Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

124.

taken Lankes - His wife had left him, his boys in the army and navy, he no longer taught at (CD), his eyes were bad, and he suffered constantly from insomnia and (CD). This recital made me feel sorry for him, so when we met (Mr. + Mrs. James + I) him at the hotel that evening for cocktails, I was prepared to be nice as I possibly could to him (even tho long ago he had driven me away from him with his petty jealousies and interminable conversations and argumentative letter). I was shocked when I saw him, he seemed like a broken old man - However, after a short session, he seemed the J.J. of old - talk, talk, talk, all in a pessimistic vein, and all about himself. When James, out of politeness said to him - "You're looking well" Lankes seemed to take it as a personal affront - "well, I don't know why I should be looking well" - and was off in a recital of woe. After a bit, he said that he had gotten into correspondence with a Buddhist, who gave him a book on Buddhism to read. "Imagine my surprise" he said "when I discovered that all my like I have been a Buddhist, and I didn't know it" - Wouldn't it be strange" he went on "if this war brought about the elimination of Christianity and