June 15, 1907.)
to take all at once; and the present device was acknowledged as at best a stop-gap to be properly constituted when experience had shown the needs of the post. Most rea- sonable men in the Empire are thoroughly sick of the absurd lengths to which the practice of party Government has been carried, and it seems a pity that of this, the first opportunity that has presented itself for a long time of bettering the position, more advantage has not been taken.
IMAGINATION.
(Daily Press, 12th June.)
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A casual remark sometimes inade by a bystander observing a procession of Chinese cooties leads to reflections on the subject of imagination. These patient labourers, laughing and chattering amongst them- selves, frequently prompt foreigners who have some idea of their lot to wouder at their apparent happiness. Working hard day after day for twenty cents or less, pro- curing thereby only the meagreat portion of the barest necessities, how can they afford to laugh? The foreigner, in comparison with them surfeited with luxuries, has his lines of care, and perhaps in the midst of worrying over something or other, remarks the cheerfulness of the coolie. They are "better off" than he is, he concludes, and says something platitudinal about the com- plexities of civilization and the advantages of the Simple Life. "We cry for things we imagine we need," one such person said the other day, and one of his words seemed arrestive. Was there a clue in the word "imagination"? A form of reproach not uncommon is to say of a person that he lacks imagination. Imagination, it is generally understood, is a quality of the higher civilization. Its possession in a -marked degree denotes status: its possessor is one of the highest products of evolution if manifested in art, his "gift" makes him a genius. It is talked of as "the gift", be it noted, and none question its value. Can it be that the popular estimate is too sweep. ing-that there is another side of the shield to betray the disadvantages of imagination ? We turn to the Bible, with its score of references to the faculty, we find that other side of the shield exclusively pictured. It is always vain or wicked. In no instance is the human imagination cited therein as in anyway a good quality. SHAKESPEARE, as he always does, notices many sides.
If
395
recommending that they should be left severely alone.
still attracts a great deal of discussion and The women's voting question however bids fair to become a standing dish during the silly season. to so much high sounding platitude on the The subject is one open one side and to so much superficial “chaff”
on
"
This was
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. imagination has caused to countless thou- sands of worthy people serves to bring us back to the point that the faculty of imagination may not be always a source of happiness to the average human being. Some such idea as that which caused WHITMAN to remark that the beasts of the field do not lie awake at night thinking of their sins seems possible in the case of our illustrative coolies. Do they maintain their people to look upon it in its plain practical the other, that it is difficult to get cheerfuluess because they have less imag n- light. The object of giving certain persons ation than those who envy them? The a vote for Parliamentary representatives is suggestion is not implausible. Certainly broadly speaking two-fold-to secure first many of us suffer from a too lively imagin- that the Government of the country sball ation. If it be of the anticipatory pleasant be in conformity with the wishes of the kind, it is not worth the certainty of later large majority and secondly that the disillusion; if it be unpleasant, we are not best talent may be obtained for compensated for the preliminary drea by carrying on the Government. Upon the subsequent dissipation of the bogie, neither of these grounds can it be said that This latter kind of imagination is very cause has been shown for so momentous a common, and we must add to SHAKESPEARE'S change as the suffragists and "suffragettes list of the lunatic, lover, and poet, the are clamouring to see introduced. That coward. Elsewhere, indeel, the bard has
the positions of women both legally and uoted that individual's form of imagination politically has up to recent times been as when into the mouth of CAESAR he puts anomalous is not to be denied. the words, "Cowards die many times before only a result of the old ideas partly of their deaths." The thousand little worries Roman and partly of Feudal origin which of ordinary daily life may many of them be have formed so important an element in the included in the category. The shadows history not only of Britain but of all that harbinger coming events are always European nations. These ideas however bigger than their cause. The imagined have been largely modified in recent times trouble of to-morrow is greater than the and in our own country have practically positive discomfort of to-day.
We are
almost ceased to exist. In respect to wo- perturbed over things that do not matter men, legislation of late years has been because we imagine they may or will matter. markedly in their favour. Their eligibility The so-called " gift" of imagination makes for election on School Bards is a notable the heir to a legacy unhappy in showing instance of this as regards their political him a dozen ways in which he may lose his and social status; while th- Married Women's inheritance; it curses the healthy man with Property Act of 1882 did away with the last vivid impressions of possible infections; it remnant of anything in the form of sub- peoples the dark, the unknown, with horridjection of women eit er as to their personal creatures; and though we cannot deny the powers or as to their property. There is, "pleasures of imagination," it seeus we therefore, no cause for complaint that the must emphasise its sorrows also. The rose rights and interests of women are disregard- of imagination, in abort, has its thorns; anded by Parliaments elected by mere men- there is the temptation to envy the coolie nor indeed has any such ground been taken who, if he enjoy not the fragrance and
up-the complaint being that women are colour of the flowers, at least seems able to ignore the prickles.
not recognised as on an equality with the other sex. This, in a certain sens, is no doubt true, but it is so only in respect to the particular matter of voting-not as to their rights and status generally.
"The lunatic, the lover, and the poet Are of imagbation all compact.' The imaginations of the lunatic we can guess at.
We call them hallucinations, but both words fit. There is really little need for the hairsplitting definitions of CRABB, TRENCH, and other precisians of that gender. The imaginations of the lover, also, we describe as pleasing fancies, and predict that his anticipatory images will breed disappointment. The imagination of the poet is the particular kind that bas led to the popular and undiscriminating esteem for the faculty. It is a source of intellectual elevation, leading to a meatal Parnassus. Scientifically, psychologically, we know that the word is misleading. There is really no such thing. What we call imagination, even in its noblest forms, becomes, under analysis, a mere mosaic of conceptions derived from experience, from perceptions of previous actualities. Thus MILTON's great imagery of the unquenchable lake of fire, grand as it da trom a literary point of view, is to the psychologist no more than an exaggerated concept founded on ex- periences of little earthly conflagratione. The pain and dread that particular fancy or
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE.
(Daily Press, 18th June).
A consideration, however, of the reasons It is a curious coincidence that at the time why voting power should be granted must when the Chinese took steps to study make it plain that there is ample grounds Western Institutions and seat a Commission why women should not have the vote. This to Europe to obtain information as to their will be so at least as long as society con- working, more especially in regard to tinues to be constituted as it is. Whatever Representative Government, a movement may be the state of matters if women, as is should have taken shape, which of all others possible, take a very much larger part in is calculated to make the Celestial mind sceptical as to the advantages to be derived
the business side of life than at present, from their adoption. The idea of women sibility of the conduct of the particular kind as long as men have the onus and respon- taking any practical part in the government of work which in the aggregate makes up of the country--the Empress Dowager the active life of the State, it is obvious always excepted-must seem to the Chinese that their voice should have a preponderat the acme of absurdity. If any members of ing influence on the manner in which the the Commission happened to be in the House State is to be governed. The instincts of Commons, when it was besieged by the which have been evolved by centuries suffragists, they must indeed have felt of business and working habits in con- reason to congratulate themselves uponnection with the hard matters of life, to say having occular demonstration of what the nothing of their daily duties of dealing with introduction of Western institutions is such matters often on a very large scale, fit likely to lead to. That the most august political assembly in the Kingdom should larger questions of State-while the more mea more or less for taking part in the be invaded by a screaming body of advanced retired life, which, even in these advanced women demanding the suffrage, so far as days, is still considered the chief sphere the attentions of the Police would allow of women's activity, does not give them their voices to be heard, must have appeared that experience iu dealing with the kind of the queerest of all the queer things that the business that has to bu grappled with by Chinese have ever heard of on the part of those upon whom the responsibility of the outer barbarians. Fancy such an governing the State devolves. invasion of a Chinese Council or Yamen! generally speaking had experience
If women The thing is absolutely unthinkable, and it the ordinary rough business of life, if this is the logical conclusion of recognising the bulk of them conducted mercantile the rights of the people, the Commissioners establishments would probably deem themselves justified in of large shipping Insurance and other and became directors
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