learly the futility of an
attempt to fight Russia to allow themselves to be carried away by
sentimental notions of patriotism. Theirs was a deeper and truer
patriotism than that of the great mass of the nation, who, flushed
with recent victories by land and by sea, were eager to give Russia
the thrashing which they felt quite able to administer.

Abdication is such an important element in Japanese life, serving to
throw responsibility on the young, and thus helping to emphasize the
emotional characteristics of the people, that we may well give it
further attention at this point. In describing it, I can do no better
than quote from J.H. Gubbins' valuable introduction to his translation
of the New Civil Code of Japan.[I]

"Japanese scholars who have investigated the subject agree in
tracing the origin of the present custom to the abdication of
Japanese sovereigns, instances of which occur at an early period of
Japanese history. These earlier abdications were independent of
religious influences, but with the advent of Buddhism abdication
entered upon a new phase. In imitation, it would seem, of the
retirement for the purpose of religious contemplation of the Head
Priests of Buddhist monasteries, abdicating sovereigns shaved their
heads and entered the priesthood, and when subsequently the custom
came to be employed for political purposes, the cloak of religion
was retained. From the throne the custom spread to Regents and high
officers of state, and so universal had its observance amongst
officials of the high ranks become in the twelfth century that, as
Professor Shigeno states, it was almost the rule for such persons
to retire from the world at the age of forty or fifty, and
nominally enter the priesthood, both the act and the person
performing it being termed 'niu do.' In the course of time, the
custom of abdication ceased to be confined to officials, and
extended to feudal nobility and the military class generally,
whence it spread through the nation, and at this stage of its
transition its connection with the phase it finally assumed becomes
clear. But with its extension beyond the circle of official
dignitaries, and its consequent severance from tradition and
religious associations, whether real or nominal abdication changed
its name. It was no longer termed 'niu do,' but 'in kio,' the old