of the person who abdicates, this does not necessarily follow, abdication being in no way incompatible with the continuation of the active pursuits in which the person-in question is engaged.  And if an excuse be needed in either case, there would seem to be more for the Japanese head of family, who, in addition to the duties and responsibilities incumbent upon his position, has to bear the brunt of the tedious ceremonies and observances which characterize family life in Japan, and are a severe tax upon time and energies, while at the same time he is fettered by the restrictions upon individual freedom of action imposed by the family system.  That in many cases the reason for abdication lies in the wish to escape from the tyrannical calls of family life, rather than in mere desire for idleness and ease, is shown by the fact that just as in past times the abdication of an Emperor, a Regent, or a state dignitary, was often the signal for renewed activity on his part, so in modern Japanese life the period of a person’s greatest activity not infrequently dates from the time of his withdrawal from the headship of his family.”

The abdicating proclivities of the nation in pre-Meiji times are well shown by the official list of daimyos published by the Shogunate in 1862.  To a list of 268 ruling daimyos is added a list of 104 “inkyo.”

In addition to what we may call political and family abdication, described above, is personal abdication, referred to on a previous page.

Are the traits of Japanese character considered in this chapter inherent and necessary?  Already our description has conclusively shown them to be due to the nature of the social order.  This was manifestly the case in regard to political and family abdication.  The like origin of personal abdication is manifest to him who learns how little there was in the ancient training tending to give each man a “feeling of independent responsibility to his own conscience in the sight of Heaven.”  He was taught devotion to a person rather than to a principle.  The duty of a retainer was not to think and decide, but to do.  He might in silence disapprove and as far as possible he should then keep out of his lord’s way; should he venture to think and to act contrary to his lord’s commands, he must expect and plan to commit “harakiri” in the near future.  Personal abdication and silent disapproval, therefore, were direct results of the social order.

VII

HEROES AND HERO-WORSHIP

If a clew to the character of a nation is gained by a study of the nature of the gods it worships, no less valuable an insight is gained by a study of its heroes.  Such a study confirms the impression that the emotional life is fundamental in the Japanese temperament.  Japan is a nation of hero-worshipers.  This is no exaggeration.  Not only is the primitive religion, Shintoism, systematic hero-worship, but every hero