The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-28
Lore of japan.

The announcement of a new book on
Japan by Lafcadio Hearn always stirs a
thrill of delight in those who know the
work of this marvelously subtle and strong
writer. Hearn is perhaps the only man
of European parentage who ever be-
came thoroughly imbued with the at
mosphere of japanese life, and had the
command Of language necessary to de-
scribe that strangely fascinating and
quaint people. His latest work is entitled
''Shadowings" and is made UP of essays,
papers, and notes on miscellaneous sub
jects, from Japanese literature to cicadae.
The book is in three parts. The first
contains japanese ghost stories. weird,
horrible, or exquisite by turns. The Sec
ond is a mass of information on cicadae
and the literature relating to them, jap
anese female names, and old folk-songs
Of the islands. The last division is per-
haps the most valuable of all, being a
collection of Fantasies
studies Of various kinds. dealing largely
with the personal experience of the au-
thor.
The first of the ghost stories is partic-
ularly delightful, dealing with the ex-
perience of a young Samurai who, after
having divorced his wife. returns to her
and finds her ghost awaiting him in the
house where they lived together. The
little tale is inexpressibly touching and
poetic, and perhaps no one else could have
SO translated 1t as to reproduce its deli
cate charm.
Less pleasing is 1.-THE Corpse-Ri
which is horror pure and simple. 1.-The
Sympathy of Benten" is SO essentially
Oriental in its theme that 1t will be 10
~
poetic thought 1.-The Gratitude of the
Samebito" is as grotesquely enjoyable as
anything in THE Arabian Nights of
which book 1t is to be wished that Mr.
Hearp, or somebody of his temperament,
had made translation.
The chapter on cicadae proves anew the
intuitive and accurate perception of the
japanese, and their quickness to seize
upon all that is beautiful in nature as
means of expressing poetic thought. Mr..
Hearn shows conclusively that every
phase of the life of this little insect has
been observed and noted by the Japanese
poet, and associated with some human
emotion. He makes several scores of
quotations as proof of this, and they are
essentially poetic in thought. Here are
one or two, showing both the talent OF
the poet and the skill of the translator:
SINNERS all the air with sibilation of semi,
Ceaseless, wearying sense-a sound Of perpetual
boiling.
10! on the topmost pine, solitary eicada
Yainly attempts to clasp one last red beam Of
Not less delicious are the love songs
with 'neir TRANSACTIONS. They make one
inclined to learn japanese. Here is one
composed as early as the twelfth century:
With loosened hair
Only because Of having tossed it,
Only because OF having shaken it,
Oh, sweet she 10,
And another:
o flower. hear me well II thou hast soul!
When anyone sOrrows IS ] am sorTowing, why
dost thou bloom?
After these. appropriately, come the
Fantasies" Those who remember Hearn's
West Indian papers will recollect the pc
culiar color effects of thought which were
produced in them. In his molding OF 1t
the language seems to glow, to burn. and
to take on color as the sea does under sun
light. His use Of English is not unlike the
sea-effect described in the beginning of
these essays, one called "Noctilucae," in
which words are combined with the same
peculiar skill shown in his descriptions of
the Caribbean:
The moon had not yrt risen, but the vast of
the night was all seething with stars, and
bridged by milky way Of extraordinary bright
ness There was no wind. but the sea- far rs
sight could reach, was running in ripples OF fire
a vision of internal beauty. Only the ripplcs were
radiant (beeween them was blackness absolute),
and the luminosity was amazing. Most Of the
fluctuations were yellow like candle, fame; but
there were crimson lsmpings also, and azure, and
orange, and emerald And the anpous pickering
Of all seemed, not pulsing OF many waters, but
= laboring Of many wtlls-a neeting conscious and
monktrouS-a writhing and sWarming incalcula.
bic, as Of dragon-life In soma depth Of Erebus.
Other essays are "a Mystery Of Crowds"
Gothic Horror" deviation" Might
mare Touch" Readings from . Dream
Book" and I'm . Pair Of Eyes" They are
all strangely alluring. and after once read