The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-06-02
Japanese Civilization.

The London SJturd1y ReUiear, in a no
tice Of new work. "Le Japan Illustre
par Aime Humbert," says of Japanes
civilization:
The purely Japanese civilization, un
helped by European ideas, surpassed il
many points the civilization Of certain
portions of Europe itself. For instance
If we compare the highlands Of Scotlan'
in the seventeenth century with Japan a
the same period, it cannot be denied tina
in many of the arts of refinement tn
japanese very far surpassed our Gaelic
speaking neighbOfs, and to this day ther,
are islands in the British Archipelago
where material civilization is incompara
bly, inferior in the variety and quality o
its products to the civilization of tn,
japanese islands. The difference is prob
ably due more to climate than to race, f,
our Gaels are naturally both intellieen
and polished, yet they have produced
nothing so long as they have remained il
their own land The japanese civiliza
tion, as we know it. is combination o
Partisan righteousness with feudalism
The Highlanders had the feudalism, under
the clan system, without the ingenious
ness However, since every civilization i
thing of itself, comparisons are apt Il
lead us astray if we attempt to draw in
ferences and 90 even the shortest ster
beyond the asceltained fact. For example
in one respect, that of popular elementary
education, the japanese are very superior
to the French, and even to the English
There is no compulsory education, the
government never interferes between
parent and Child, yet everY man and
woman in Japan can read and write and
keep an account But on the other hand
if we ask how far the japanese have gone
in the pursuit of Neutrality-suspicious. far, for
example, a special study, such as medicine,
has been carried-we find them infinitely
behind the most backward of the Euro
pean nations. Again, in the fine arts.
they carry certain works to point Of ex
quisiteness hardly known IN Europe; their
artistic furniture, for example, is in IFS
way simplya perfect product Of art inven-
ton, and their drawings and wood cuts
are often the work Of most genuine and
even great artists, who would do honor
to any country But when we inquire
how far they have gone in architecture
we find that in this, the earliest OF the
arts. the mother OF the arts, they have
scarcely gone beyond a conveniently ar
ranged hut for habitation, and q heavy
Overhangjng roof on very insignificant
edfice for RELIGIOUS purposes III Humbert
attributes the back wardness CftbeJa apauese
in architecture to their peculiarly strong
sense of the transformers of existence,
so that they eDcamp on the earth, as ii
Were, blt do not settle upon it with ideas
OF permanence. But one cannot help
asking why any belief or disbs lief in the
eternal duration Of o,riator,oo beyond the
grave should affect the manner Of our set
tlement on this particular planet, where a
man stays no longer for having belief
in the Immortality Of the soul, nor q year
the less for looking forward to its annihi-
lation. The japanese are not, as the early
Christians We're, and as certain inter
prefers of prophesy appear to be in the
present day, In daily expectation OF the
end of all things. They see generation
succeed to generation, yet they build only
for the pres mt. All that can be said is, that
certain peoples have a passion for leaving
great permanent monuments, and others
have not; and further, that where this
passion does not exist, architecture, in the
great sense, has no chance of vigorous
life The passion is very languid in Eng
land itself at the present day; certain
buildings are erected which will last, but
mainly because immense strength is nee
esSary to their present utility. The
Houses of Parliament were built with a
view to permancnce, and so is the Thames
embankment, but the ordinary London
House is almost as much an encampment
as the japanese.
Other points to be noted about the
japanese are the simplicity of their sys-
TEN of furnishing, in point of quality, and
the compatibility of this simplicity with
the highest and most elaborate finish in
the things themselves. In England we
have usually great quantities Of furniture
before we Teach artistic quality, and then
We reach it only in some objects which are
regarded as curiosities. The Japanese
understand the advantage of having few
things, and they have kna ok of doing
everything in the most convenient manner.
For example, what thoroughly practical
idea it is TO have all the mats in Japan
exactly of the same size AS the mat is
the most important thing in the house, and
as the rooms are altered at will by parti-
tiOns, always with reference to the mats,
1t is obvious that an amount OF trouble is
saved in all alterations and removals by
having the mat invariable They have a
love OF order and regularity, shown not
only In the systematic arrangement of the
social hierarchy, but even i'll the building
of their cities. For example, the Osaka
is almost as regular as a chess board. They
appear to be cleanly people The in
habitants OF certain European countries
might initiate them in this respect
with advantage. The hot bath is a daily
necessary of life in Japan, but it is re.
markable that the japanese never battle
ior their pleasure, in the sea, though ma
ture has done everything to tempt them
GOETHE was in company with mother
and daughter, when the latter, being re
proved ior something, blushed and burst
into tears. He Said To the mother: "How
beautiful your reprOach has made your
daughteri The crimson hue and those
silvery tears become her much better IN
any ornament Of gold or pearls; those
may be hung on the neck of any woman
these are never seen uncOnnectcd with
moral purity. A full blown flower
sprinkled with purest hue, is not SO bt au-
tiful as this child, blushing beneath heI
parents displeasure, and sht dding lie lrs o.
sorrow for her fault. a blush is sign
which nature hangs out TO show where
chastity and honor dwell"
1T Is said that there Is a line in Lower
California dividing the weather and the
seasons, so that on one side of this linC
these are just the reverse Of what they
are on the other. Advantage is taken o.
this popularity in climate by the stock-rais
ers, and when a drouth occurs in one sec
tioE, the cattle and horses are driven into
the other, where the pastures aIe green iol
the rest of the season.
THERE are over five thousand papers
In the United States. But there are per
sons living who have seen Benjamin
Franklin, the founder of the fourth news
paper established ~ this country.