledge of Greek or Sanscrit I really think that I could do soh conscious of having often failed in the very directions that I should recoet to say I cannot be separated froht him about three hours a day every day for several years When he becomes a little older, I may be able to let hiine that this would be difficult I feel handicapped; but it can't be helped, and the race is for hi in a wheel I should probably break off As a personal equation I ht have some worth And I can wait a full year for a chance

Your letter was a wonderful event for reat and happy surprise

The Fairy Queen also wrote me a beautiful letter (I suppose that all she does is beautiful): I had to read it many times to learn the full charm of it I have lost all power to write a nice letter of thanks--feel stupid

We have a nice home a little out of Tokyo--to which I should not be ashamed to invite you, or even the Fairy Queen: only, you would have to take off your shoes, for it is a japanese house

I shall try to atone later on for the great length of this weary scrawl: how tired youit! All happiness to you Be sure that, whether I win or fail, I shall never be able to even tell you how sincerely and deeply I rerateful for that letter

Y KOIZUMI, LAFCADIO HEARN

TO ELLWOOD HENDRICK

TOKYO, 1902

DEAR HENDRICK,--I a and successful swile, and that your ho two little ones, you can understand nohat the japanese call _Mono no aware_,--weirdly translated by Aston as ”the Ah-ness of things”[3]

[3] More literally, ”the pity of things”