The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-18

not referred to as this dread shape. 9"
When people begin to abuse a poem with
out having taken the trouble to read IL,
they are certainly beneath remark
For all that, the Notes contain so
much that is really fine and noble that one
or two faults may be excused As every
intelligent person knows there are farmers
who are made debased. brutal, uuiutelli-
gent, Oy lack OF opportunity and unceasing
monotonous, overburdening work Mr.
Markham would not be a truthful man il
he declared that all farmers were Of this
type, but he who asserts that there are not
thousands, even millions, of such overbur-
dened and stunted creatures in every trade
involving manual labor is not only I'M
truthful but very foolish indeed. The ex-
istence Of these toiling masses has been
the problem Of the last hundred years and
the disgrace OF uuthinking ages in the
past. Carlyle recognized that fact; 50 did
Ruskin and the California poet quotes
both in support OF his position, which
really needs no defence. He has simply
expressed in a wonderfully clear and COM
pact form the ideas which the Scotch and
English philosophers embodied in their
writings, and his poem has been read by
numerous people who never heard Of Car
lyle or Ruskin New York: Doubleday &
Mcclure Company. 80 cents)
"Bushido. the Soul OF Japan" has a
somewhat peculiar interest in that it is the
work OF a Japanese gentleman, lnazo Nj
tube. 1t is evident from phrases used in
the preface that the author married an
American wife and he seems to have
identified himself TO a certain extent with
Western thought. without losing his rev.
erence for the ideals and traditions OF Old
Japan As nearly as it can be translated.
Bushido seems to mean what we mean by
chiyslry7-the science Of being a gentleman,
the precepts OF knighthoOd.
The sources OF Bushido, Mr.. Ntobe says,
were Buddhism Shintoism, and. Of course,
the general social system OF Old Japan.
The reader will he struck with the SINH
larity of the training Of Bushido to that
dictated by the highest gentlehOod OF our
own land and Of Europe. One Of its car
dinal principles was rectitude or justice,
others were courage beneyOlence. truth
fitness. honor. loyalty. The tripod that
supported the framework Of Bushdo was
said to be Wisdom, Benevolence, and |
Courage.
The remarkable self-control, which all |
foreigners have observed in the gently bred |
japanese. and which is often confused with |
calIous insensibility. was also part of this |
training Some of the things which the |
author says on this subject ought to be |
generally circulated:
! remember when. during the late war with |
China regiment left certain town, large |
Of people focked to the station to bid |
farewell to the general and his army. On this !
occasion American resident resoTted 10 the
place expecting 20 witness loud demonstrations,
as the nation itself was highly excited and there
we're fathers mothers, wives, and sweethearts Of
the soldiers in the crowd. As the whistle blew
and the train began TO move, the hats OF thous-
lnds IT people were silently taken of and their
Fen1 IL arraH -
no word uttered, but deep silence
in which only an attentive ear could catch few
broken sobs. To give in so many al
iculate words ones Utmost thoughts and feelings
notably the rel eieHs--is taken among an
sign that they are neither very pro-
0und nor very sincere "Only p0megranate ia
Ic''-so runs a popular saying-''who. when he
yapes bis mouth, displays the contents Of his
lcart."
Mr.. Nitobe rejects the theory that the
japanese has less sensitive nerves than the
Englishman or Frenchman, and suggests
hat It was his very excitability and SEN
,itiveness which made it a necessity to en-
orce constant self-repression.
Another point upon which the Japanese
ave been Misunderstanding treatment
If womeu-is also touched upon by the
luthor. The japanese husband is apt to
peak Of his wife by some dfsparaging
erm. Mr. Nitobe says that this is due 10
he fact that the wife and husband are
considered as so completely one that it
would not be thought fitting to praise ones
wife to a stranger any more than 70 praise
mes self. He also gently intimates that
he task Of the missionary would be castor
nd his progress swifter if ne would pay |
ONE attention to the customs and tradi-
Ions Of Old Japan. instead of regarding |
hem cOntemptuously as so many heather !
eeords.' philadelphia; The Leeds d
lidGle Company