New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

JrSRIKisHA DAYS IN JAPAN. BY Eliza Ruhamah
Scidmore. 16mo, PIP. 8s6. Harper BROTHERS.
Records OF travel and adventure in Japan become
yearly and more numerous, but the thoroughly
satisfactory book is yet TO be produced. No visitor
has found the Of investing the narrative OF ht
personal experience with that bewitchtng charm which
the reality often possesses, and wa look In vain for
ample faithful and natural portrayal OF what has
actually been seen and felt by intelligent observer
delightful success awaits the sympathetic expiore
who, renouncng all temptations to discourse pro
foundly upon matters necessarily beyond his grasp
shall undertake only the pleasant task OF imparlne
10 Others the vertable impressions and sensations Of
his sojourn in the land of sunshine ana romance
There is no evidence, thus far that this has oeen
even attempted Elsewhere the tourist Is free tc tc
the story of his enioyments without laoofons accom-
panments OF affected erudition. II Is only when ne
enters Japan that he Is seized by irresistible pro-
pensty proclaim himself omniscient ana that INC
desire TO celebrate his own cleverness dms MS per
ception Of the brilliant opportunities that surroohu
him.
The most unfortunate example Of this tendency 10
pose-and prose-dldactically has been given by the
distinguished Englshman who recently puDished HIS
memoranda of a brief association with the Japanese
race. In his case the disappointment was extreme
because so much had been expected OF him. But IL
seems impossible for any author in the far basO DO
matter what his capabIlity in other regions may De-
10 escape from the beaten course 1t is needless 10
ask what would be thought Of traveller VINO, alter
hasty inspection Of any European country snouiu
deliver himself of volume exhibiting no purpose
superior 10 that OF demonstrating his faclhty IN
mastering its history, social characteristics ana IAN
eusae all exclusively and at lightning speed That
his failure would be foregone conclusion goes WIFI
out saying. Yet this is the habual pracuce Oh ule
majority of writers who pass through or briefly resde
IN Japan The fact that they are burdening the
public with species of literature for which there Is
no call does not suggest itself to their Imagination
Readers OF the class 10 which they appeal care ht'e
for such fragmentary information as they can oher
or for the fmsy philosophic dissertations IN winch
they indulge. Their ceaselese iteration OF conven-
tional Japanese phrases means nothing and imposes
upon nobody Even IL accurately Transcribed, TIE
employment of a language Of which not one American
or European in hundred thousand understands
syllable would be waste OF time and space; Dnt
when every second or third citation betrays mat
the authors are ignorant as those upon whom they
inhict this pretence OF learning, their proshhpuOh
becomes intoerable
We should have been sincerely gratifed to find in
Mrs. scidmore's collection of "reminiscences an excep-
ton to the common rule. The temper in which she
writes is so amlabe, and her intention to represent
with absolute justice the people and the country
she describes is so clearly set forth, that
no one conversant with her subject can
fail to regret the errors into which she
has fallen 1t Is impossible, however. TO regard them
leniently, since most of them are wholly unnecessary
and might have been avoided with very little effort
and educated natives of Japan can always be consulted
upon questions of politics. religion popular custom
Statistics, obscure dates and pathological lore add
nothing to the aractiveness Of work of this descrp
ton, but If forciby pressed into service their
authenticity should be established beyond dispute. The
lady is frank in acknowledging that she treads on
dangerous ground, yet she takes no pains 10 make
her footing secure-as we may see in her method OF
dealing with the native tongue she is under no
illusion as to the enormous difficulties of japanese
speech, and declares that alien fathom them
In less than from twelve to thirty years. Yet she
Immediately proceeds to expound the theory of its
construction and to Illustrate its idioms dialects, laws
of grammar and pronunciation, etc, with fiuency
that inevitably leads to awkward consequences In
many of her transatons she is painfully astray and in
Classification, representation of japanese sounds
by Roman letters she follows system OF any sort
1t is all guesswork. Her historical even;s political
Developments geographical measurements. legendary
incidentsn fact her whole range OF Standardization
appear to rest upon better basis 1t is true that
the mistakes seldom harmful. II she had omitted
all reference to the points upon which she is fault
no would have complained. But being deter
mined to instruct. she was bound not to mislead Few
readers concerned TO know the particular nominal
rank Of sixteenth century pOtentae. but author
Is warranted in speaking of HideyosM as a Shotgun.
1t is not vitay important to be told how long the
shoguns dwelt in Koo, but they were rarely there
at all, the assertion that their term of occupation
lasted 1000 years Is unlucky. The various titles Of
the Emperor are of slight significance. but if given
In detail they should be properly spelled. So. like
wise, should the names Of families and in
dividuals. especially well known modern actors
When important places referred TO. such as the
capital of the Tokngawas, the northern island
OF the Empire, bungling photography still less ex
cusabe. Goddesses of tradition should not be turned
into gods; sea-fsh into rlversh nor cold water
into hot Cinnamon into Western foreigners. The
order of the should be deranged nor the
ancient coinage of the realm be COMPOUNDED with the
new. OF this kind the bemishes that crowd the
pages of /" Jinriksha Days in Japan"
Those portions Of the book in which the writer has
trusted to her individual observation have on the other
hand, flavor of novelty and genuneness that is
heartily refreshing. Her wanderings about the coun-
try the beauties of the scenery through which she
conducted, her intercourse with representatives OF
various social grades. her daily occupations and diver
sions, described with exuberant cordialty and with
genial humor which is to win the confidence of
all who accept her cheerful Guidance Her life in
Japan seems to have been happy holiday, as, ap-
parently, any rightly constituted visitors may be. !
There il anywhere EARTH the stranger who carries
with him spirit Of kindly appreciation and good will
feels that he is in the "land of tranquil delights
Witnesses always ready in abundance to support the
agreeable conclusion. but it is not often that the est
mony is offered gTaciously and generously as In !
"Jinrkisha Days." of which IL may be sad finally that
its defects those of host Of similar volumes while
its merits are all the authors