Small suggestion - the "internal reset / initialization " , I may not be using same term as Hitachi doc does, is really done internally on power up. No software needed for that.
It has its own timing and the result is "all character bits " are on.
So the back-light is important.
Majority of "problems" with first usage of the LCD is people forget about this "power up initialization " or the software "takes off" without the user having a chance to observer the result of it.
BTW since you were given a suggestion not using the same name, I would suggest to drop the "begin" method name too.
You are technically initializing the device functions , not beginning it.
Good show.
Jim