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look up at him as a sort of a Supernatural Being, and others to doubt him and assume he has published only those which were perfect by chance. I have been befriended with him a long time since. His opinion is very nearly the same as mine as explained in the preceding paragraphs, and this is the reason why we have assisting each other in the investigation of the principles of the Scientific Morality. Consenquently, I am far from doubting the rigidity of his divination, and I believe that any one can divine as exact if he is as earnest and as experienced as Mr. Takashima.

I can illustrate this last point in Mathematical problems. Nothing can be more absurd than one who has acquired only an elementary idea of Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry, and endeavouring to solve some complicated problems, say in Calculus. But it is just and proper if a professor who has thoroughly acquired the knowledge of Mathematics try to solve the same problems. Similarly, with any other science, those who have only an elementary idea can by no means solve any abstruse problems. There is then no reason why the Eki should be exceptional to this rule. Mr. Takashima is a man who has a thorough knowledge of the Eki and his divination is equivalent to the trial of the professor referred to above.

There are immense varieties of forms of Crystals in the Mineral Kingdom, but they can be included under only six systems. For the same reason, although the human affairs are apparently complicated, yet they might be resolved into only a very small number of fundamental principles. By studying the six elementary crystallographic forms, any complicated crystal can be easily understood, provided we acquire this power of discretion through an experience of a long interval. It is then a matter of no marvel that Mr. Takashima is thoroughly acquainted with the principles of the Eki and the

natures of humanity, and assisted by his natural genius, has been enabled to be so exact in his application of the methods of the Eki.

Since the Western sciences have been introduced to this country, it has become prevalent to adopt everything western without inquiring whether it be good or evil, fit or unfit, and right or wrong. It must, however, be remembered that everything originated in the West is also a thing originated by a human being, and is not necessarily superior to that in the East. Of course, in one point, that is in the science of Physics, they are far superior to us, but in the case of human affairs, they are only imitating their ancestors in some respects as well as we do. On perusing some of Western books, it will be seen that they are mottled here and there with quotations from the proverbs of ancient Greece and Rome. There can be found no conspicuous difference in excellence between the proverbs of Greece and Rome and those of ancient Oriental nations, regarding the actions of the human being.

The selection of the fundamental principles of Morality is one of the greatest questions in the modern educational society of this country, and as to the proposal of forming a social restrainment, there are offered so many different opinions that no sound principle has not yet been established. At this time, I have been endeavouring to enlarge my Scientific Morality and extend it over the whole educational society; when I once happened to attend Mr. Takashima's speaking of the principles of the Eki. I was greatly pleased of its so well conforming with my own views, and thence forward we have been consulting and investigating together during these last ten years. I have nothing to say about his opinions of the principles and uses of the Eki; we are so much agreeing with each other in our views. There is, however, one thing in which I can not yet agree with Mr. Taka

shima, and which is his belief of the existence of a Supernatural Being.

He disbelieves that the mystery of the use of the Eki is a result of the exertion of a human power, but that there exists a certain Supernatural Being besides the human being, with whom we can come in a direct interview through our purity of heart and eagerness of mind, and from whom we can receive the directions. He believes, in short, the mystery of the Eki to be a sort of Revelation, which gives his Eki a propensity of a pure religion, and to which I can not yet submit.

I persist, on the other hand, to make my doctrine a sort of Secular Morality and hope thereby to rectify and guide the action of the human being. Although both of us shall further go on investigating our doctrine together, yet we hereby wish to extend our field of investigation and to have the advice and criticisms of foreign eminent scholars. This is the reason why I have trans

lated this work.

Tokyo, May, 2553.

Shigetake Sugiura.

The original is the work of Mr. Takashima, but I alone is responsible for the translation. It is however somewhat abridged in some points.

I must express my warmest thanks to Mr. M. Zumoto and Mr. K. Otsuka for their kind assistance in translatting the present volume.

The correction of the proof-sheets has been mostly undertaken by Mr. K. Ötsuka and a few others, to whom I am again very much indebted.

In completing this volume, everything has been done

in the hands of the Japanese without an assistance of foreigners, excepting the paper which was imported.

As this has been edited in a hurry, there may be a plenty of misprintings and other mistakes, which will be revised in the next edition.

S. S.

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