China and the West

[While in Paris, Monroe Wheeler sent Marianne Moore and her mother some Chinese handkerchiefs and writing paper with matching envelopes.]
Letter from Marianne Moore to Monroe Wheeler ; March 3, 1933.
The word of China's glores – that is to say of your having them – rejoices us. It is so possible to go to a country and see the proffered wonders, missing the true ones ; not to mention being swallowed up in population and seeing nothing of the people who are wonders. You epitomize China – for us in your comparison of it with Japan ; not that one doesn't admire the special proficiencies of Japan, the dexterity, sense of scenery, concise imagination and so on, but for sagesse as Lachaise called it, one takes China ; and of course at present our sympathies establish new loyalties. The handkerchiefs almost frighten us by their perfection. Even a bungler must see that maintained rectangles in drawn-work so tenuous and complicated, required genius and many years' apprenticeship ; and the fineness of the material is to begin with a constant wonder. This paper was a piquant sight to western eyes – the etched red dog on the green cover sheet not being the least feature. I think the two red gum leaves are perhaps the masterpiece, though one has leanings toward the frog - & toward both envelopes. To think of hazarding two such birds near P. Office cancellation marks seems blasphemy. Accuracy and liveness so remarkable – presented freely in this was as if it were an everyday affair, make one breathe eastier having set up for a writer rather than as a painter. (If I could read Chinese I might be in deeper trouble)… To have seen Mei Lan Fang would in itself be enough reward for going to China – let alone several times, and personally, as you have. I liked him so much the one time I saw him in New York, that I was well satisfied not to go to anything else at the theatre afterward that season… I was lured to New York to make a call, and of my own accord went to the Institute to a lecture on American, Spanish, and Chinese alpine flora and to a series of bird and animal motion pictures by Drs. Bailey and Niedbrock of Chicago… Mother has been scorning me for writing a letter to a child in Samoa, on Chinese paper…