Things Japanese: Being Notes on Various Subjects Connected with Japan for the Use of Travellers and Others (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Things Japanese: Being Notes on Various 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 much more lovely still that almost 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 do not give his exact words, but we give the general drift.) - Now, do you think that the Japanese were satisfied with this meed of praise? Not a bit of it. Out comes an article next morning in the chief paper which had been represented at the banquet, - an article 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.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.