k that the residents in the
country have exercised much influence upon Japan. During that period
there have been enormous changes; the whole life of the nation has, in
fact, been revolutionised. But these changes have not been wrought, or
indeed greatly affected, by the European residents in the country. The
changes have emanated from Europe and America--not that portion of
Europe and America which went to Japan for its own objects. I make, of
course, a particular exception in regard to those naval and military
and scientific men to whose exertions Japan owes so much of her
advancement. But I do say of the ordinary trader or merchant that he
has come to Japan, and left it without producing much effect, if any,
on the development of the nation, or leaving behind him any influences
of a useful nature.

The European in Japan necessarily suggests some allusion to that large
and annually increasing number of persons who visit the country. Their
residence in Japan is usually of very limited duration, but, however
short it may be, it is apparently quite long enough to enable them to
form pronounced views upon many and varied matters connected with the
country and the people. I have no hesitation in asserting that the
erroneous opinions so prevalent in Europe in regard to Japan and the
Japanese people are largely the outcome of the far too numerous books
that have been written and published in reference to that country of
recent years. "Ten Days in Japan" may be an alluring title for a book
of travel, but quite evidently ten days are not sufficient to form an
opinion and promulgate it upon every phase of Japanese life, nor for
the solution of many vexed problems. And yet, so far as my perusal of
these books has gone, the shorter the period a man or woman has spent
in Japan the more pronounced his or her views in regard to the
country. The matter is hardly worth referring to were it not that
these opinions, hastily arrived at and apparently as hurriedly rushed
into print, have been accepted by some people as incontrovertible
facts. Another class of work that I think a reader should be warned
against is the book of the man who has lived in Japan for a time and
seen life only from a certain standpoint. The book of a bishop or a
missionary may be and often is of undoubted value in reference to his
work and matters connected with his work, but when the writer gets
outside this particular province and deals with subjects his knowledg