Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-08
1WITH M BOOKS

In addition to the text itself In each case
the title page is reproduced in fac-simile
and a miniature portrait of Tobias Lear
serves effectively as an appropriate Illus
tration to the reprint of his pamphlet. which
was originally published anonymously. In
that portion of the Records relating to
the proceedings of the society are tributes
paid to the late Marcus Baker. who was
one Of the valued members of the organiza-
ton. His portrait forms one Of the Illus
trations. The present officers of the So
ciety, elected at the annual meeting held
January 0. 1906. are: President. John A.
Kasson: vice presidents. Ainsworth r.. Spot
ford, Alexander b. Hagner: treasurer, Will
lam A. Mearns: recording secretary, Mary
Michael I. Weller: curator James F. Hood
chronicler, Wilhelmus B. Bryan.
BCSHIDO, THE Soul. OF JAPAN, an
Exposition of Japanese Thought. By
Inazo Nitobe, A NJ, Ph.D. professor
in the Imperial University of Kyoto.
With an introduction by William Ell
lott Griffis. author of The Religions
of Japan" &C. Tenth edition, en-
larged and revised. New York: G. p.
Putnam's Sons. Washington: Wood
ward & Lothrop.
We are learning more about modern and
ancient Japan continually as result OF
both the western study of the islands and
their people and the increasing familiarity
of the Japanese with our own customs and
laIsudSe. vi tH6 Two HieluOuS pToDdDiy
the latter is the more efficient in acquaint-
ing the western world with the true spirit
of Japan. for there are subtleties which
only the Japanese himself can express ade-
quately to others not OF his nationality.
And even he finds his limits in rendering
his thought into English. Thus. In the pref
ace to the tenth edition of his remarkable
work descriptive Of ''Bushido.'' or Japanese
chivalry. DR.. Nitobe regrets his inability to
add a chapter on filial piety. which Is con-
sidered. he says, one of the two wheels OF
| the chariot Of Japanese ethics, loyalty be-
| ing the other He finds a present difficulty
due to his ignorance of the western senti-
ment In regard to this virtue, so that he
cannot draw comparisons which salts
flying to his own mind.
Bushido Is the essence of the Japanese
character. 1t may be literally translated
| as military knights ways or '.precepts
| of knighthood." 1t Is an unwritten moral
constitution, the growth of centuries of
military careers. 1t is the code of morals
| of the old samurai class. the highest con-
ception of ethics. Inevitably 1t has
stamped the Japanese character with per-
manent traits, a rigid standard of honor. q
high ideal of personal purity, deep sense
| of obligation, a perfect finish of manners.
What many westerners are prone to
regard as the superficiality or artifi-
ciality of the Japanese bearing is in
deed the result of centuries of rigid
training In the precepts of bushdo In his
introduction DR.. Griffis writes of bushido
as something that has died in the height OF
its development. In this he Is not exactly
in accord with his author DR.. Nitobe holds
| that bushdo is today a living force In
Japan. working through changing media
but exerting the same influence now that
1t did before Japan's emergence into the
world field. He examines thoughtfully the
question OF the future of bushido and
reaches the conclusion that while it may
n q a n tDGp cnHp nf 9th Ire
power will not perish from the earth. For
he holds that 1t Is an immortal principle,
based upon the fundamental requirements
of the higher ethics, and is in It's more sig
nificant aspects therefore beyond decay.
THE GAME. BY Jack London author of
People of the Abyss. &c. With IL
Illustrations and decorations by Henry
HUT and T. c. Lawrence. New York:
The Macmillan Company. Washing
ton: Brentano'S.
In the course of human events man will
fight as fights the brute beast. He will
fight for his life. for his property, his home,
his honor, for his loved ones. He will
fight for fame, for fortune or for the sheer
pleasure of bruising. He will fight as be-
comes the civilized man, refined 10 the point
of drawing nice distinctions between pleas
ure and duty; or he viii fight as the print
tive man. for the lust of the knockout,
anu tlACit ID CLASS VI iflcil wiz iiSill IOI
professional reasons, the pugilists, the
trained entertainers who use their fists
instead of their voices or legs wits. OF
this last class was Joe Fleming. a famous
local " carer of the gloves, who had promised
his intended wife to give up the business-he
called 1t the ''game'-after one more bout
1t is an interesting question whether he
would have kept his promise had the bout
ended differently from the way Mr.. London
has chosen. Prize fighters, it is fair to say,
in TrJpf n reti frnYf he inc In al
life, and Joe Fleming might have done so.
But of greater Importance Is the question
OF why this story was written, II any rea-
son is to be sought beyond the commercial
one of the need of an author to make
new book. 1t is such a dispiriting,
thoroughfare sort of tale, with high prom
ise and a dolorous achievement. But while
IL is running Ii offers a vivid panoramic
picture of prize fight In full action, with
many realistic references to anatomical de-
tails and undeniably clever reportorial
description of the behavior of crowd at
one of these pugilistic performances.
THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET.
BY Marshall p. Wilder, author of
People 1 Have Smiled With" With
text illustrations by Bart Haley and
cover decoration by Charles Graham.
New York: Funk & Wagnalls Com
pany
Marshall Wilder was born with an ex-
trayagant sense of humor and he has been
putting IL to gOOd use ever SINCE ne was Ola
enough to stand alone and talk to the lis
tening world. Being a professional enter
tainer 1t Is his business to remember, dis
cover and invent comical situations and
witty retorts. And having a large store.
from which he draws in the course of his
lectures" he gives of his abundance
book of $50 pages. mainly relating to peo-
PIE whose names are more less notable
In this little volume" he says. ARE Of
fered recolections of the sunny side Of
many people. l have plucked blossoms
| from the gardens of humor and pathos,
which lie side by side. and In weaving them
| into a garland. claim only as my own the
| string that binds them together"
| THE BOOK OF THE AUTOMOBILE; a
l Practical Volume. Devoted to the
| History. Construction. Use and Care
| OF Motor Cars and to the Subject of
| Motoring in America. By r. T. Sloss.
Introduction by Dave H. Morris.
president of the Automobile Club of
America New York d. Appleton &
| Co.
! One of the most interesting parts of this
! large and conscientiously prepared volume
| is the introduction written by the man who
/ stands sponsor for the automobilists or
/ ha fat NJ 10 larP-