27
fall of our empire. Should the pernicious doctrines and theoretical fads of a large and increasing body of members of the British Empire succeed, legislation may be carried by them in the parliament of Great Britain, and the overthrow of our vast empire may follow. As the barbarians from without overthrew Rome, the barbarians from within may do the same for Great Britain. We have only to look at what is going on in India, where our commerce, our science, our able government have controlled for good a mighty Empire. "We see the apostles of unrest busy, and I cannot overlook the fact, as I believe it, that these agitators are upheld in their beliefs by the pernicious utterings and the unbridled licence of a section of the press. This is what Count Okuma, a Japanese, says on the subject: "From ancient times onwards, the realm of India was attacked or subjugated (many a time) by a foreign foe, and then, being invaded by Spain, Portugal, France, and Great Britain, the destruction of its immense riches and the degradation of its industry, arts, and literature were completed. And who is answerable for all this: I say it was not any of these aggressors, but India herself, that annihilated the realm".
Count Okuma also goes on to say: "In Japan Buddhism has assumed a very different shape from its prototype in India, having undergone a careful process of purification. When it was first introduced from India through China it was intermingled with great evils, of which we contrived ingeniously to purge it so as to extract its healthiest essence, and as a consequence it is still exercising a great influence on our social life. On the contrary, India, Turkey, Persia, Siam, and most other countries have more or less suffered from religious poisoning. Thanks to our peculiarity of subjecting every exotic thing to a refining process, we Japanese turned to account the Indian and the Chinese Buddhism by applying it to our customs and spiritual culture. Again, fifty years ago we came into contact with the influence of the West, and, when once we became aware of our own inferior points and errors, we promptly appropriated the excellences of others and
