_May 26th, 1902._[1]
I have read your last letter over many times; in it you write so
sympathetically about the Javanese people. It is very pleasant that you
should have such friendly thoughts towards the brown race. If I could
only have you here with us there are so many things about my people
which I should be glad to show you. Where can one study and learn to
understand a people better than in the heart of that people? and here we
have a true Javanese environment. You know that all of you would be
welcome at any time.
It is charming of you to wish to have me with you, but alas! for the
present I may only appreciate your good will. To travel alone to
Buitenzorg belongs just now to the realm of forbidden fruit. But who
knows when a change may come! So much that seems to us today to be
absolutely impossible, appears tomorrow as an accomplished fact. The
Javanese are a nation filled with memories and fairy tales, in dreams
and fairy tales the most wonderful things happen, and my heart which is
Javanese through and through, holds fast to the illusion that there can
still be miracles, even as there were in the far distant past.
If you knew of the dreams of some Javanese girls that you know, possibly
you might be surprised at them, think them strange, but you would not, I
hope, merely shrug your shoulders in pity. You know, do you not, that we
are possessed by the idea of going to your country? But you do not know
why. What one naturally thinks when one speaks of visiting strange
lands, is of seeing and understanding new things, enjoying oneself, and
perhaps also of learning accomplishments.
But when we feel so much for the suffering of our people, is it strange
then that there should be in us a great longing to do something that
will help them? What has that to do with our desire to go to your
country? We wish to gather knowledge and bring back to our people the
treasures of other lands, of your own country first of all. We do not
wish to change the spirit of the native Javanese, but to cultivate the
good which is latent in them. That is the goal which we have set before
our eyes.
It is such a pity that we live so far from each other. How nice it would
be if we could exchange thoughts and ideas. Things can be expressed so
much better in spoken than in written words. But our correspondence is
very pleasant to me, we meet at so many points. How gladly I should
teach you to know and understand my people. A wonder artist must rise up
in Java to tell of our race in beautiful words to his fellow countrymen.
Just as Fielding has written of the Burmanese. Now we have only that
notorious book by Veth[2] that has brought so many pens into motion, and
caused a storm of anger to break forth.
Every land has its own individual faults. India just as well as every
other country on this round earth. Poor India, in foreign lands one
knows so bitterly little of you, and a book like that of Veth will
certainly not gain you sympathy.
Augusta de Wit[3] writes with understanding, and in beautiful language
about India. We always read her articles in the _Gids_ with much
pleasure.
In everything that concerns nature and art, and in "dreams," Borel is
delightful. On other subjects he has less good to say, he goes hand in
hand with his friend Veth. Have you read what Borel has written about
the gamelan? We think it a little jewel. And did you see the article by
Martine Tonnet about the Wajang Orang at the court of Djokarta? That too
is a jewel. I wish that Borel would go there, he might feel inspired to
break into charming poetry. The dance[4] of the Princes of Solo and
Djokarta must be magnificent. It is the dance of dances it is said. It
is a pity that we cannot go to Djokarta. We have often been invited, but
it would be so wearisome to dress in court costume, and at court every
one must be dressed (like a bride).
Do you know that fairy story by Marie Marx-Koning? We think it very
fine. It seems to me that she must be a great admirer of Van Eeden.
"t'Viooltje dat weten wilde," reminds me of "De Kleine Johannes." Do you
not like that too? It is so true in thought, and in style it is
charming.
I read what you wrote of your little protégé with great interest, and
also what you said of the poor in Holland. I hear much of the misery of
the poor there when winter comes. Poor, poor simple creatures! I
correspond with a Frieslander; she tells me about conditions in Holland,
especially in Friesland. In the winter time she has often sat down on
the ground beside poor people who lived in little hovels of straw. The
middle of winter, no work, nothing to eat, no fire, no clothes, no warm
covering, and crying children. It is bitterly hard.
[1] Mevrouw de Booij-Boissevain.
[2] "Java; Geographisch, Ethnologisch, Historisch," 3 vols. Haraam
1875-80, by Professor Veth of Leyden.
[3] "Facts and Fancies about Java," by Augusta de Wit.
[4] For a description of the dance of the Princes at the court of
Soerakarta, see "Un Séjour dans l'île de Java" by Jules LeClercq. Chap.
14, p. 169.