New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-03
THINGS JAPANESE
Fresh Views of the Empire
and It's People.

THE SPELIPOF JAPAN. BY isabel Ander-
son. Illustrated. SNo. PIP. XVIII. 90. los
ton: The Page Company.
1t was a somewhat hazardous under
taking 70 write still another book on
Japan after the masses of printed
tones on the subject which have filled
our bookshops during the last fifteen
years. But Mrs. Anderson has sue
ceeded in difficult task, and gives us
here as pleasant and as pleasantly in
forming a volume Of impressions as
one can wish to read. On matters OF
state, of industry and economics she
touches lightly, and perhaps a little
too enthusiastically, for the modern
Japan is already beginning to realize
the crushing cost at home of great
power abroad; but when il comes 70
the daily life of the japanese, the
mingling of the new with the old order
of things; when she confidently as
sumes that what interested her will
interest her readers (and she never Is
mistaken; when she employs anec-
dote in illustration which rarely misses
its point; when, for instance, she ex-
plains wherein lies the exceeding
great difficulty of the japanese Ian
guage for Westerners; when she dis
cusses Japanese poetry and gives US
some excellent translations by the
way; when she writes, always lightly.
of japanese prints, and flowers, she
adds to our stock of information with
out overtaxing our readiness to re-
ceive it. And she sees the humor o.
things in a demure way that is void OF
all offence to even the most sensitive
of Japanese.
Mrs. Anderson's husband, Larz An
derson, was American Ambassador to
Japan during the year l9l2-l3. He
resigned his post on the Inauguration
of the new administration at Washing
ton. 1t is natural, therefore, that our
author should begin her book with
some account of the pomp and clrcun- :
stance Of court life at Toxic, and OF
the part taken in it by the diplomat:
corps. Right here she let's US know
that the vogue of all things Western
has subsidized in Japan, even among tne
leaders of the country's reformation
the aristocracy. For one thing, Jap
anese costume is coming into its own
again, especially among the women;
1.-THE novelty of Western clothes has
worn off," and-thoy are uncomfort-
able. The late Emperor himself, Oy
| the way, was always badly dressed
"because no one was permitted TO III
1 his clothes. lest mere human being
should touch his sacred person" Look
/ ing around her in Toxic, Mrs. Ander'
| son discovered that the president oil
| the Japanese peace society had made
most of his vast wealth by selling
| guns and she found a japanese Hettj
! Green in Nine. Seno. the president Of
L bank. who goes to her Office punctL'
ally every morning, although she i
over seventy. Her tastes are very
frugal. she wears plain cottor
kimonos and travels third class, but
she was the first to offer her subscrip'
ton TO the government on the outbreak
Of the Russian war
The chapter on religion, with specla
reference to Christian propaganda
bears evidence Of much study. Mrs
Anderson does not believe that Chris
tianity will make much religious prog
ress in the country; on the 0thel
hand she points out that the educa
tional value Of missionary work amoni
the natives is as important and a
much needed as ever.
The chapter on japanese poetr!
tempts to quotation beyond the limits
Of this review. A translation Of ;
! Geisha song must suffice:
In vain thy cloak do hide love.
And in vain to thy sleeve do
cling;
Wilt thou no longer abide. love,
Nor give me for winter, fond
spring?
push back the window so slightly.
And point to the snow-burdened
land;
o love, wilt thou leave me thus
lightly,
And choose the cold snow for my
hand?
OF course. Mrs. Anderson has wore
TO say about the failure of Congress
to provide worthy residences for oul
| diplomatic corps abroad. though the
building at Toxic, like those at Con
stantinople and Peking, Is government
property. The embassy in Toxic, by
. the way, "looks rather like an Amer
/ lean summer hotel" Elsewhere the au
IN