[Milton-L] Hideyuki Shitaka

[David Gay]

Dear Miltonists,

Hideyuki Shitaka was the first friend I made in the Milton community  
and, like many others, I was concerned when he did not make it to the  
London Symposium, an anniversary event he was no doubt looking forward  
to for years. He was a man of great serenity, dignity, dedication, and  
conviction. The thesis of his book -- that the figure of the Son is at  
the core of Paradise Lost -- was eloquent and elegant, and supported  
by rich scholarly and critical insight.

Until recently, he was a constant presence at Milton Symposia, where  
memories that link scholars from opposite sides of the world are made  
of ferry boats in Vancouver, bus tours through Snowdonia, Cathedrals  
in York, airport lounges in Savannah, streetcars in Grenoble, cards  
and notes that fall from books on days like this. He was a little  
nervous about giving a paper in English in Vancouver. Although his  
English was excellent, and he had given many papers, it still required  
a special kind of energy, attention and dedication to share ideas and  
receive questions in a second language. He said that he felt the  
assuring presence of his late father in a dream the night before. His  
paper, chaired with great sensitivity and respect by Thomas Kranidas,  
went very well indeed. He was an inspiration to all those who give  
papers in second or third languages at English conferences, and a  
leader in English studies in Japan. Like Albert Labriola, he  
understood the supportive spirit that informs the life we have chosen.  
If anyone out there is about to give their first conference paper, and  
if you are feeling a little anxious, be encouraged by the shining  
examples of Hideyuki Shitaka and Albert Labriola.

sincerely,

David Gay, Professor
Department of English and Film Studies
University of Alberta
Edmonton T6G 2E5
Tel: (780) 492 0542






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