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ART-WORSHIP

One need not count the number of art-students
in Paris to know that Art is held in high esteem
there. In fact, it is widely and reverently worship¬
ped in Paris, if not in all P>ance. One might say
that a statue stands at every street corner and that
a nude picture hangs on every door. A French
wit has said that England is a country of shop¬
keepers ; an English cynic might retaliate with the
remark that France is a country of art-students.

Some Europeans are good enough to say that
Japan is a country of art. Well, I am not going to
sing the praises of our art; but I want to say that
our art seems to be better appreciated by the
French than by any other European people. I had
with me some old Japanese pictures (not of any
great value) ; and used to show them to my friends