The movement to restore the Emperor was coupled with a form of
Chauvinism or intense nationalism which may be summed up in the
expression "Exalt the Emperor! Away with the barbarians!" (Kinno!
Joi!) From this it would appear that the Dutch scholars' work in
enlightening the nation upon the subject of foreign scientific
attainments was anathema, but a conclusion of that kind must not
be hastily arrived at. The cry, "Away with the barbarians!" was
directed against Perry and the envoys of other foreign Powers,
but there was nothing in that slogan which indicates a general
unwillingness to emulate the foreigners' achievements in
armaments or military tactics. In fact, for a number of years
previous to 1853, Satsuma and Choshu and other western clans had
been very busily engaged in manufacturing guns and practising
gunnery: to that extent, at any rate, the discoveries of the
students of European sciences had been deliberately used by those
men who were to be foremost in the Restoration.

This passage gives the key to the spirit which has animated modern Japan
down to the present day.

The Restoration was, to a greater extent than is usually realized in the
West, a conservative and even reactionary movement. Professor Murdoch,
in his authoritative _History of Japan,_[47] says:--



In the interpretation of this sudden and startling development
most European writers and critics show themselves seriously at
fault. Even some of the more intelligent among them find the