Volume II Part 47 (2/2)
Very true what you say--no one can save hih the oldest, he is my Benjamin My second boy is at school, captain of his class, trusted to protect sht only at hoht be, that a th,--sensitive, loving pretty things, hurt by a word, always reat capacity I taught hiyentle A being entirely innocent of evil--what chance for him in such a world as japan? Do you know that terribly pathetic poees'--”Pater Filio”?
That reations You are never tired of telling ive you sos did you not teachchats in New York? It was you that first introduced ; and I have ever since rehtfor er And it was you who elow's ”High Tide”--since expounded to many a japanese literary class
But this is too long a letter from
LAFCADIO HEARN
TO MRS WETMORE
TOKYO, 1903
DEAR MRS WETMORE,--I a, or nearly as strong, as before The bleeding was fro cold But s are quite sound For the sake of the lectures, it is better that I should wait a little longer in japan Most of them have been written twice; but I must write them all oncejapan from the standpoint of ancestor-worshi+p
They are suited only to a cultivated audience If never delivered, they will still ood book The whole study is based upon the ancient religion I have also so to say about your proposed ”Juvenilia”
I think this would be possible:--
To include in one volume under the title of ”Juvenilia”--(1) the translations from Theophile Gautier, revised; (2) ”Some Chinese Ghosts;”
(3) miscellaneous essays and sketches upon Oriental subjects, formerly contributed to the _T-D_; (4) miscellaneous sketches on Southern subjects, two or three, and fantasies,--with a few verses thrown in
For this I should need to have the French texts to revise, etc Perhaps I shall be able to ement, and so please you But I badly need help in the direction of good opinion a” in Aland; but scholars are there plentiful as little fleas in Florida;--and the power of convention has the force of an earthquake
When one's own adopted country goes back on one--there is sratefully, L H
I tried to join the Masons here--but it appears that no japanese citizen is allowed to become a Mason--at least not in japan The japanese Minister in London could do it; but he could not have done it here
TO MRS HIRN
JULY, 1903
DEAR MRS HIRN,--Your very kind letter from Italy is with me
I am sorry to know that you have met with so painful a trial since I last wrote to you Indeed, I hope you will believe that I am sincerely and sympathetically interested in the personal happiness or sorrow of any ish me well,--and you need never suppose me indifferent to the affairs of which you speak so unselfishly and so touchingly
By this time, no doubt, you will have seen much of the fairest land of Europe, and will scarcely knohat to do with thein nition Perhaps Italy will te olden air ought to feel sooner or later the impulse to create I wish I could find my way to Italy: when a child I spoke only Italian, and Roazine so kindly sent t” as signifying endlessness in space as well as time That, indeed, settles the matter about which I was in doubt
It is a pleasure to know that you received ”Kotto,” and liked soht your list of selections for translation very nice,--with one exception ”The Genius of japanese Civilization” is a failure I thought that it was true when I wrote it; but already japan has becoed, and a later study of ancient social conditions has proved to ical errors in that paper For example, in feudal times, up to the middle of the last century, there was really no possibility of travelling (for common people at least) in japan Iron law and custom fettered men to the soil, like the serfs of mediaeval Europe My paper, unfortunately, i to the travelling of japanese coards the present, it requires modification
Your remark about the hard touch in Bellesort's book is very just He was accompanied by his wife,--born in Persia, and able to talk Persian
She was keener even than he,--a very clever silent woman, attractive rather than syreat deal; and ”La Societe japonaise” is his best volume of travel His book on South America is cruel