KŌBE, December, 1895.
DEAR HENDRICK,--Eyes a little better, and courage reviving. Moreover I
enclose letter showing prospects in a better light. The book is to be
out in spring.
My boy is beginning to talk, and to look better. He walks now. He has
much changed,--always growing fairer. I shall send a photo of him as
soon as I think the difference from his first chubby aspect becomes
apparent enough to interest you....
What succeeds like force?--eh? See what Japan has now become in the eyes
of the world! Yet that war was unjust, unnecessary. It was forced upon
Japan. She knew her strength. Her people wished to turn that strength
against European powers. Her rulers, more wisely, turned the storm
against China,--just to show the West what she could do, if necessary.
Thus she has secured her autonomy. But let no man believe Japan hates
China. China is her teacher and her Palestine. I anticipate a reaction
against Occidental influence after this war, of a very serious kind.
Japan has always hated the West--Western ideas, Western religion. She
has always loved China. Free of European pressure, she will assert her
old Oriental soul again. There will be no conversion to Christianity.
No! not till the sun rises in the West. And I hope to see a United
Orient yet bound into one strong alliance against our cruel Western
civilization. If I have been able to do nothing else in my life, I have
been able at least to help a little--as a teacher and as a writer, and
as an editor--in opposing the growth of what is called society and what
is called civilization. It is very little, of course,--but the gods
ought to love me for it. They ought to make me rich enough to go every
year for six months to uncivilized lands--such as Java, Borneo, etc. If
I have good luck with my books, I'll make a tropical trip next spring.
Love to you,
LAFCADIO.