2 
THE COLLECTOR A CIVILIZER. 
articles more than nine hundred years old, of Japanese manufacture, and 
that collectors have there had what is called the “Keramic craze” for 
centuries, and instead of dying out the fever had always been upon a 
steady increase. This is accounted for by the fact that for centuries the 
Japanese had been at peace, with but few exceptions; and in times of 
'peace, culture and the arts made rapid progress, and that appreciative 
people were ever ready to possess themselves of the art treasures, and 
as in Europe, vying with each other to own the rarest and most beautiful 
work of the artist: hence these splendid collections of pottery, swords, 
carvings, wall screens, and the like to be found in Japan. Comparing 
this with other countries he generalized that collecting was a sure mark 
of prosperity, culture and refinement with any people, that the extent of 
these qualities in a nation could be estimated, as well as any way, by the 
collectors among the people. It was so with ancient Egypt, Greece and 
Rome, it is so with modern Europe and so always with advanced Oriental 
nations. Americans, always too busy building themselves cities and ar¬ 
ranging great schemes of railway or telegraph, have but recently had the 
time to settle down to the quiet of collecting and scientific study. The 
last half century has wrought a vast change with us, and has done an 
immense amount towards elevating us to the position now attained by 
European States. Our Museums and Libraries have developed beyond all 
expectations, and scientific work has progressed faster than the supply of 
money to pursue it could be raised. And to this general work are to be 
added the labors of the home student and private collector who, however 
humble, are adding a share to the great work of refinement. By the estab¬ 
lishment of public museums the idle visitor, spending a spare hour 
lounging about the exhibition halls, cannot fail to acquire some little in¬ 
formation from the great object-lesson before him, or become more 
familiar with the labors and requisites entailed by any such great work. 
A generation, growing up under the influence of collections and familiar 
with them, cannot fail to imbibe a desire to add to their value. The man¬ 
agers of our literary magazines and newspapers do not now feel that they 
have done their duty, unless some portion of space is devoted to the 
scientific news or the recent discoveries by the naturalists. All this be¬ 
tokens a great future for our people and one that will demand more 
thought from the publisher, and rarer and more useful books for the 
student. It does away in a great measure with superstition; and, by the 
great accessibility to books and collections, Leaches the natural laws aud 
causes of many unaccountable phenomena to those who otherwise would 
. live in ignorance. 
