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sons most astutely upon them； and still that very man turns out to be a mere child when put before problems a trifle out of his beaten path。 And all because his forefathers had not the power to imagine something beyond what they actually saw。 The very essence of the force of imagination lies in its ability to change a man's habitat for him。 Without it； man would forever have remained； not a mollusk； to be sure； but an animal simply。 A plant cannot change its place； an animal cannot alter its conditions of existence except within very narrow bounds； man is free in the sense nothing else in the world is。
What is true of individuals has been true of races。 The most imaginative races have proved the greatest factors in the world's advance。
Now after this look at our own side of the world； let us turn to the other； for it is this very psychological fact that mental progression implies an ever…increasing individualization； and that imagination is the force at work in the process which Far Eastern civilization； taken in connection with our own； reveals。 In doing this； it explains incidentally its own seeming anomalies； the most unaccountable of which； apparently； is its existence。
We have seen how impressively impersonal the Far East is。 Now if individuality be the natural measure of the height of civilization which a nation has reached； impersonality should betoken a relatively laggard position in the race。 We ought； therefore； to find among these people certain other characteristics corroborative of a less advanced state of development。 In the first place； if imagination be the impulse of which increase in individuality is the resulting motion； that quality should be at a minimum there。 The Far Orientals ought to be a particularly unimaginative set of people。 Such is precisely what they are。 Their lack of imagination is a well…recognized fact。 All who have been brought in contact with them have observed it； merchants as strikingly as students。 Indeed； the slightest intercourse with them could not fail to make it evident。 Their matter…of…fact way of looking at things is truly distressing； coming as it does from so artistic a people。 One notices it all the more for the shock。 To get a prosaic answer from a man whose appearance and surroundings betoken better things is not calculated to dull that answer's effect。 Aston； in a pamphlet on the Altaic tongues； cites an instance which is so much to the point that I venture to repeat it here。 He was a true Chinaman； he says； who； when his English master asked him what he thought of
〃That orbed maiden With white fires laden Whom mortals call the moon；〃
replied； 〃My thinkee all same lamp pidgin〃 （pidgin meaning thing in the mongrel speech； Chinese in form and English in diction； which goes by the name of pidgin English）。
Their own tongues show the same prosaic character； picturesque as they appear to us at first sight。 That effect is due simply to the novelty to us of their expressions。 To talk of a pass as an 〃up…down〃 has a refreshing turn to our unused ear； but it is a much more descriptive than imaginative figure of speech。 Nor is the phrase 〃the being （so） is difficult；〃 in place of 〃thank you；〃 a surprisingly beautiful bit of imagery； delightful as it sounds for a change。 Our own tongue has； in its daily vocabulary； far more suggestive expressions； only familiarity has rendered us callous to their use。 We employ at every instant words which； could we but stop to think of them； would strike us as poetic in the ideas they call up。 As has been well said； they were once happy thoughts of some bright particular genius bequeathed to posterity without so much as an accompanying name； and which proved so popular that they soon became but symbols themselves。
Their languages are paralleled by their whole life。 A lack of any fanciful ideas is one of the most salient traits of all Far Eastern races； if indeed a sad dearth of anything can properly be spoken of as salient。 Indirectly their want of imagination betrays itself in their every…day sayings and doings； and more directly in every branch of thought。 Originality is not their strong point。 Their utter ignorance of science shows this； and paradoxical as it may seem； their art； in spite of its merit and its universality； does the same。 That art and imagination are necessarily bound together receives no very forcible confirmation from a land where； nationally speaking； at any rate； the first is easily first and the last easily last； as nations go。 It is to quite another quality that their artistic excellence must be ascribed。 That the Chinese and later the Japanese have accomplished results at which the rest of the world will yet live to marvel； is due to theirtaste。 But taste or delicacy of perception has absolutely nothing to do with imagination。 That certain of the senses of Far Orientals are wonderfully keen； as also those parts of the brain that directly respond to them； is beyond question； but such sensitiveness does not in the least involve the less earth…tied portions of the intellect。 A peculiar responsiveness to natural beauty； a sort of mental agreement with its earthly environment； is a marked feature of the Japanese mind。 But appreciation； however intimate； is a very different thing from originality。 The one is commonly the handmaid of the other； but the other by no means always accompanies the one。
So much for the cause； now for the effect which we might expect to find if our diagnosis be correct。
If the evolving force be less active in one race than in another； three relative results should follow。 In the first place； the race in question will at any given moment be less advanced than its fellow； secondly； its rate of progress will be less rapid； and lastly； its individual members will all be nearer together； just as a stream； in falling from a cliff； starts one compact mass； then gradually increasing in speed； divides into drops； which； growing finer and finer and farther and farther apart； descend at last as spray。 All three of these consequences are visible in the career of the Far Eastern peoples。 The first result scarcely needs to be proved to us； who are only too ready to believe it without proof。 It is； nevertheless； a fact。 Viewed unprejudicedly； their civilization is not so advanced a one as our own。 Although they are certainly our superiors in some very desirable particulars； their whole scheme is distinctly more aboriginal fundamentally。 It is more finished； as far as it goes； but it does not go so far。 Less rude； it is more rudimentary。 Indeed； as we have seen； its surface…perfection really shows that nature has given less thought to its substance。 One may say of it that it is the adult form of a lower type of mind…specification。
The second effect is scarcely less patent。 How slow their progress has been； if for centuries now it can be called progress at all； is world…known。 Chinese conservatism has passed into a proverb。 The pendulum of pulsation in the Middle Kingdom long since came to a stop at the medial point of rest。 Centre of civilization； as they call themselves； one would imagine that their mind…machinery had got caught on their own dead centre； and now could not be made to move。 Life； which elsewhere is a condition of unstable equilibrium； there is of a fatally stable kind。 For the Chinaman's disinclination to progress is something more than vis inertiae； it has become an ardent devotion to the status quo。 Jostled； he at once settles back to his previous condition again； much as more materially； after a lifetime spent in California； at his death his body is punctiliously embalmed and sent home across five thousand miles of sea for burial。 With the Japanese the condition of affairs is somewhat different。 Their tendency to stand still is of a purely passive kind。 It is a state of neutral equilibrium； stationary of itself but perfectly responsive to an impulse from without。 Left to their own devices； they are conservative enough； but they instantly copy a more advanced civilization the moment they get a chance。 This proclivity on their part is not out of keeping with our theory。 On the contrary； it is precisely what was to have been expected； for we see the very same apparent contradiction in characters we are thrown with every day。 Imitation is the natural substitute for originality。 The less strong a man's personality the more prone is he to adopt the ideas of others； on the same principle that a void more easily admits a foreign body than does space that is already occupied； or as a blank piece of paper takes a dye more brilliantly for not being already tinted itself。
The third result； the remarkable homogeneity of the people； is not； perhaps； so universally appreciated； but it is equally evident on inspection； and no less weighty in proof。 Indeed； the Far Eastern state of things is a kind of charade on the word； for humanity there is singularly uniform。 The distance between the extremes of mind…development in Japan is much less than with us。 This lack of divergence exists not simply in certain lines of thought； but in all those characteristics by which man is parted from the brutes。 In reasoning power； in artistic sensibility；