Feudal and Modern Japan. By Arthur May Knapp. 2 vols.
(Duckworth. Ss.)—In these two pretty little volumes Mr. Knapp gives an attractive account of the " Island Realm," as he is fond of calling Japan. He begins with an account of the people and their government in feudal times. Paternal rule was carried so far, that even the value of wedding presents was settled by law. Mr. Knapp describes the complicated forms of the language with much humour. There are no degrees of comparison, so " the Japanese husband, if ever goaded by his wife's tongue into rebellion, instead of blurting out his warning in our rough way, and exclaiming, `You had better hold your tongue,' quietly says,' Remaining silent is good.' Can anything be imagined more admirably effective ? " Or, if you wished to say, " Put that in your pipe and smoke it," the sentence would take this form, " Will you kindly hang that on your august eye- brow P " Mr. Knapp deals also with the religion, literature, and architecture of this strange land, and brings his historical sketch down to the present day. We are apt to view an apparently sudden growth of civilisation in this people with astonishment ; but that civilisation began centuries ago, and developed itself during her years of seclusion. There are a number of good full-page illustrations, which help one to realise the aspect of Japanese life.
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