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

not referred to as this dread shape"
When people begin to abuse a poem with
out having taken the trouble to read it,
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 unintelli-
gent, by lack OF opportunity and unceasiug
monotonous, overburdening work Mr.
Markham would not be a truthful man if
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 unthinking ages in the
past. Carlyle recognized that fact; So did
Ruskin, and the California poet quotes
both in support OF his position, which
really needs no defence. He has simply
expressed in 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. tNew York: Doubleday &c
Mcclure Company. 30 cents)
buSHiuO. the soul OF Japan, mas a
somewhat peculiar interest in that it is the
work Of japanese gentleman, Inazo Nj
tobe 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
chivalryz-the science of being gentleman,
the precepts of knighthood.
The sources OF Bushido. Mr.. Nitobe says,
were Buddhism, Shin toism, and, of course,
the general social system of Old Japan.
The reader will be 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 benevolence truth
fulness. honor. loyalty. The tripod that
supported the framework OF Bushido 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
callous 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, a regiment left certain town, large
concoursc Of people hocked to the station to hid
farewell 10 the general and his army On tins
occasion. an American resident resor.ed to the |
place expecting 10 witness loud demonstrations |
as the nation itself was highly excited and there
were 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- |
ands Of people were silently taken off and their |
heads bowed in reverential farewell no waving Of
no word uttered but deep silence !
in which only an attentive ear could catch few |
broken sobs To give in so many AZ |
iiculate words ones Utmost thoughts and feelings
-notably the relieieas-is taken among an /
Inmistakable sign that they are neither very pro-
ound nor very sincere. "Only pomegranate is |
le''-so runs a popular saying-''who, when lie |
gapes his mouth, displays the contents of his |
heart"
Mr.. Nitobe rejects the theory that the
japanese has less sensitive nerves than the
Englishman or Frenchman. and suggests |
that it was his very excitability and SEN
sitiveness which made it necessity to en-
'orce constant self-repression.
Another point upon which the Japanese
nave been misunderstood-their treatment
Of women-is also touched upon by the
iuthor. The japanese husband is apt to
speak of his wife by some disparaging
ERIN. Mr.. Nitobe says that this is due to
he fact that the wife and husband are
considered as so completely one that it
you'd not be thought fitting to praise ones
wife TO a stranger, any more than 10 praise
mes self. He also gently intimates that
he task of the missionary would be easier
md his progress swifter if he would pay |
ome attention to the customs and tradi-
Ions OF Old Japan. instead of regarding
hem contemptuously as So many heather
ecords.' philadelphia: The Leeds *
3iddle Company