Tne February issue of this well-written and well-illustrated "Exponent of Japanese Thoughts and Affairs" has for frontispiece a full-page reproduction of photograph of the actor Kikugoro in the part of the Fairy, as "she, supported by her magic wings, begins to ascend from the earthly region passing Fojiyama's heights, higher and higher tothe azure skies till the wandering clouds receive her to hide her for ever from mortal eyes." The incident is taken from the fairy play of Hagoromo, or the Robe of Feathers, The situation in the Far East at the time of writing naturally and necessarily occupies considerable space in the number before us, and the leading article bears the above title, The writer points out how the seizure of Kiaochou Bay by Germany has complicated this situation, and urges a rapprochement between Japan, "the country with an unrivalled land force in the Far East," and England, "the greatest maritime Power of the world," There is a very pretty poem by M. M. Fenollosa, with a full-page photograph, on the celebrated Karasakl me, The frontispiece of the March issue of the Kor East is a photograph of "The Great Saigo," the greatest figure in the modern history of Japan. "Born of a mean family, he accomplished the mighty deed of the Restoration at the head of the Satsuma clan, and then died a sad and miserable death og a leader of a rebellion, His sing, however, have already been forgiven by the Emperor, and the sym-Fi." Indeed he is the real hero of thy of the whole nation abides with
the Japanese." The biography of him which accompanies the portrait is to be continued, The leading article in this issue is an unusually interesting one, because it is not devoted to some ephemeral topic, some consideration of a situation which is changing every day, so constantly changing that the journalist who records and comments on it is sure to be accused of inconsistency. The title of the article is "Race versus Humanity," and the object of the writer is to show that the present civilisation of Japan is not the sudden growth of the thirty years that have elapsed since the Restoration, but the outcome of twenty-five centuries of preparation. here are two current opinions about Japan which are quoted by the writer, one crystallized by a Russian jouruslist in the remark: "Japan is an exotic flower of civilisation. It has developed rapidly and will die as quickly the other that of the London Spectator, that the Japanese are, after all, an Asiatic people veneered with European civilisation, who will become a serious danger to Europe if they effect a union with China. The " Yellow Peril" bogey, in fact, - It is a pity publicists at home do not see how much greater a danger to Europe is the semi-Asiatic power of Russia, reinforced by China's millions.
The writer in the Far Hast goes on to show that the belief that an Asiatic race cannot genuinely assimilate Buropean civilisation is unfounded. The Hungarians are a Mongolian people settled in Europe—the very names of their nobles are Chinese to-day,—and yet they are now thoroughly European, more European than the real Russians. A quotation is given from the Vienna correspondence of the Times: "'The peculiar fascination of the Hungarian people lies in the combination which they present of Western civilisation in morals and public affairs, with a certain Oriental turn of mind, betrayed by their habits and in the outward expression of their feelings." Then the Far Hast says:—" That Japan is an exotic flower of civilisation is a truism, if by civilisation is meant Western civilisation. The saying in itself, therefore, is neither appreciation nor depreciation of our effort and attainment. Short-livedness is not a logical consequence of being exotic, Whether the imported plant will wither or take root, depends on the nature of the soil; and the mere fact of having put forth a blossom augurs well rather than evil.
'A glance at the history of Japan, we are told, shows two remarkable permanent features: "one is susceptibility to foreign influence, and the other, preservation of individual character." Corea, now the despised poor relation of China and Japan, was Japan's first teacher. Subsequently Japan turned to what was then to her the fountain head of culture and activity, China. Then, in the sixteenth century, came the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch, the Spaniards, and the English. " With the same spirit displayed by their forefathers with respect to the Coreans and the Chinese, the Japanese welcomed. the advent of those strangers. Commercial relations were unhesitatingly entered into with the seafaring nations of the time. The use of firearms, medical art, engineering, and other scientific appliances was eagerly learned. Christianity found its way to various parts of the country, making no incousiderable number of converts. In some cases, the whole population of a province, including the ruling prince, adopted the new religion. Some of the princes, who had become in fact independent of the central authority, went so far as to send envoys to the Vatican as well as to the kings of Spain and Portugal."
European writers on Japan are too apt to take a short view. They judge the whole history of the country from the period of the Shozunate, when modern Europa first came to know the island empire. The exclusive policy of the Shogunate was due to the fear of the Tokugawa clan that the Southern daimios might juin hands with some outside Power, and overthrow their Northern Government. Foreign intercourse therefore, was strictly forbid-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.