Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-02-28
Manners In Japan.
IHHuutfh III , ApHu.
Letter From Japan by Rev. Francis Tiffany in

Letter From Japan by Rev. Francis Tiffany in
tie Christian Registerl
A final word, now, sbout Japanese man
ners, their grace and courtesy, ss one
more outcome of this same simplicity of
century old conditions. Given a highly
initiative race like the japanese, and let
one underwriting standard be set bsfors
them, then generation after generation
will no change be witnessed. The stand
ard will act like that OF the French scade-
my on the Language of France. Now at
home in America We have City standards
of msuuers,-ths reserved and reticent
New England manners, the slsp- -you-on-
the back far western msnners, the ultra
gorgeous far southern manners, the dems-
gos's manners, the drummer's manners,
the cut and dried business mAn's manners,
these aud dozens of others might be
specified. And il must be admitted, by
even the most patriotic, that the man who
should try to model his d. pertinent on all
these schools at once would come to q
somewhat mixed result. Nothing of this
beuildering complexiIy has ever existed In
Japan. From miksdo at the top to ooolis
at the bottom of the social scale, one unde-
vis'ing standard has always prevailed.
Originally an importation from China, IL
has been elaborated through centuries of
study of the most elaborate ceremonial et-
iquette, till at last through constant prsc-
tice IL has become second nature. No one
ever saw anything else. ever dreamed Of
anything else. There was one way of ga
luting . superior, one of saluting an
equal, one of saludpg an inferior; and
ones head would have been cut of had
he departed from 1t. No Jspsnete child
ever saw 8 drummer,-ssw only PROSTATE
artisans ssluting Ssmursi, Ssmursi Ealu-
ting Dsimios, DAimios ssluting Shogunk.-
The whole ceremonial became Organized
into them as much ss their instructive
habits into our settlers and pointers, per-
hsps the bsst hammered of our popnls-
tion- Little girls of ten will one see here
whose hnish of breeding would have
awakened the envy of O duchess at the
court of Louis XIV. at Versailles Fe-
male servants will one encounter at q
dinner In the hause of a japanese gen.
tleDsn whose grace, charm and dignity
are the quintesepce of lsdy-ike refine
msnt. ''Trifies make perfection, but per-
fection lie no trife." The simple fact lie
that the young woman of twenty has
been doing the thing for Thousand years.
To adopt, then, q few simple idess,
customs and Institutions from deeper and
pcopsttt nIu hBtu TtuQ6
and elaborate them through their own
exquisite tsste,-this has so far been the
history of the Jspsnete mind Shut up
to themselves for ages. they had the op-
portunity TO do this to the minutest de-
tail. Great in little thugs. little In
great things," is no unfair summary of
Their previous achievements Now, at
last, th.y and themselves brought into
vital contact with the thought. science,
government. gigantic material civilization
and religion of the western world. ODe
THU is certain. Vastly more complex
| than at present will their brain structure
have to grow. Imitation will carry them
q certain ength,-a great length, no doubt,
on certain lines. But the test has yet to
come whether they shall prove strong
| thinkers and powerful orgauizsrs They
believe themselves they have made i'm
mense strider; but 1t Is sheer folly to dream
that the work of centuries can be done in
/ q day. AS yet the new ideas have but
scratched the surface. OntHsrdly the
japanese have the royalty, the House of
Peers, the House of Commons, the wide
suffrage of England. But bsck Of IL they
have nothing of Englsud's great history
of political education. Putting on Euro
| pesn clothes Re not all that IL needful for
turning an oriental in to an occidental