Page:Percival Lowell - an afterglow.djvu/62

Percival Lowell In a published correspondence between Mr. Hearn and his friend George M. Gould, Esq., Mr. Gould writes: "Perhaps I should not have succeeded in getting Hearn to attempt 'Japan' had it not been for a little book that fell into his hands during his stay with me. In sending it to me he wrote:

"'Gooley! ... I have found a marvellous book ... a book of books! ... a colossal, splendid, godlike book. You must read every line of it. Tell me how I can send it. For heaven's sake don't skip a word of it. The book is called "The Soul of the Far East" but its title is smaller than its imprint. ""

"'P.S.—Let something else go to H, and read this book instead. May God eternally bless and infinitely personalize the man who wrote this book! Please don't skip one solitary line of it and don't delay reading it,—because something, much! is going to go out of it into your heart and life and stay there! I have just finished this book and feel like John of Patmos,—only a d—d sight better. He who shall skip one word of this book let his portion be cut off and his name blotted out of the Book of Life.'"

Later came a note about the book which brought this unalloyed and characteristic touch:

"The man who wrote 'The Soul of the Far East' and 'Choson' is nevertheless an accomplished math- 46