Description
Excerpt from Things Japanese: Being Notes on Quite a lot of Subjects Connected With Japan for the Use of Travellers and Others
As the nearest earthly approach to Paradise or to Letus-land, so fairy-like, said he, is its scenery, so exquisite its art, so a lot more lovely still that just about divine sweetness of disposition, that charm of demeanour, that politeness humble without servility and elaborate without affectation, which place Japan high above all other countries in nearly all those things that make life worth living. (we don’t give his exact words, but we give the general waft.) – Now, do you think that the Japanese were satisfied with this meed of praise? Not a bit of it. Out comes an editorial next morning in the chief paper which had been represented at the banquet, – an editorial acknowledging, indeed, the truth of Sir Edwin’s description, but pointing out that it conveyed, not: praise, but pitiless condemnation. Art forsooth, scenery, sweetness of disposition! Cries this editor. Why did not Sir Edwin praise us for huge industrial enterprises, for commercial talent, for wealth.
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