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am ignorant of everything；〃 than 〃I know nothing。〃 It is indeed you who
are wanting； not the thing。
The question of verbs leads us to another matter bearing on the subject
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of impersonality； namely； the arrangement of the words in a Japanese
sentence。 The Tartar mode of grammatical construction is very nearly the
inverse of our own。 The fundamental rule of Japanese syntax is； that
qualifying words precede the words they qualify； that is； an idea is
elaborately modified before it is so much as expressed。 This practice
places the hearer at some awkward preliminary disadvantage； inasmuch as
the story is nearly over before he has any notion what it is all about； but
really it puts the speaker to much more trouble； for he is obliged to fashion
his whole sentence complete in his brain before he starts to speak。 This
is largely in consequence of two omissions in Tartar etymology。 There
are in Japanese no relative pronouns and no temporal conjunctions；
conjunctions； that is； for connecting consecutive events。 The want of
these words precludes the admission of afterthoughts。 Postscripts in
speech are impossible。 The functions of relatives are performed by
position； explanatory or continuative clauses being made to precede
directly the word they affect。 Ludicrous anachronisms； not unlike those
experienced by Alice in her looking…glass journey； are occasioned by this
practice。 For example； 〃The merry monarch who ended by falling a
victim to profound melancholia〃 becomes 〃To profound melancholia a
victim by falling ended merry monarch；〃 and the sympathetic hearer
weeps first and laughs afterward； when chronologically he should be
doing precisely the opposite。
A like inversion of the natural order of things results from the absence
of temporal conjunctions。 In Japanese； though nouns can be added；
actions cannot； you can say 〃hat and coat；〃 but not 〃dressed and came。〃
Conjunctions are used only for space； never for time。 Objects that exist
together can be joined in speech； but it is not allowable thus to connect
consecutive events。 〃Having dressed； came〃 is the Japanese idiom。 To
speak otherwise would be to violate the unities。 For a Japanese sentence
is a single rounded whole； not a bunch of facts loosely tied together。 It is
as much a unit in its composition as a novel or a drama is with us。 Such
artistic periods； however； are anything but convenient。 In their nicely
contrived involution they strikingly resemble those curious nests of
Chinese boxes； where entire shells lie closely packed one within another；
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a very marvel of ingenious and perfectly unnecessary construction。 One
must be antipodally comprehensive to entertain the idea； as it is； the idea
entertains us。
On the same general plan； the nouns precede the verbs in the sentence；
and are in every way the more important parts of speech。 The consequence
is that in ordinary conversation the verbs come so late in the day that they
not infrequently get left out altogether。 For the Japanese are much given to
docking their phrases； a custom the Germans might do well to adopt。
Now； nouns denote facts； while verbs express action； and action； as
considered in human speech； is mostly of human origin。 In this
precedence accorded the impersonal element in language over the personal；
we observe again the comparative importance assigned the two。 In
Japanese estimation； the first place belongs to nature； the second only to
man。
As if to mark beyond a doubt the insignificance of the part man plays
in their thought； sentences are usually subjectless。 Although it is a
common practice to begin a phrase with the central word of the idea；
isolated from what follows by the emphasizing particle 〃wa〃 （which
means 〃as to；〃 the French 〃quant a〃）； the word thus singled out for
distinction is far more likely to be the object of the sentence than its
subject。 The habit is analogous to the use of our phrase 〃speaking of；〃
that is； simply an emphatic mode of introducing a fresh thought； only that
with them； the practice being the rule and not the exception； no
correspondingly abrupt effect is produced by it。 Ousted thus from the
post of honor； the subject is not even permitted the second place。 Indeed；
it usually fails to put in an appearance anywhere。 You may search
through sentence after sentence without meeting with the slightest
suggestion of such a thing。 When so unusual an anomaly as a motive
cause is directly adduced； it owes its mention； not to the fact of being the
subject； but because for other reasons it happens to be the important word
of the thought。 The truth is； the Japanese conception of events is only
very vaguely subjective。 An action is looked upon more as happening
than as being performed； as impersonally rather than personally produced。
The idea is due； however； to anything but philosophic profundity。 It
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springs from the most superficial of childish conceptions。 For the
Japanese mind is quite the reverse of abstract。 Its consideration of things is
concrete to a primitive degree。 The language reflects the fact。 The few
abstract ideas these people now possess are not represented； for the most
part； by pure Japanese； but by imported Chinese expressions。 The
islanders got such general notions from their foreign education； and they
imported idea and word at the same time。
Summing up； as it were； in propria persona the impersonality of
Japanese speech； the word for 〃man；〃 〃hito；〃 is identical with； and
probably originally the same word as 〃hito；〃 the numeral 〃one；〃 a noun
and a numeral； from which Aryan languages have coined the only
impersonal pronoun they possess。 On the one hand； we have the German
〃mann；〃 on the other； the French 〃on〃。 While as if to give the official
seal to the oneness of man with the universe； the word mono； thing； is
applied； without the faintest implication of insult； to men。
Such； then； is the mould into which； as children； these people learn to
cast their thought。 What an influence it must exert upon their subsequent
views of life we have but to ask of our own memories to know。 With
each one of us； if we are to advance beyond the steps of the last generation；
there comes a time when our growing ideas refuse any longer to fit the
childish grooves in which we were taught to let them run。 How great the
wrench is when this supreme moment arrives we have all felt too keenly
ever to forget。 We hesitate； we delay； to abandon the beliefs which；
dating from the dawn of our being； seem to us even as a part of our very
selves。 From the religion of our mother to the birth of our boyish first love；
all our early associations send down roots so deep that long after our
minds have outgrown them our hearts refuse to give them up。 Even
when reason conquers at last； sentiment still throbs at the voids they
necessarily have left。
In the Far East； this fondness for the old is further consecrated