The present prominence of this characteristic in Japan is still further to be accounted for by her actual recent history.  The overthrow of the Shogunate was primarily the work of young men; the introduction of almost all the sweeping reforms which have transformed Japan has been the work of young men who, though but partly equipped for their work, approached it with energy and perfect confidence, not knowing enough perhaps to realize the difficulties they were undertaking.  They had to set aside the customs of centuries; to do this required startling assumptions of superiority to their ancestors and their immediate parents.  The young men undertook to dispute and doubt everything that stood in the way of national re-organization.  In what nation has there ever been such a setting aside of parental teaching and ancestral authority?  These heroic measures secured results in which the nation glories.  Is it strange, then, that the same spirit should show itself in every branch of life, even in the attitude of the people to the Westerners who have brought them the new ways and ideas?

The Japanese, however, is not the only conceited nation.  Indeed, it would be near the truth to say that there is no people without this quality.  Certainly the American and English, French and German nations cannot presume to criticise others.  The reason why we think Japan unique in this respect is that in the case of these Western nations we know more of the grounds for national self-satisfaction than in the case of Japan.  Yet Western lands are, in many respects, truly provincial to this very day, in spite of their advantages and progress; the difficulty with most of them is that they do not perceive it.  The lack of culture that prevails among our working classes is in some respects great.  The narrow horizon still bounding the vision of the average American or Briton is very conspicuous to one who has had opportunities to live and travel in many lands.  Each country, and even each section of a country, is much inclined to think that it has more nearly reached perfection than any other.

This phase of national and local feeling is interesting, especially after one has lived in Japan a number of years and has had opportunities to mingle freely with her people.  For they, although self-reliant and self-conceited, are at the same time surprisingly ready to acknowledge that they are far behind the times.  Their open-mindedness is truly amazing.  In describing the methods of land tenure, of house-building, of farming, of local government, of education, of moral instruction, of family life, indeed, of almost anything in the West that has some advantageous feature, the remark will be dropped incidentally that these facts show how uncivilized Japan still is.  In their own public addresses, if any custom is attacked, the severest indictment that can be brought against it is that it is uncivilized.  In spite, therefore, of her self-conceit, Japan is in a fairer way of making