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(498)

April 9/98.

Dear Matasuki

The two boxes containing screens, pottery, and kakemono arrived yesterday and I was very glad to find the contents in good condition.

I am greatly obliged to you for having sent me the [[Hampe]] on approval, as I am pleased indeed to have an opportunity to study another example of this painter's work. He was [[absolutely]] a famous man, but strangely enough, neither of the two examples you have sent me give me nearly as much pleasure as I had hoped for. Perhaps I am blind to the higher side of the art, but it seems to me to be not very much more [[interesting]] in execution than the work of his master and several other of his pupils thus, unless I can find more important specimens than the two mentioned, I should [[?]] have to include them in my little group.

The [[?]] in the [[kakemono]] last received is certainly very lovely, but the strange contrasting of voice varies in knowledge and [[technique]] so much from the work of stronger men, I should certainly feel it inharmonious when considered with the landscape of [[?]], for [[instance]], and other work in the collection. I hung the [[Hampe]] alongside the [[?]] containing the big white lily and after [[some]] minutes I am perfectly convinced of the masterful quality of the [[?]] and the amateurish efforts shown in the [[Hampe]]. I presume you will differ from me considerably in my opinion, but I wish you would put the [[kakemono]], which I am returning to you to-day to a similar test and then let me know whether or not you could [[?]] yourself with it along with such things as I have spoken of.

The screens [[looked]] wonderfully well this morning, and the [[?]] certainly is a most beautiful piece.

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