Moreover, the character of the building materials, and the methods of construction used by the more prosperous among the people, were easily imitated in kind, if not in costliness, by the less prosperous.  Take, for example, the structure of the room; it is always of certain fixed proportions, that the uniform mats may be easily fitted to it.  The mats themselves are always made of a straw “toko,” “bed,” and an “omote,” “surface,” of woven straw; they vary greatly in value, but, of whatever grade, may always be kept neat and fresh at comparatively small cost.  The walls of the average houses are made of mud wattles.  The outer layers of plaster consist of selected earth and tinted lime.  Whether put up at large or small expense, these walls may be neat and attractive.  So, too, with other parts of the house.

The utter lack of independent thinking throughout the middle and lower classes, and the constant desire of the inferior to imitate the superior, have also helped to make the culture of the classes the possession of the masses.  This subserviency and spirit of imitation has been further stimulated by the enforced courtesy and deference and obedience of the common people.

In this connection it should be noted, however, that the universality of culture in Japan is more apparent than real.  The appearance is due in part to the lack of furniture in the homes.  Without chairs or tables, bedsteads or washstands, and the multitude of other things invariably found in the home of the Occidental, it is easy for the Japanese housewife to keep her home in perfect order.  No special culture is needful for this.

How it came about that the Japanese people adopted their own method of sitting on the feet, I cannot say; neither have I heard any plausible explanation of the practice.  Yet this habit has relieved them of all necessity for heavy furniture.  Given the custom of sitting on the feet, and a large part of the furniture of the house will be useless.  Already is the introduction of furniture after Western patterns producing changes in the homes of the people; and it will be interesting to see whether the aesthetic sense of the Japanese will be able to assimilate and harmonize with itself these useful, but bulky and unaesthetic, elements of Occidental civilization.

That no part of the fine taste of the Japanese is due to the general civilization, rather than to the individual possession of the aesthetic faculty, may be inferred from many little signs.  In spite of the fact that, following the long-established social fashions, the women usually display good taste in the choice of colors for their clothing, it sometimes happens that they also manifest not the slightest sense of the harmony of colors.  Daughters of wealthy families will array themselves in brilliant discordant hues, yet apparently without causing the wearers or their friends the slightest aesthetic discomfort.  Little children are arrayed in clothing that would