The morning call., 1893-02-19

mire the "Tosa Nikf' more than the hall
dozen others that comprise the whole range
ofliterary effort in this direction. This is
simply an account of trip In the interior
of the country and its principal beauties lie
in the delightful descriptions of country
scenery it contains.
b. Fl. Chamberlain, who is perhaps better
versed in Japanese literature than any
other Western student, sums up its merits as
follows:
what japanese literature most lacks
Is genius. II lacks thought logical grasp.
depth OF pathos 1t is too timOrous, too mar
row to compass great things"
The art Of printing from wooden blocks
dates from the eighth century. when pious
Buddhist Empress caused million Budd-
hist pictures to be printed and distributed
10 the various temples throughout the coun-
try
Some of these little slips are still pre-
served by the priests. Like the system Of
writing. reproduction from blocks or block
writing, as it is called. was introduced from
emma. The oldest known book now in ex-
lstence in Japan WAS printed at the end Of
the twelfth century, though some are
| spoken OF as having been printed in the
tenth century. At first, since it was a Budd-
hist Invention, religious books Of that faith
were the only sort issued, but after the
fourteenth century Chinese books of poetry
and prose began 10 be republished in Japan.
century,
however, the Japanese conquered the KO-
reans. and from them they learned the use
of movable type. But this method soon
went out of vogue because there was such
an enormous number of Chinese character rs
required.
The japanese began to illustrate their
books as early as the sixteenth century, and
they attained to wonderful degree of per-
lection in the art. Latterly, since their at
tention has been turned toward the west,
the Japanese have adopted the movable
metal type, though block printing is still
praetieed occasionally. In Kioto there are
exhibited, still in fair state of preserva-
ton, some engravngs of the thirteenth
century. The printing Of the engraved
plate Is with us considered very mechani-
cal part of the work, but the japanese
printer is equally an artist with the de-
slgner and the engraver. The designs are
engraved on wood always, and the draw
ings are made with brush; the pen being
unknown in the land Of the rising sun.
The drawings are all made by the artist
upon thin almost transparent paper, which
is afterward pasted face down upon block
OF cherrywood, sawn with the grain, not
across, as is usual in the Western method.
The paper is then scraped off until the
drawing shows through. The outlines are
cut in. and then a few simple tools are used
TO make the necessary excavations. The
ink is rubbed over the block with a brush
and the painting done by hand, with the
help OF a small pad.
The work is slow, must be slow, but
though the native workman would will
ingly acknowledge that 'art is long," the
latter part of the quoratlOn concerning the
f1eetnesS OF time has not yet made much I'M
pression upon him. The result of this care.
ful handiwork is that a great deal of artis-
tic work can be put into the actual paint
ing. Sometimes different colored inks are
applied 10 the same block or various shades
of the same color are used.
Great artists devoted themselves TO Illus
trating books or producing books Of
sketches which told tale without letter
press being required. One Of the most
famous of these men was Hiratoka. who
painted a series of pictures representing the
tortures of hell, which were so realistic
that when he was engaged upon the last he
rushed from the room In a fit of terror.
The artist most highly esteemed by West
ern artists ana such men as AIRY Schaetfer
and Louis GoDse is HokuSa, whose won
derful book "Man-gwa" was published in
1872. He was an art reformer, aud the first
who dared to draw naturally. He endeay-
ored TO reproduce all that he saw in nature,
and to cast aside utterly the curious, formal
stilted Chinese ideals. Hokusai's pictures
are truthful, and with few strokes he
places before his readers almost any type
of life from the Mikado TO the peasant
whose life and hardshiDs he knew so well.
From 1872 until 1S49 he worked unceas-
ingly for the publishers, ana it is 10 him
Japan owes her progress in this line OF art.
The binding of these japanese books ranges
from coarse cardboard to GOLDEN bro idered
brocade.
To my own thinking the daintiest, pref
TEST binding of all is the SOFT brilliantly
colored crepe paper that is frequently used
Tor the covers of children's stories.
In conclusion / may mention that Japan
Is the paradise of tie spring poet, for as
native poetry is composed according to GER
tain fixed mechanical rules every one. from
the-sfx- year-old boy. can write poetry by
the volume if required.
HELEN GREGORY FLEsHER, MA.