THE AWAKENING OF JAPAN
struction formed as much a part of his scheme for preserving absolutism as any of the military precautions he took against the power of the Kioto court or that of the daimiates. Yet it is but fair to say that the encouragement of learning inaugurated by him had much to do with the formation of modern Japanese character. Buddhism and Neo-Confucianism (which is truly Buddhist in its nature) gave to the nation that meditative trend of mind which makes it possible for it to face emergencies with calmness. If he did not initiate an era of progress, at least he taught stability. If it had not been for this, the fierce turmoil of the Restoration, with its violent accession of Western thought, would have swept Japan from her ancient anchorage into an unknown and stormy sea.
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