It may well be questioned whether, in the course of a like period of time, any country has ever undergone greater transitions, or made more rapid strides along the path of civilization than has Japan during the last quarter of a century. A group of numerous islands, situated on the high-road and thoroughfare of maritime traffic across the Pacific, between the Eastern and Western hemispheres, and in area considerably exceeding Great Britain and Ireland,—Japan, until thirty years ago, was a terra

“Shintoism,” in the words of Diayoro Goh, Chancellor of the Japanese Consulate General in London, “originated in the worship offered by a barbarous people to the mythological persons of its own invention.” To speak accurately, it is not so much a religion as patriotism exalted to the rank of a creed. It is a veneration of the country's heroes and benefactors of every age, legendary and historical, ancient and more recent; the spirits of these being appealed to for protection. Interwoven with thi

With the book, however, which probably more than any other work of the day has been the means of drawing the attention of English-speaking people to Buddhism, we cannot deal in so summary a fashion. For in Sir Edwin Arnold's poem, The Light of Asia , we have a work which is simply a rendering of the life of Buddha, in general accordance with the received traditions, and one, moreover, which has met with a cordial welcome at the hands of Buddhists. Nor can it be questioned that the book is a prod

With regard to the history of Buddhism, from the time of its founder's death until the middle of the third century b.c. , we are practically without information. It appears, however, that parties and schools were already beginning to be formed. But about 260 b.c. , India, from being divided into a number of petty kingdoms, became almost wholly united under the rule of one Asoka. Asoka's grandfather—the founder of the empire that was soon to assume such vast proportions—had revenged himself for t

Leaving the Hondo, we next proceed to explore the grounds and remaining buildings connected with the temple. This lofty Pagoda , for instance, several stories high, is erected over some holy relic,—perhaps the vitrified remains of the founder, after cremation. A little further on, we come to the Rinzo , or Revolving Library, containing an entire set of the Buddhist scriptures. As these consist altogether of some 6,700 or 6,800 large volumes, it is clearly impossible for any one person to read th

Before, however, proceeding to an examination of Mr. Loomis' table, we must briefly observe the past history of Christianity in Japan. This dates from the arrival of St. Francis Xavier in 1549, seven years after the country was discovered by the Portuguese. For some while the missionaries were permitted to prosecute their work without molestation, and considerable progress was being effected. A deputation of native priests appealed to the Tycoon, but their remonstrances were unheeded. With thirt

Edition B. Small Pica, small post 8vo. In various bindings from 1 s. 6 d. to 4 s. 6 d. Edition C. Pearl, medium 32mo. Paper cover, 1 d. ; limp cloth, cut flush, 2 d. Edition D. Diamond, medium 32mo. Limp cloth, cut flush, 4 d. Words And Music. Edition E. Nonpareil 8vo. In various bindings from 2 s. 4 d. to 5 s. 6 d. Edition F. Long Primer, Imperial 16mo. In various bindings from 4 s. 6 d. to 9 s. Works By Mrs. Rundle Charles, Author Of “The Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family.” The Beatitud