Yashiro (in Oiso) to Bernard Berenson

Jan. 20th

My dear B.B.,

There is no word from anybody, which gave me a greater strength, than your letter of Dec. 28th, which you wrote immediately after receiving Katherine Dunham's report about my health. When I received your letter I was ailing in a hospital & was feeling very much weakened. Your words, “but I implore you not to give up hope. The will to live and get well can still perform miracles” went deep into my soul & I will insist on living, as you have done. That letter of yours has become a really guiding spirit for me, & I am always carrying that letter in my inside pocket! Thank you, thank you, my old master! It was really a timely advice for me. My wife joins me to send our deep-felt gratitude to you.

Just now I came out of the hospital, where I got an emergency operation, which was already healed. But I am not completely well yet. This is just to send my deep feeling for you, after I received that precious letter.

Yours ever,  

Yukio Yashiro

P.S. As you kindly tells me in your letter, when I recover in health, I will surely come over to I Tatti in order to prepare for the new edition of Botticelli. The prospect of visiting I Tatti over again & work there, with my old master again giving me advices, gives me such a brightness for my future. I shall live my young days over again in the same old familiar place. I will try to live longer but at the same time, my dear teacher, you must live longer, so that you may let me join you & do the work!

Please remember us to Nicky.