NOVEMBER 261 



The Japanese have an elaborate system of 

 flower arrangement; one so complicated indeed, 

 and so far-reaching in its relation to the life 

 and religion, the history and the poetry of the 

 people, that a course of study in the art covers 

 at least two years. Volumes have been written 

 to explain the theories and to illustrate the 

 rules which govern the disposition of cut 

 flowers, which rules are, after all, only a 

 comprehension and application of what is 

 everywhere an open secret. The Japanese 

 have made so close a study of Nature that 

 they have necessarily come into especially 

 intimate relations with her, and a certain grace 

 and poetry which is evident in everything they 

 touch has taught them to use common things 

 in uncommon ways, and so makes them the 

 teachers of our less sensitive selves. 



In a very true sense, according to the inter- 

 preters of Dai Nippon, a flower suffers loss 

 and even degradation by being cut at all, and 

 is much better seen in the open. Hence the 

 high holidays of the cherry-viewing, and the 

 feasts in honour of the iris, the scarlet maple, 

 and other queens-regnant of summer. Since 

 habit has given leave to cut them, and certain 



