"But in order that Japan may be able to keep her place among nations, she _must_ adopt the industrial and financial methods of the West. Her future depends upon industry and commerce; and these cannot be developed if we continue to follow our ancient morals and manners."
"Not to be able to compete with the West means ruin; yet in order to compete with the West, we must follow the methods of the West,--and these are contrary to the old morality."
"I do not think there is any 'perhaps.' To do any business on a large scale, we must not be checked by the idea that we should never take any advantage if another be injured by it. Those who are checked by emotional feeling, where no check is placed upon competition, must fail. The law of what you call the struggle for existence is that the strong and clever succeed, and the weak and foolish fail. But the old morality condemned such competition."
"Then, sir, no matter how good the old morality may seem to be, we can neither make any great progress in industry or commerce or finance, nor even preserve our national independence, by following it. We must forsake our past, and substitute law for morality."
"It seems to me that it has proved a good substitute in Western countries--England especially--if we are to judge by material progress. We will have to learn to be moral by reason, not by emotion. Knowledge of law, and the reasons for obeying law, must teach a rational morality of some sort at last."
Pretty good reasoning for a Japanese boy, wasn't it? He goes to the university next month,--a splendid fellow. Later the Government is to send him abroad.
DEAR NISHIDA,--Many, many best thanks for the excellent photograph of yourself, and your kindest letter. The photograph brought so vividly before me again the kind eyes that saw so much for me, and the kind lips that told me so many wise, good things, and advised me and helped me so much,--that I could not but feel more sorry than ever at having missed you.
Mr. Senke has sent me the most beautiful letter, which I hope to answer by this same mail. What a divine thing the old Japanese courtesy was! and how like _Kami sama_ the dear old men who remember it, and preserve it. Of course Mr. Senke is a young man, but _his_ courtesy is the old courtesy. The high schools seem to me to be ruining Japanese manners, and therefore morals--because morals are manners to a certain extent. Those who lose the old ways never replace them; they cannot learn foreign courtesy, which is largely a matter of tone,--tone of voice, address, touch of minds, and benevolence in small things, which is our politeness. So they remain without any manners at all, and their hearts get hardened in some queer way. They cease to be lovable, and often become unbearable. I hope the great reaction will bring back, among other things, some of the knightly old ways.