Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-17
pT0N CROCCAN' AND OTHER NEW And INTERESTING BOOKS

a love affair which unites the incidents
and dramatic elements of the tale as by
the silver thread of destiny, and while
1.-THE Parsons Proxy" contains many We
would not care to read about, as being
the sterner and more cruel beings of life,
there are also many sweet pure lives, of
whom to have read of their conflicts, as
pirations and prayers is to make the read
er purer and nobler. (Houghton, Miffiin
& Coz
Lafcadio Hearn is native of Smyrna;
his father was an Englshman and his
mother Greek. He has made repuia-
ton as a charming writer of the sensuous
life of the Creoles, for he delved deep into
the mysteries of their minds and folk
lore.
Six years ago he went to Japan, and
before long he seems to have found
method of life which suited him. The
philosophy of the people appealed strong
ly to him, and their life was like the full
fillment of his dreams. He mastered their
language, lived among them, wore their
garments and ate their food, and found
occupation as a teacher in their schools.
He studied and wrote, and the result In
time was "Glimpses of Unfamiliar ia
pan," not only one of the most interesting,
but one of the most Just, sympathetic and
reliable books that have yet been pub
lshed on modern Japan. A year ago
"Out of the East appeared Mr.. Hearn
is now a japanese of the Japanese. He
has a Japanese wife, and is proud or the
son born of this marriage. He has Jap
anese house in Kobe, where he now lives,
and, as If to complete the transmutation,
he has taken a Japanese name, and is no
longer Lafcadio Hearn, but ~. KoiJu-
NIL"
The latest work by this gifted and tai
1T h r.I1F q T1d
strenuous English, Is "Kokoro: Hints OF
the Japanese Inner Life" and is, think,
the most entertaining and persuasive OF
any he has yet written of this dreamy
eyed people of the rising sun. Nothing
could be more characteristic of his mar
velous charm of style than the preface
to "Kokoro:"
THE papers composing this volume
treat of the inner rather than the outer
life of Japan, for which reason they have
been grouped under the title kokoro'
(heart).
written with the above character this
word signifies also mind, in the emotion
al sense; spirit; courage; resolve; SEN
timent affection. and inner meaning
just as we say in English, The heart of
things"
There are chapters upon "A Railway
Station" Japanese Civiliza tlon." After
the War" THE Idea of Pre-existence."
and upon many other subjects, of which
the author writes in an enlightening, en-
Pertaining and charmingly persuasive
manner, with a style that is all his owns
diction that is polished, clear-cut and
incisive.
OF Japanese civilization the author
says:
"And this leads to the subject of an
other wonderful fact in the sudden de-
velopment of Japanese power. Where
are the outward material signs of that
immense new force she has been show
ing both in productivity and in war?
Nowhere! That which we miss In her
emotional and intellectual life Is missing
also from her industrial and commercial
life-largeness! The land remains what
1t was before. The miniature railways
and telegraph poles, the bridges and
tunnels, might almost escape notice in
the ancient green of the landscapes"
No one can read these books by Mr..
Hearn without being deeply and favor
ably impressed by his earnestness and
purity of belief in the beauty. dignity
and grandeur of sentiment, thought and
life of this oriental people. tHoughton,
Miffiin & Coz PAUL PRY.