Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 1.djvu/38

 her to that position, and outside nations accorded it to her. To worst her meant to leap at one bound to the hegemony of the Far East. That was the quickest exit from the shadow of Orientalism, and Japan took it. This is not a suggestion that she forced a fight upon her neighbour merely for the purpose of establishing her own superiority. What it means is that the causes which led to the fight had their remote origin in the different attitudes of the two countries towards Western civilisation. Having cordially embraced that civilisation, Japan could not consent to be included in the contempt with which China regarded it; and having set out to climb to the level of Occidental nations, she had to begin by emerging from the ranks of Oriental nations.

This analysis, if we push it to its logical sequel, brings us into the presence of a startling conclusion. Japan has risen to the headship of the Far East. Is that the goal of her ambition? One of her favourite sayings is, "Better be the tail of an ox than the comb of a cock." She is now the comb of the Oriental cock. That is not enough: she wants to be the tail of the Occidental ox. How is it to be done? Evidently by following the route that has already led her so far. She cannot turn back. Her destiny forces her on, and there is no mistaking the sign-post set up by her recent experience. She has been taught that fighting capacity is the only sure passport to European esteem, and she has also