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ceived it from the verbal communications of Dr. Ainslie.

It may be satisfactory and gratifying in the first place to observe, that every information which has been obtained, tends to confirm the accuracy, the ability, and the impartiality of Kampfer, whose account of Japan is perhaps one of the best books of the kind that ever was written, considering the circumstances under which he was sent. I am assured that there is not a misrepresentation throughout; he was a man of minute accuracy and felicity of talent, who saw every thing as it was, and not through the mist or medium of any preconception. The Japanese observe of him, that he is, in his History "the very apostle of their faith," from whose works alone they know even their own country. Their first enquiry was for a copy of Kæmpfer; and, endeavouring to evince the estimation in which this author was held by them, their observation literally was, that "He had drawn out their heart from them, and laid it palpitating before us, with all the movements of their government, and the actions of their

men!"

Referring you therefore, to the works of Kampfer for an account of their history, institutions, and acquirements, as the genuine data on which this interesting people may be appreciated, I need only offer a few notices on the character which they appeared to Dr. Ainslie to display, during a residence of four months, and as far as he had an opportunity of judging.

They are represented to be a

nervous, vigorous people, whose bodily and mental powers assimilate much nearer to those of Europe than what is attributed to Asiatics in general. Their features are masculine and perfectly European, with the exception of the small lengthened Tartar eye, which almost universally prevails, and is the only feature of resemblance between them and the Chinese. The complexion is perfectly fair, and indeed blooming; the women of the higher classes being equally fair with Europeans, and having the bloom of health more generally prevalent among them than usually found in Europe.

For a people who have had very few, if any external aids, the Japanese cannot but rank high in the scale of civilization. The traits of a vigorous mind are displayed in their proficiency in the sciences, and particularly in metaphysics and judicial astrology. The arts they practise speak for themselves, and are deservedly acknowledged to be in a much higher degree of perfection than among the Chinese, with whom they are by Europeans so frequently confounded; the latter have been stationary at least as long as we have known them, while the slightest impulse seems sufficient to give a determination to the Japanese character, which would progressively improve until it attained the same height of civilization with the European. Nothing indeed is so offensive to the feelings of a Japanese as to be compared in any one respect with the Chinese, and the only occasion on which Dr. Ainslie saw the habitual politeness of a Japanese

Japanese ever surprized into a burst of passion was, when, upon a similitude of the two nations being unguardedly asserted, the latter laid his hand upon his sword!

The people are said to have a strong inclination to foreign intercourse, notwithstanding the political institutions to the contrary; and perhaps the energy which characterizes the Japanese character cannot be better elucidated, than by that extraordinary decision which excluded the world from their shores, and confined within their own limits a people who had before served as mercenaries throughout all Polynesia, and traded with all nationsthemselves adventurous navigators.

There is by no means that uniformity among them which is observed in China, where the impression of the government may be said to have broken down all individuality and left one Chinese the counterpart of another. Unlike the Chinese, the women here are by no means secluded-they associate among themselves, like the ladies of Europe. During the residence of Dr. Ainslie, frequent invitations and entertainments were given; on these occasions, and at one in particular, a lady from the court of Jeddo is represented to have done the honours of the table with an ease, elegance, and address that would have graced a Parisian.

The

usual dress of a Japanese woman of middle rank costs perhaps as much as would supply the wardrobe of an European lady of the same rank for twenty years.

The Japanese, with an appa

rent coldness, like the stillness of the Spanish character, and derived nearly from the same causes, that system of espionage, and that principle of disunion, dictated by the principles of both governments; are represented to be eager for novelty, and warm in their attachments; open to strangers, and, abating the restrictions of their political institutions, a people who seem inclined to throw themselves into the hands of any nation of superior intelligence. They have at the same time a great contempt and disregard of every thing below their own standard of morals and habits, as instanced in the case of the Chinese.

This may appear to be contradicted by the mission from Russia in 1814, under Count Kreusenstern; but the circumstances under which that mission was placed should be considered. From the moment of their arrival they were under the influence of an exclusive factor, who continued to rain upon them every possible ignominy which can be supposed to have flowed from the despotism of Japan, through the medium of an interested and avaricious man, who dreaded competition or the publication of his secret. The warehouse in which the Russian mission had been lodged was pointed out to Dr. Ainslie, who observes, that," as the rats were let out the Count and his suite were let in, where they remained for six long months, with scarce room to turn; the mark of obloquy to the Japanese, and the laughing stock of the European factory." So lively, indeed, was the impression of the occurrence, 2 M 2

that

that the chief Japanese officer asked the English commissioner if he too would condescend to play the part of the Russian count!-the officer answering to his own question, "No, I trust not."

The mistaken idea of the illiberality of the Japanese in religious matters, seems to have been fully proved; and the late mission experienced the reverse in a degree hardly credible, and little expected by themselves from the representations previously made to them. The story of the annual test of trampling on the crucifix, at Nanggasaki and the other important cities, is a story derided by the Japanese priesthood. On visiting the great temple on the hills of Nanggasaki, the English commissioner was received with marked regard and respect by the venerable patriarch of the northern provinces, eighty years of age, who entertained him most sumptuously. On showing him round the courts of the temple, one of the English officers present heedlessly exclaimed in surprize, Jasus Christus! The patriarch, turning half round, with a placid smile, bowed significantly expressive of "We know you are Jasus Christus; well, don't obtrude him upon us in our temples and we remain friends;" and so, with a hearty shake of the hands, these two opposites parted. This leave-taking reminded Dr. Ainslie very forcibly of the story Dr. Moore tells so well of the Duke of Hamilton and himself, taking leave of the Pope. The Pope, who had conceived a regard for the young Duke, on the latter making his congé said, "I know

you laugh at the benediction of a Pope; but the blessing of an old man can do you no harm;" and, so saying, laid his hand on his head, and blessed him.

The massacre of Samebarra is by the Japanese attributed to European intrigue; and even Kæmpfer notices that the European ships of war formed the practicable breach, through which the Japanese entered, and perpetrated that massacre, to which it would appear they had been originally prompted by others.

That the negotiations from England on a England on a former occasion should not have been more successful than the late attempt from Russia, may easily be accounted for, when we reflect on the possibility of the favoured factor having said to them, "Forty years ago your throne had been all but overturned by the intrigue of these heretics; this embassy comes from the king who has married the daughter of the head of that caste; and from whom you can expect nothing less than an irruption still more fatal to your tranquillity." Such an argument, pushed by a narrowminded and interested factor, could not but carry weight with the Japanese, accustomed to respect and to place all confidence in their western visitors.

They are not averse to the indulgence of social excess; and, on these occasions, give a latitude to their speech which one would hardly suppose they dared to do in Japan.

It is an extraordinary fact, that for seven years past, since the visit of Captain Pellew, notwithstanding the determination of the

empire not to enter into foreign commerce, the English language has, in obedience to an edict of the Emperor, been cultivated with considerable success by the younger members of the College of Interpreters, who indeed were found eager in their inquiries after English books.

While the commissioner was at Nanggasaki, there arrived a large detachment of officers of rank, who had been out nearly four years and not yet completed one-fourth of a survey on which they were engaged. These officers were attended by a numerous and splendid retinue, and were employed in making an actual survey of every foot of the empire and the dependent isles. survey appeared to be conducted on a scientific principle, to be most minute and accurate in its execution and to have for its object the completion of a regular

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NATURAL HISTORY.

WHITE BEAR.

(From Lewis and Clarke's Travels.)

OF

F the strength and ferocity of this animal, the Indians had given us dreadful accounts : they never attack him but in parties of six or eight persons, and even then are often defeated with the loss of one or more of their number. Having no weapons but bows and arrows, and the bad guns with which the traders supply them, they are obliged approach very near to the bear; and as no wound except through the head or heart is mortal, they requently fall a sacrifice if they miss their aim. He rather attacks than avoids a man, and such is the terror which he has inspired, that the Indians who go in quest of him paint themselves and perform all the superstitious rites customary when they make war on a neighbouring nation. Hitherto those we had seen did not appear desirous of encountering us, but although to a skilful rifleman the danger is very much diminished, yet the white bear is still a terrible animal. On approaching these two, both Cap

tain Lewis and the hunter fired and each wounded a bear: one of them made his escape; the other turned upon Captain Lewis and pursued him seventy or eighty yards, but being badly wounded he could not run so fast as to prevent him from reloading his piece, which he again aimed at him, and a third shot from the hunter brought him to the ground: he was a male not quite full grown, and weighed about three hundred pounds: the legs are somewhat longer than those of the black bear, and the talons and tusks much larger and longer. The testicles are also placed much farther forward, and suspended in separate pouches from two to four inches asunder, while those of the black bear are situated back between the thighs, and in a single pouch like those of the dog: its colour is a yellowish brown, the eyes small, black, and piercing; the front of the fore legs near the feet is usually black, and the fur is finer, thicker, and deeper than that of the black bear: add to which, it is a more furious animal, and very remarkable for the wounds which it will bear without dying.

BROWN

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