ature in Japan. (A letter to the Dial, vol. 19, 1895, p. 137.)

Relates to the question of the abolition of the Chinese ideographs in the written language. The tendency to emphasize the necessity of 'modernizing' is apparent in a recent address onThe Future of Japanese Literature,' by Professor Tsubouchi, one of Japan's foremost literati, who deplores the absence of standard works which represent the trend of modern ideas. "The encouragement of a national literature," says he, "is thus at the present moment of prime importance."

ASTON, W. G. A history of Japanese literature. New York, 1899. 8°.

Book VII deals with some recent developments under European influence.'

"

JAPANESE literature. (Quarterly Review, London, 1900, vol. 192, pp. 6891).

The last few pages are devoted to a consideration of European influences.

HAUSER, Otto. Kultur und Literaturparallelen zwischen Japan und Mittel Europa. (Deutsche Revue, 1 June 1904, PP. 324-338).

Japan, says the author, has nothing to give us which we did not ourselves possess. Hauser has prepared the forthcoming volume on "Japanische Dichtung" for the collection of mono

NOGUCHI, Yone. Modern Japanese women writers. (Critic, May, 1904, PP. 429-432).

With portraits.

SPECIAL TOPICS

FLORENZ, K. A. Zur Psychologie des japanischen Witzes. (Mittheilungen der deutschen Gesellschaft für Natur- und Völkerkunde Ostasiens, vol. 5, 1889-92, PP. 424-430).

Mainly a review of Tsuchiko Kanehiro's book, Share no Tetsugaku ("Philosophy of Wit"), published 1887.

NOGUCHI, Yone. Japanese humour and caricature. (Bookman, N. Y., July 1904, pp. 473-475).

Deals mainly with present-day humor and caricature as influenced by the West. Author finds little appreciation of laughter and wit " in Japan.

BUSSE, L. Streifüzge durch die japanische ethische Litteratur der Gegenwart. (Mittheilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Natur-und Völkerkunde Ostasiens in Tokio, vol. 5, 188992, pp. 439-487).

A subject of interest to the student of Japan's development, as well as to the metaphysician.

DUNCAN, Sara Jeanette. A fictionmaker of Tokyo. (Athenæum, Sep. 7, 1889, pp. 320-321).

A light sketch of the methods of a Japanese novelist.

HARRIS, Mrs. Flora Best. Glimpses of the Japanese lyric drama. (Chautauquan, vol. 15, 1892, pp. 574–581).

Deals with old Japan, but there is half a page on the present day, and the change from religious to intellectual interest.

Brandes.

NOGUCHI, Yone. Evolution of modern Japanese literature. (Critic, vol. 44, March, 1904, pp. 260-263.)

1901, pp. 142-164).

Reference is made to modern reforming agencies, translations of European plays, dramatizations of the Chino-Japanese war and other modern plays.

OTHING

N more significant of the

"Americanizing" of British book methods has appeared of late than the publication, by so conservative a journal as The Academy and Literature, of lists of "best sellers." It was not so long ago that British editors were poking fun at us for taking an interest in this competitive view of the book market. It was even said that the publication of such lists was evidence of our uncultivated western taste, proving that our standard of value was vitiated by popularity. The Academy and Literature has, however, gone us better, as the phrase is, since it has taken pains to gather reports from Scotland, Ireland and Wales, as well as the principal cities of England. It is interesting, also, that so intensely American a novel as "The Crossing' should lead the best selling fiction in a majority of the cities canvassed.

The year 1904 shows an extraordinary list of centenary celebrations, memorials and other testimonials to men and women who became famous in art and letters in times past. One of the most recent of these events was the opening of Hogarth House at Chiswick. A public-spirited citizen of the town, Lieutenant-Colonel Shipway, in order to save it from demolition, purchased the house which had for so long been the home of William Hogarth. He employed Mr. F. W. Peel, an architect, to restore the building to its condition when occupied by Hogarth, and last month it was given into the hands of a committee to be maintained as a Public Hogarth Museum. The opening ceremonies concluded with a dinner in Hogarth House, given to a distinguished company at which Sir

Laurence Alma-Tadema presided. Speeches were made by Sir Charles Holroyd, director of the National Gallery, where Hogarth's famous series, "Marriage à la Mode" is preserved; Mr. Austin Dobson, biographer of Hogarth, Mr. Edwin A. Abbey, and others who discussed Hogarth and his place in the history of art.

Mr. Ashton-Webb, President of the Royal Society of British Artists, described Hogarth as "the father of English painting," a great moral teacher and the master of caricature.

Hogarth's career as man and artist was a striking one; the son of a poor schoolmaster, he attained a commanding position as an artist, although hampered by an almost total lack of art instruction and general education. Without considering the social conditions then existing at the time it is difficult to understand the enormous popularity and sale of the prints and plates which Hogarth made from his paintings, "Marriage à la Mode," "The Rake's Progress," "The Harlot's Progress," "Morning, Noon and Night," and the long series of social satires which he produced. English social life, for a long period, had felt the influence of Louis XIV. Its extreme artificiality and formal etiquette had placed restraints on the natural action of men to an incredible degree and Hogarth's talent came into existence at a time when there was a reactionary change in the costumes and habits of the civilized world. The force of pictured satire is always one of the greatest powers of influence. Hogarth had a high sense of the moral idea and could present it in a masterly and unusual manner.

Hogarth himself aimed at social regeneration and insisted that prints should be made to sell at so low a cost

that the poorer classes could purchase them. That he was right was evinced by the fact that in many cases editions of 5,000 copies of prints were quickly absorbed by the public. So great was the demand that unscrupulous dealers pirated his prints in great numbers. Hogarth then, in conjunction with other

Mr. Soane for $3,000 and are now at the Soane Museum. The original paintings of the "Harlot's Progress" were destroyed by fire in 1755. Many American collections of prints have been enriched by rare examples of Hogarth's works, one of the most complete collections being in the Art Department of the Cincinnati Public Lib

rary.

Hogarth published a treatise called "Analysis of Beauty," which gives us some idea of the purpose of his work. It shows, however, his lack of education and afforded his antagonists an opening for much ridicule. Enemies he had in plenty and he was constantly engaged in disputes and quarrels which were the source of constant worry. So much did he take such matters to heart that it seriously impaired his health and his work.

One of the most successful portraits was that of David Garrick painted in his character of Richard III. For this portrait Hogarth received $1,000, the largest sum that had ever been received by an English artist for a portrait. Garrick was a warm friend of Hogarth and wrote the epitaph for the monument which was erected over the artist's grave at Chiswick:

Farewell, great Painter of Mankind,

Who reached the noblest point of art, Whose pictur'd Morals chain the mind And, through the Eye, correct the Heart

If genius fire thee, Reader, stay;

If nature touch thee drop a tear; If neither touch thee, move away, For Hogarth's honored dust lies here.