The sun., 1908-07-15
LAFcAD1O HEARN.
FU1te Of His Ufe and Myths That Have
Grown About Them.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUs--Sir. There
has been growing up of late such series Of
absurd myths concerning Lafcadio Hearn--
myths having origin In book recently pub
lished about him-that II Ia perhaps neces-
sary that the real facts about the man should
be restated.
1. As to his birth and origin. The story OF
these. as related by himself. was carefully
investigated at the time of the publication OF
his Life and Letters" It was confirmed In
every detail by means of family papers and
through information obtained directly from
his half-sisters. bis brother and his cousins.
without undue credulty II may be supposed
that he himself and his immediate family
knew the facts better than DR.. Gould. whose
entire personal acquaintance with Lafcadio
Hearn extended over the period Of exactly
five months.
2. His youth and early influences have
been personally acquainted with the Hearns
for many years. They are people OF birth
and breeding and up to his sixteenth year,
the formative period Of life-Lafcadio Haarn
lived In an atmosphere Of wealth and refine
ment. That he auarrelled with his guardian
and LEFT home is not remarkable. as many
famous and obscure men have done the same
thing In the heat and inexperience of youth.
3. As to his sight. The testimony Of his
schoolmates and family is that 1t was espe-
clally good until his sixteenth year, when
he injured one eye In playing game. And
while the health of'the other eye was much
affected by the strain Of In cessant study
and work and he was Obliged to use power
full glass when reading. yet his vision was
acute and accurate for such things as did not
require the close concentration demanded
by print.
The book In question contains a great deal
OF fan ciful nonsense wrapped up In the tech
nical verblage Of the specialist. which always
IN rnp a he tex,. n..t
fact Lafcadio Hearn's eye troubles were not
the result OF disease. and no more affected his
character and writing than the deafness of
one ear would have done.
T. His relations with women have been
treated with equal inaccuracy and malice
In this mass Of absurd -Hearn legends That
he was not Galahad may be admitted, but
from the tone Of this aforemen toned book
and the press comments upon Il one would
suppose that any irregularity In the relations
OF the sexes was something hitherto unheard
OF. 1t may be suggested to these innocent.
artless minds that such thin &c an not 90 amaz-
Ing and abnormal as they would seem to be-
lieve, and that even In America there are ru-
mors that number Of men before marriage
do not always lead the spotless lives Of clois-
tered nuns. (0f course after marriage such
things are unthinkable.J Even so good a
man as George Washington has been ac-
cused OF being bit voltage In the heady
days Of his youth. and he was certainly not
morbid or decadent.
To put it simply. no doubt Lafcadio Hearn
led the life Of the average man MP to the time
OF his marriage. As soon as he had the small
est hope Of being able to support family
he married a lady Of rank and high character,
and was devoted husband and father to the
day OF his death Professor Basil Hall Cham
berlain. whose testimony will hardly be aues-
TONED, ssI declares the HeaTp marriage to have
the same is true Of Hearn s detrsctors. n'e'
s., There has been much whispering Of terri
ese wnsn and aRo css BY s
shreds Of common sense these scandals re-
solve themselves into this: When Hearn
extreme he slept for time in an abandoned
boiler in vacant lot After he secured work
MS home was sarret room in cheap board
warmed. and his hours. owing to the nature
Of his work. were Irregular. The cook in this
%%ao e eGse kspt Ss anner kna sar@
came in wet and chilled. lie was not yet
the racial, prejudices OF America were un-
known and where the sentimentalties Of the
IA PSas Sad beeo eD nssd hs neg s Of Sf
He apparently drifted into some me connection @ a,i
with this gir, and fun Of the ohIvalry. Of nine
turn for her goodness to him. and applied for
9 license to marry her 1t was a pathetic,
high minded piece OF quixotism, and It is to
and honest with the women of the African
race. but Just possibly some OF those who are
those Who have raRed dn up s1i This matter i
pears that any connection between the races
In this this country % Is nnheard OF: Indicating q
this attitude to Lafcadio Hearn js 90
widespread let us hope IL is honest and that
s%S ha qesss Of Of IN nheb Hes
men are not responsible.
eeeo S etss SsousS sa & but ns s HpS
tS.s this charge rests Or the ises That he @ Was
~ article sSoas her s and shss Ss q met Sh hes
exactly exact once: When ,s1am3sd most Of
equally pssuaSs and
OF lodgings IN New Orleans Hearn ooclplsd.
lodgings were common enough in that day
and were, no more unusual or scandalous
psops sep s Sdsss Sdss kept hs s or s
Msrtssss he fs II ysl!ow f9 1snss and wss
lowed to remain in arrears until. he was able
to repay it. though he always declared that |
no money could discharge is the debt Of graft;
8. Hearns relations With Dr: Gould. which
oiea Sroe G f to Hearn shs ss
and desultory correspondents ensued for a |
while. When Hearn returned from Marti- |
niaue pr Gould ardeptly entreated him to
make Gould's house his home for as long
as he wished There are those who have seen |
these letters). urging that the honor Of en-
tertaining great man was a sufficient return. |
and that he, Gould, gave the invitation be- |
cause of his overwhelming love Of literature. |
Hearn's worldly wisdom was small, and he !
was indiscreet enough to reply that he would
go for a time at least. The visit lasted for |
some months, and ended. as might have been |
foreseen, In a rupture.
1t should OF course be added that DR.. Gould |
says he gave Lafcadio Hearn a soul" during |
that expensive visit. Those who have read |
the books and letters written by Hearn before |
he met the discursive doctor might be In
ed to think IL a case Of carrying Goals to |
Newcastle, buc possibly the doctor was thus |
pnduly generous: as Judging 1sa,gs from his book
self OF that commodity.
all events hsan 50 ste =, VALUED hUd the
Communication with the glyer
To sum up the facts OF Iafcadio Hean's |
life as contrasted with this set Of shilling
shocker myths: He was OF gentle birth and |
lived amid refined surroundings In his early |
years. He left home at 10 and after many
years Of poverty and hard work raised HIM |
self to the position OF an hone ored teacher In
one Of the worlds great universities. He |
married well and happily and was a devoted |
father and husband, and he enriched En- gish |
literature with valuable and perman ent con-