New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-25

JAPANESE LIFE IN TOWN MI ~ ond = nina
teen iIlus II; 9 G PoT Puth nsras sons
SWEDISH LIFE IN TOWN AND C oUMTRfS1h T,st1 By
o. G. Won Heidenstam VITA sixteen ,o n,os' pn
tons (Our European NeighborsD l@tho' PIP
VIII. 2s6. G. p. Putnams sons
Much has been written OF late about the mys-
terry of Oriental character and the difhcuity OF
lis comprehension by the Occidental mind, es-
peciaIly-since the in the Far East mas 10
cussed attention Nippon-in regard 10 'ie
'Inscrutable" ways OF the Japanese Alreu
stead's compilation Japan 10y the JAPANESE
recently reviewed in these columns is an elIore
to let the people explain themselves; Lafcadio
Hearn entitled his last book Japan: AN AT
tempt at Interpretation" and DR.. Scherer, IN his
Japan To-day frankly devotes three hundred
pages TO giving the puzzle up in despair.
To Mr.. Knox the Japanese offer no lnsoluDle
problem. he sees in them merely men OF IKE
passions with ourselves. different only as az
fected by differences in environment ana eouca-
ton. Indeed he regards It affected hunll-
ty'' to profess that the West cannot understand
the East, and maintains. on the contrary, that
so carefully and infinitely have the japanese
been observed and their history brought to light
and examined during the last thirty years that
to-day Japan IS known to those who would
study it as it has never been known TO It's own
people in the past" 1t is, in fact, this very IN
tilnacy of acquaintance. in his view, that makes
it dangerous for to venture upon inclusive
judgments in regard to the Japanese, for the
closer we come to them the more they disappear
as a people and the more they appeal to us
as individuals.
We are often asked. do you like the JAPANESE"
ana The answer can be only Yes and t no S0me
worthy Yes and As with other folk, some
we trust and some we doubt are they true
have many acquaintances and very few true
ful generaiizafions? How we differ in our judg-
ments Of Americans Englishmen, and how in
sufficient in all cases data attempt TO
describe the characteristics Of people!
Nevertheless. It is obvious that a people
they have certain determining characteristics
AS compared with the Chinese. for instance, the
japanese excel in patriotism and soldiery quail
ities, and are deficient in commercial honesty.
Certainly. compared with ourselves. they
stand on a different plane in their attitude tow
ard woman. The authors expression for the
personal equation Of a race may be succinctly
stated as Human Nature into Past History plus
Present Conditions Applying this formula to
the high sense OF military honor and low sense
of commercial honesty among the Japanese,
We must consider that the Japanese constitu-
ton until short time ego was purely feudal.
would we judge the Japanese" says Mr..
Knox in this connection, we must look at
them through the eyes of a Scottish clansman
of two hundred years ago" To find parallel
turn to still earlier period. We shall discover
It, the author suggests, in ancient Greece. where
the social customs were not far different
then" says Mr.. Knox 1--WE shall have G. truer
standard, and judgment will be, If no less
severe, yet more in accordance with all the
facts"
In like manner. after giving a comprehensive
review Of the history and ethical conditions in
Japan, the author successfully applies his for
nula to whatever seems unusual and inexpli-
cable IN japanese character and usage. The
book is as interesting as it is rational and may
be set down as one of the most informing works
that have so far been written on this subject
Provided the japanese can overcome the pres
ert handicap Of a low commercial standard, he
is full Of hope for their future.
The Japan is not picturesque like the old:
the foreign costume is stll i'll made and ewkwardly
worn the cid castle walls fall into decay. the
ieudal mansions are replaced by ugly barracks,
streets; the dual government with its mystery, is
gone. and the daimyo are unromantic men of
IS the throbb!ne young life with its cbivairy and
PATRIOTISM as intense as ever the fathers felt
Transitions are unlovely, but in this bustling IN
than old Japan has ever known
Taking up Mr.. Heidenstam's book on "Swed-
ish LIFE and applying the formula we have
Used In arriving at estimate of the japanese
character, II IS interesting to note how like con-
ditions have produced like results In these very
opposite countries. and how, where conditions
have been different. the results are with equal
logic. accounted for. The Swedes can boast an
even longer tenure OF their country than the
japanese, and. like them. have never been sub
jected TO any foreign domination, and so have
been abs TO maintain tho purity of their race;
but being Of finer, stronger stuff. they have also
preserved their originality Of culture and de-
veloped from within, without the aid of
traneous influences. such as those exerted by
China on Japan. More fortunate than Japan
Sweden has worked out It's internal political
problems without violence or bloodshed yet no
where is patriotism more intense. yet less de-
monstrative. 1T is of the perhaps nobler, purer
quality which lives and thrives in the love Of the
soil. the home, the language. the racial tradi-
tons"
We talk about the contradictory qualities Of
the Japanese-and find characteristics as con-
Trajectory in The Swedes The author thus apt
Iy summarizes them:
They are decidedly energetic, yet lacking In Der
severance; naturally conservative, yet eager to
adopt every novelty; alike aristocrafic and ultra
democratic. They unite an INFORM generosity with
a propensity TO envy; a love Of ostentation and
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. an ardent love OF their COM
try with tendency TO self-dePreciation an IN
disguised admiration for everything foreign with
great love OF freedom and a jealous regard for
personal independence, they are great hero wor-
courage above everything else
As an instance OF the Swedish love of novelty
It may be mentioned that nowhere has the tele-
phone met with greater favor. There are more
telephones IN Stockholm than IN New-York and
IN the country the instrument is found on almost
every farm. With all the open space in the
country, housing conditions IN the capital are
horribly overcrowded. one room often being oc-