Definite instances of corruption affecting certain spheres or departments of government particularly may readily be suggested. There is much that is significant in the corruption of the judicial officials of China. Ultimately they became so rapacious that merchants feared to come before them, preferring to leave commercial differences to be settled by the arbitration of officers of guilds of which the business men themselves were members. Thus corruption of one social organ may lead to its atrophy and the corresponding strengthening of another social organ which takes over the functions of the former. Assuming that the function is as well performed in the second case, the internal life of the whole structure in which the transition takes place may be very little affected except while the change is going on. If, however, the state is continually weakened by such transfers while at the same time the functions remaining to it become rotten with corruption it may finally reach the condition of abject defencelessness which China has shown in its relations with other nations. Another very curious case of corruption limited to certain spheres of government is furnished by Japan. In his authoritative work on that country,[36] Captain Brinkley expresses the opinion that the higher and lower official classes are free from corruption while the middle grade is more or less given over to it. The passage containing this statement is so germane to the present discussion that it may be quoted in full: