those in office was
entirely antagonistic to his mode of thought. His life was composed of
passing illusions and disillusions. That he, with his artistic
perception, should have been carried off his balance by the quaintness
and mysticism that he encountered in the outlying portions of the
country was but natural. Go into the highlands of Japan amongst the
simple folk, where primitive conditions still reign, where the ancient
gods are still believed to haunt the ancient shrines, where the glamour
and the grace of bygone civilisation still lingers, you will yield to
the same charm, and, as Hearn himself says, better the sympathetic than
the critical attitude. Perhaps the man who comes to Japan full of hate
for all things oriental may get nearer the truth at once, but he will
make a kindred mistake to him who views it all, as I did at first,
almost with the eyes of a lover.

CHAPTER XVII
MARRIAGE

"'Marriage may be either a hindrance or help on the path,'
the old priest said, 'according to conditions. All depends
upon conditions. If the love of wife and child should cause a
man to become too much attached to the temporary advantages
of this unhappy world, then such love would be a hindrance.
But, on the contrary, if the love of wife and child should
enable a man to live more purely and more unselfishly than he
could do in a state of celibacy, then marriage would be a
very great help to him in the Perfect Way. Many are the
dangers of marriage for the wise; but for those of little
understanding, the dangers of celibacy are greater, and even
the illusion of passion may sometimes lead noble natures to
the higher knowledge.'"

Hearn's marriage, as his widow told us, took place early in the year of
1891, "23rd of Meiji." That on either side it was one of passionate
sentiment is doubtful. Marriages in Japan are generally arranged on the
most businesslike footing. By the young Japanese man, it is looked upon
as a natural duty that has duly to be performed for the perpetuation of
his family. Passion is reserved for unions unsanctioned by social
conventions.

Dominated as he was by the idea that his physical deficiencies rendered
a union with one of his own nationality out of the question, he yet knew
that at his time of life he had to enter into more permanent conditions
with the other sex t