antiquated design used
for receiving tears; that is all.'

"These three serious men were certainly sincere in giving explanations
which each one of them declared decisive. They exprest opinions which
they believed implicitly and which their respective natures directed
irresistibly toward their peculiar bents of mind.

"Judgment, in order to be free from all which is not common sense, ought
then to put aside all personal predilections, all desire to form a
conclusion to humor our inclinations.

"Absolute impartiality of judgment is one of the rarest gifts and at the
same time is the noblest quality which we can possess."

We should then conclude, with the Shogun, that common sense aids in the
production of noble aspirations, and is not concerned only with that
which relates to materiality, as so many people would have us understand.

The Nippon philosopher teaches us also the part which he assigns to the
habitual practise of goodness.

"We are too easily persuaded," he says, "that goodness, like beauty, is a
gift of birth.

"It is time to destroy an error rooted in our minds for too many
centuries.

"Goodness is acquired by reasoning and logic, as are so many other
qualities, and it is common sense which governs its formation.

"Have we ever reflected over the sum total of annoyances that people, who
are essentially wicked, add every day to those imposed upon them by
circumstances?

"Are we capable of appreciating the joys of life when impatience makes
the nerves vibrate or when anger brandishes its torch in the bends and
turns of the brain?

"People who lack goodness are the first to be punished for their defect.
Serenity is unknown to them and they live in perpetual agitation, caused
by the irritation which they experience on the slightest provocation."

Common sense indicates then in an irrefutable way that there is every
advantage in being good.

And Yoritomo proves it to us, by using his favorite syllogism:

"Happiness," he says, "is above all a combination of harmony and absence
of sorrow.

"Wickedness, by inspiring us with discontent and anger, disturbs
this harmony.

"We must, therefore, banish wickedness, that we may cultivate goodness,
which is the creator of harmony."

Continuing still further the same argument, he adds:

"Common sense would have the tendency even to make us promise to be good,
so as to satisfy our own egotism.

"Goodness creates smiles; to sow happiness around one, is