TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 137 
or later, would destroy the feudal power and institutions. These had existed from 
time immemorial, and under them the nation had increased in numbers and in 
wealth, preserved its independence, and been self-sufficing. They saw in the new 
treaties, therefore, and the commerce they were intended to promote, an element 
of reyolution, and were prepared to resist to the death, and strike while it was yet 
time. Commerce in this instance, as in a thousand others, so far from promoting 
peace, was pregnant with danger, and to all appearance would sooner or later lead 
to war, and this however little the merchant might desire such a result, or govern- 
ments might seek to avert it. Commerce, in truth, originated a movement which 
not all the merchants in the world could arrest until its destined course was run. 
‘Western Powers, and we especially, entered into treaties with Hastern Potentates 
in perfect good faith, desiring only commerce, and hoping peace and civilization 
with the blessings of true religion might follow in the train. Such was not the 
lesson that the history of the world gave. Theory and experience were wofully at 
issue, and for once it would be well that experience should triumph over hope; for 
the first gave useful warning, while the latter only deluded by vain expectations. It: 
was under this aspect that it became a question of deep interest what affinities or 
analogies might be found between the European and Japanese civilization now so 
suddenly brought into contact, or what elements of repulsion might be existing and 
active ; for on this, to all appearance, would depend the issue, whether peaceful or the 
reverse. To speak of Japanese civilization was to speak of the whole life and deve- 
lopment of a nation; and there was as much difference between nations as indivi- 
duals. Sir Rutherford then showed that there were great vagueness and diversity 
of opinion as to what constituted civilization. The necessity of a ciear definition 
was obvious; and by reference to the chief agencies employed, we should be able 
to discriminate between different kinds of civilization and degrees, and thus arrive 
at a rough basis of classification. Man’s first triumph was that of physical force 
and intelligence combined over inanimate nature; his next, and by the same 
means, was oyer the higher animals of his own species! AII the earlier forms of 
civilization were of this kind in various degrees. When it was proposed to govern 
man by argument rather than by force, by considerations and by motives addressed 
to his reason and conscience rather than to his fears, leaving him the full develop- 
ment of his faculties and the free use of all his energies, then civilization took its 
best and highest form. But of this civilization there was very little, even in the 
western world, as yet. We should be prepared, therefore, to estimate modestly 
any benefit in our power to confer on a race like the Japanese by introducing our 
civilization and institutions into Japan, and we should be patient if we saw that 
the Japanese adhered with tenacity to their feudalism and autocratic forms of 
government, and not only wished none of our novelties or innovations, but, on 
the contrary, were ready to do battle rather than permit the fine edge of the com- 
mercial wedge to be inserted. They (the Japanese) might tell us with truth that 
for centuries they had possessed, under their own laws, customs, and institutions, 
a degree of peace, prosperity, and freedom from foreign wars which no country in 
Europe had enjoyed any single century of its existence, with all our boasted civi- 
lization. How the civilization of a people might most readily be estimated was a 
question of some interest. Mr. Meadows, in his work upon China, suggested that 
the style and character of a nation’s architecture (exclusive of edifices for warlike 
purposes), the roads, means of communication, and adaptation for travelling were 
the best criteria. This seemed doubtful. In Japan the soil was afflicted with a 
sort of quotidian ague by reason of earthquakes, and in architecture, as also in roads, 
the Japanese might vie with the Romans, so admirably were they engineered and 
maintained. But when we come to their ordinary means of travelling and com- 
munication, they sink far below the lowest of European States. A naked foot- 
runner made their post; a buffalo car, or an equally clumsy machine, carried on 
men’s shoulders, was their usual conveyance; and this despite their knowledge by 
working models and books of our system of railroads and telegraphs. It was evi- 
dent all these criteria could only furnish very fallacious data for judgment ; for in 
other directions—in. their conquest over matter and their progress in all the indus- 
trial arts—they might vie with the most advanced nation in Europe. In all the 
mechanical arts the Japanese had unquestionably achieved great excellence. In 
