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e very names of trades express the fact。 The Japanese word for cabinet…maker； for example； means literally cutting…thing…house； and is now applied as distinctively to the man as to his shop。 Nominally as well as practically the youthful Japanese artisan makes his introduction to the world； much after the manner of the hero of Lecocq's comic opera； the son of the house of Marasquin et Cie。
If instead of belonging to the lower middle class our typical youth be born of bluer blood； or if he be filled with the same desires as if he were so descended； he becomes a student。 Having failed to discover in the school…room the futility of his country's self…vaunted learning； he proceeds to devote his life to its pursuit。 With an application which is eminently praiseworthy； even if its object be not； he sets to work to steep himself in the classics till he can perceive no merit in anything else。 As might be suspected； he ends by discovering in the sayings of the past more meaning than the simple past ever dreamed of putting there。 He becomes more Confucian than Confucius。 Indeed； it is fortunate for the reputation of the sage that he cannot return to earth； for he might disagree to his detriment with his own commentators。
Such is the state of things in China and Korea。 Learning； however； is not dependent solely on individual interest for its wonderfully flourishing condition in the Middle Kingdom； for the government abets the practice to its utmost。 It is itself the supreme sanction； for its posts are the prizes of proficiency。 Through the study of the classics lies the only entrance to political power。 To become a mandarin one must have passed a series of competitive examinations on these very subjects； and competition in this impersonal field is most keen。 For while popular enthusiasm for philosophy for philosophy's sake might； among any people； eventually show symptoms of fatigue； it is not likely to flag where the outcome of it is so substantial。 Erudition carries there all earthly emoluments in its train。 For the man who can write the most scholastic essay on the classics is forthwith permitted to amass much honor and more wealth by wronging his less accomplished fellow…citizens。 China is a student's paradise where the possession of learning is instantly convertible into unlimited pelf。
In Japan the study of the classics was never pursued professionally。 It was； however； prosecuted with much zeal en amateur。 The Chinese bureaucratic system has been wanting。 For in spite of her students； until within thirty years Japan slumbered still in the Knight…time of the Middle Ages； and so long as a man carried about with him continually two beautiful swords he felt it incumbent upon him to use them。 The happy days of knight…errantry have passed。 These same cavaliers of Samurai are now thankful to police the streets in spectacles necessitated by the too diligent study of German text； and arrest chance disturbers of the public peace for a miserably small salary per month。
Our youth has now reached the flowering season of life； that brief May time when the whole world takes on the rose…tint； and when by all dramatic laws he ought to fall in love。 He does nothing of the kind。 Sad to say； he is a stranger to the feeling。 Love； as we understand the word； is a thing unknown to the Far East； fortunately； indeed； for the possession there of the tender passion would be worse than useless。 Its indulgence would work no end of disturbance to the community at large； beside entailing much misery upon its individual victim。 Its exercise would probably be classed with kleptomania and other like excesses of purely personal consideration。 The community could never permit the practice； for it strikes at the very root of their whole social system。
The immense loss in happiness to these people in consequence of the omission by the too parsimonious Fates of that thread； which； with us； spins the whole of woman's web of life； and at least weaves the warp of man's； is but incidental to the present subject； the effect of the loss upon the individuality of the person himself is what concerns us now。
If there is one moment in a man's life when his interest for the world at large pales before the engrossing character of his own emotions； it is assuredly when that man first falls in love。 Then； if never before； the world within excludes the world without。 For of all our human passions none is so isolating as the tenderest。 To shut that one other being in； we must of necessity shut all the rest of mankind out； and we do so with a reckless trust in our own self…sufficiency which has about it a touch of the sublime。 The other millions are as though they were not； and we two are alone in the earth； which suddenly seems to have grown unprecedentedly beautiful。 Indeed； it only needs such judicious depopulation to make of any spot an Eden。 Perhaps the early Jewish myth…makers had some such thought in mind when they wrote their idyl of the cosmogony。 The human traits are true to…day。 Then at last our souls throw aside their conventional wrappings to stand revealed as they really are。 Certain of comprehension； the thoughts we have never dared breathe to any one before； find a tongue for her who seems fore…destined to understand。 The long…closed floodgates of feeling are thrown wide； and our personality； pent up from the time of its inception for very mistrust； sweeps forth in one uncontrollable rush。 For then the most reticent becomes confiding； the most self…contained expands。 Then every detail of our past lives assumes an importance which even we had not divined。 To her we tell them all；our boyish beliefs； our youthful fancies； the foolish with the fine； the witty with the wise； the little with the great。 Nothing then seems quite unworthy； as nothing seems quite worthy enough。 Flowers and weeds that we plucked upon our pathway； we heap them in her lap； certain that even the poorest will not be tossed aside。 Small wonder that we bring as many as we may when she bends her head so lovingly to each。
As our past rises in reminiscence with all its oldtime reality； no less clearly does our future stand out to us in mirage。 What we would be seems as realizable as what we were。 Seen by another beside ourselves； our castles in the air take on something of the substance of stereoscopic sight。 Our airiest fancies seem solid facts for their reality to her； and gilded by lovelight； they glitter and sparkle like a true palace of the East。 For once all is possible； nothing lies beyond our reach。 And as we talk； and she listens； we two seem to be floating off into an empyrean of our own like the summer clouds above our heads； as they sail dreamily on into the far…away depths of the unfathomable sky。
It would be more than mortal not to believe in ourselves when another believes so absolutely in us。 Our most secret thoughts are no longer things to be ashamed of； for she has sanctioned them。 Whatever doubt may have shadowed us as to our own imaginings disappears before the smile of her appreciation。 That her appreciation may be prejudiced is not a possibility we think of then。 She understands us； or seems to do so to our own better understanding of ourselves。 Happy the man who is thus understood！ Happy even he who imagines that he is； because of her eager wish to comprehend； fortunate； indeed； if in this one respect he never comes to see too clearly。
No such blissful infatuation falls to the lot of the Far Oriental。 He never is the dupe of his own desire； the willing victim of his self…illusion。 He is never tempted to reveal himself； and by thus revealing； realize。 No loving appreciation urges him on toward the attainment of his own ideal。 That incitement to be what he would seem to be； to become what she deems becoming； he fails to feel。 Custom has so far fettered fancy that even the wish to communicate has vanished。 He has now nothing to tell； she needs no ear to hear。 For she is not his love； she is only his wife；what is left of a romance when the romance is left out。 Worse still； she never was anything else。 He has not so much as a memory of her； for he did not marry her for love； he may not love of his own accord； nor for the matter of that does he wish to do so。 If by some mischance he should so far forget to forget himself； it were much better for him had he not done so； for the choice of a bride is not his； nor of a bridegroom hers。 Marriage to a Far Oriental is the most important mercantile transaction of his whole life。 It is； therefore； far too weighty a matter to be entrusted to his youthful indiscretion； for although the person herself is of lamentably little account in the bargain； the character of her worldly circumstances is most material to it。 So she is contracted for with the same care one would exercise in the choice of any staple business commodity。 The particular sample is not vital to the trade； but the grade of goods is。 She is selected much as the bride of the Vicar of Wakefield chose her wedding…gown； only that the one was at least cut to suit； while the other is not。 It is certainly easier； if less fitting； to get a wife as some people do clothes； not to their own order； but ready made； all the more r