ABSTRACT
There are nice distinctions which we do overlook or have never been trained to recognize which contribute a certain elegance to polite social intercourse, adding charm to fine manners. The ancient East discerned many of these things. Commodore Perry understood well the Japanese sense of propriety and made his approach to that nation with great diplomatic skill. For example, the Japanese in those days always sent a letter enclosed in a lacquer box, by messenger. The two sections of the box telescoped snugly, due to the skilled cabinetwork in making such things. A silk cord was tied around the middle of the box to make the cover more secure. The size of the box was an indication of the importance of the person to
