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Oiso, June 27th My dear B.B., I think of you very much. So I write this letter. How are you? I hope you are well. Japan is now in the rainy season, the worst time in the year, and my health is very low. Since I got the Radiation treatment last February, although theoretically I have recovered from the exhaustion caused by it, I do not feel at all well. Moreover my chronic disease Hypertension has aggravated & I have to remain very quiet & inactive. Perhaps I have worked too much on my coming book “Masterpieces of Japanese Art.” The publisher Thames & Hudson in London want the MSS as quickly as possible, which is still now an impossibility, because I am ill & cannot work, so much as I could wish. But the whole work is about 3/4 over, Thank heaven! I am ashamed to say that Japanese Edition of “Italian Painters” is not out yet. After the last War our people became demoralized & even my best pupils would not work, so much as I wish. This is perhaps because there are too many people in this narrow country & life is so difficult. Moreover (just imagine!) some part (not very big part ) of the translated text was lost by a secretary of the publisher, & one of the translators had to do the translation over again. All these are bad news for you, but now at last nearly translations are over, & this autumn the book would be made. My long preface as the editor of this translation is being printed & I have seen the printer’s proofs. Till now the situations about the book were so bad, that I had no courage to make a report of the translation-work to you. Now I heave a great sigh of relief, because my promise to you & to B Horovitz of Phaidon to supervise the Japanese edition of the “Bible” for the study of Italian Paintings, is about to be accomplished. About this time last year I was in Europe with my wife. What a great pity was it, that we could not call on you at Vallombrosa before our departure for Tokyo. I wish I could come to Italy to call on you & to see your face, to clasp your hand & to see I Tatti over again. My wife wants it too. But if my poor health continues like this, I am afraid, it would be difficult. If my health recovers, I want to go to U. S. over again to write on Chinese art. This again may be a dream. Wishing for your health with my whole heart, Yours ever, Yuki My wife sends her best love to you & to Nicky. My love to Nicky, too. |
