It has been customary among this people to divide most of their liberal arts into three degrees of elaboration,�one distinguished by the roughest and sketchiest treatment, another by the highest finish and minutest detail, and the third by an intermediate character. Whichever of these three manners is adopted in a work of art, it must be consistently followed throughout, and by this means is avoided the conflicting combination of coarse and delicate treatment in one and the same design. Arbitrary and confining as such restrictions may appear, they are actually conducive to the simple harmony pervading Japanese compositions, which, whatever may be their other defects, are seldom wanting in congruity and unity.
