Tus progressive character of the Japanese is a subject about which people are never tired of talking. We have read about it in Eastern newspapers for the last two years, and now that the Ambassadors of the Mikado have appeared in England, the Home Press is thrown into a state of positive jubilation. The Land of the Rising Sun is the rage at Home. The Envoys have been taken to witness the laying of foundation stones, the distribution of school prizes, the making of biscuits, and a hundred other interesting sights. They have been dined, and breakfasted and balled (if we may coin a word) until even they must have been heartily tired of their welcome, and their welcomers. The products of Japan are also attracting attention, and an exhibition is opened in Liverpool of Kaga ware and other wonders. The sightseers, whose duty it is to keep up with the latest novelty, are full of Lacquer, Porcelain, Ivory and Faience; and not to be up in the jargon of the curio shop is to argue yourself unknown, or at Toast, to keep you out of conversation with your neighbour at the dinner table at nine parties out of ten. Determined not to be behind the age, the magazines break out into transcendental poetry, and indite odes to the Mikado. The Daily News has a paragraph to the effect that "the Mikado of Japan is the most resolute throned reformer of his day," for has not His Majesty issued a decree by which the Library of the ex-Tycoon, containing n hundred thousand volumes, is thrown open to the public whether Japanese or Foreigners Here is a subject for the muse, so forthwith a Mr, R. H. Home (can it bathe author of Orion, which was sold for a farthing on London Bridge in 1843?) breaks forth thus aig) of by Race—first of thy nation's Who Secst and weigh'st the world by reason's light, Not judging by old Custom's sight, But by the rolling tide of men and things, Thou may'st sow broadcast o'er thy Jiant land New thoughts and hopes as glowing as That nee may kneel at brings from slavery Burying grit idols in thy deep sea sand
won.
This is all very well, and we hope most earnestly that the golden auguries of the poet may be fulfilled, and that all the transformations suggested may be in due season brought about. We think it more likely, on the face of it, that the Japanese will sell the " grim idol" Daiboots to a speculative American, than bury it in the sand; and the former course would probably be the wiser of the two; but no doubt great and marvellous changes have been effected, and many more may be expected in this singular country. Itremains, however, to ask whether or no the "progress" of the Japanese is a progress in the sense in which we use the word, or not; and then the second question arises, is the "word" a representative of a definite idea to us, or is it after all a hazy and convenient abstraction? Mr. Mill's latest, and perhaps ablest critic, has shown that it is by no means an axiomatic truth, thatthe progress of man has been from bad to good. He remarks that "the progress has been mixed, partly good and partly bad." suspect," he says, "that in many ways it has been a progress from strength to weakness, that people are more sensitive, less enterprising and ambitious, less earnestly desirous to get what they want, and more afraid of pain, both for themselves and others, than they used to be. If this should be so, it appears to me that all -other gains, whether in wealth, knowledge, or humanity, afford no equivalent. Strength in all its forms is life and manhood."
The crucial test then, according to this writer, is easily expressed in few words: "Is Japan growing stronger or weaker?" The natives of the country are cutting their hair, and forcing themselves into Buropean clothes, while we are declaring that nothing can be conceived so graceful or pleasant as the garments they have just cast off. They are giving up their ancient forms of faith, and avowing their readiness to tolerate any creed. They are making railways, and borrowing money largely. There are cynics who see signs of a rebellion and a national bankruptey, bub we hope for the best. Only this unsatisfactory thought remains. Stability and conviction are the only true bases of strength. The Japanese are showing themselves changeable even to childishness. The future only can show whether they have sufficient faith in themselves and in the new order of things they are inaugurating, to consol lidate these changes into a substantial political system.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.