Evening star., 1902-03-13
JAPANESE INFLUENCE
PLACE THE EMPIRE HOLDS IN
CURRENT HISTORY.
Theme of Lecture by Ernest F. Fenel-
losa Before National Geo.
graphic Society.

The National Geographic Society began
Its regular course of Lenten lectures at the
Columbia Theater yesterday afternoon
with discourse on The Influence of the
Japanese Current History by Ernest
F. Fenellosa. The audience was not large,
but it was as demonstrative as though the
theater had been crowded. A particular in
terest was given the lecture by the pres
ence of the japanese minister The speak
er was introduced by Prof. w. j. MCGEE.
Mr.. Fenellosa was for many years a
curator of the Boston Museum of Fine
Arts, in which position he received and
classified the large exhibit Of Japanese
prints and other art objects which COM
prised the oriental exhibit of that insttu-
ton. He has lived in Japan, has written
several books on Japanese art, and has
been widely recognized as foremost
thority on the fine arts Of the Japan archi-
peago. The more important portion of
yesterdays lecture was unillustrated, and
concerned the present position of Japan
with relation to the old civilization of the
far orient and the new civilization of Eu-
rope and America.
A Union Of Two Civilizations.
In the speakers judgment the present
generation was to participate in the most
interesting conjunction of racial activities
which the world had ever seen. From the
rise Of the Babylonian empire about the
two rivers. Tigris and Euphrates, civiliza-
ton had taken two divergent courses. One
had led to the pre-emnence of Greek In
f1uences, then to the empire Of the South
Baltic district Of Europe, then to the SUI
premacy Of the Anglo-SaXon race. The
other course had proceeded from the Tigris
and Euphrates to the Indus and the
Ganges, and finally to the Pei Ho and the
YangTse kiang. Only by accident had
these two civilizations clashed-when Alex
ander swept over Asia in the third century
before the Christian era. Today they were
being Joined through the natural operation
OF earthly forces. and Japan was destined
to be the connecting link.
Europe and America were reaching
to this union across the continent Of North
America in the interest of science and
commerce. Russia, moved by what the
speaker considered to be selfish interest
merely, was reaching toward it across ST.
IBERIA to Vladivostock and Port Arthur
The two civilizations were too entirely op-
posed to each other to merge without great
friction. Japan's position as an interpo-
nent was therefore providential. The Jap
anese, moreover, saw and appreciated this
fact. Their mission, as they conceived it.
was to open to the civilization of the west
the value Of the civilization which develop
ed In Babylon, India and China
Nature had given the Japanese complete
equipment for this task. They were them
selves a product Of the Chinese civilization
and had justified it by governing that por-
tion Of China recently assigned to their
troops better than any other portion of
the celestial empire had been governed at
the same time, whether by the English
the European forces the Americans
But, although an outgrowth of eastern in
fiuences. they possessed a marvellous ca
pacity for absorbing western thought
About three generations were required in
America to grasp a philosophical truth
live through the swing of, the pendulum in
the contrary direction and reach the stable
equilibrium where that truth might be most
advantageously used. In Japan three or
four years sufficed to the same end
High Aims of the Japanese
The japanese were also possessed Of a
great advantage in the eastern quality of
their civilization. The speaker had often been
asked to indicate what possible superiority