The Sun.
London, England, 1822-04-01 00:00:00

AGRICULTURE, &c.

MONTHLY REPORT FOR illAncm—Notwithstanding the
scarcity of fine samples that now appear in Mark-lane, 'but
little advance upon' them has yet been made in price, while the
ordinary Wheats continue nearly unsaleable. The effects of
this depression are so widely extending through every Corn
District, that numerous farms have been quitted at Lady-day,
without the prospect of new tenants for their occupation. The
proprietors' loss, though great, will, it is feared, be found but
a secondary- consideration, from the deterioration of the soil,
which in many parts is already too visible.—The growing
'Wheats are generally good, but more than usually foul from
'the 'mildness of the winter : to have them made clean by the
hoe would exceed the present means of too many occupiers in
a season of such general distress. Unless a check shortly be
given to vegetation, an early harvest may be looked for—The
Barleys and Oats have been got well upon tender soils ; but
on heavy lands the Lent Seed Corn 'has required additional
rollings and harrowings to cover it. Beans and Peas plant
well. Potatoes are getting in generally through the Stratford
district, in Essex. The Turnip and other green food has with
difficulty been taken off, though given to the graziers. The
young Clovers and Rye-grass are forward in growth. The
liop grounds through Kent and S'usSex are principally polled,
and show strong bine ; but many old plantations are stubbed
up, from the produce not answering the expenditure.—Stnith-
, field hascontinued loaded with Mutton and half-fat Cattle,
'which barely maintained last month's prices. Prime Beef,
being rather scarce, had some advance. Lamb and Veal also
rather dearer. The prospect of early Grass-fed has occasioned -
a rise in Lean Beasts, particularly those of the Scot kind, many
droves of which are shewn on Epping Forest. The Lambing
season on the South and Wiltshire.Downs has been a favour-
able one; but not so in Lincolnshire, and adjoining districts,
where the loss of ewes has been considerable.—The Wool
market is brisker, and 'command's rather more than lait month's
prices.—Rape, for peed, 1s pushing into bloom, and promises a
good crop on the high lands ; but the plants in the Fens were
mostly destroyed by the floods. •.

A• Madagascar. youth, of about 14 years of
age, died on Thursday on board the Andromache,
at Portsmouth. He was sent •to this country by
the King of MADAGASCAR, with others, to be in-
structed in the principles of the Christian reli-
gion, and knowledge of some useful art, but the
change of climate produced consumption, of
which he died, ere he could be conveyed back
to his native country. His remains were landed
on Saturday afternoon, to be interred in the Gar-
risen Chapel.

LITERARY NOTICE.

ILLUSTRATIONS of JAPAN'; consisting of Private Me-
moirs and Anecdotes of the Reigning DynastY'of the Djo-
gouns or Sovereigns or Japan ; a.Deseription of- the Feasts
and Ceremoniesi observed throughout the. year at their. Court ;
. and of the Ceremonies customary at Marmites and Funerals ;
-to which are. subjoined Observations on the Lept Suicide of
the Japanese, Remarks on their Poetry, an Expranation of
their Mode f reckoning time, Particulars respecting the
Dosia Powder, the 'Preface of a Work by COnfeutzee, on
Filial Piety, Ac. br.e.. By M. TrrnsGu, formerly Chief
Agent • to the Dutch East, India. Company at Nangasaki.
Translated from the French by :FnznEntc SLIOBERL.
With Colotred. Plates; faithfully copied front Japanese Ori-
ginalS. Royal 4to. '
This copious title presents an accurate bill of
fare of the entertaimnent to be found in this
very curious volume.—Under the system of se-
lelusion so long pursued by the ,Government of
Japan, such an accession to our stock Of infor-
mation, relative to the history, manners, customs,
arts and literature of its inhabitants, as is fur-
nished in these illustrations, cannot fail. to be
extremely welcome to every inquisitive.mind.—.
-'We .see by' the example of the author how much
may be effected in the way of communis'ating to
the Japanese a taste for the arts and s...ences. of
Europe; by a man whose faculties are not Wholly.
under the "diuninion of the plodding spirit of .com-
fierce. A beginning- having been made to open
their - eyes to the benefits likely to' accrue tp
themselves from a relaxation of their narrow po-
licy, arm the permission of a more extensive in-
tercourse with Europeans, it seems to be a point
worthy of Serious consideration, whether British
enterprize might not avail itself of this favour-
able disposition for attempting with some chance
.of success to establish a counexioti with his po-
pulous insular. empire. We are well aware that
it would have no trifling difficulties to encounter,
not only in the prejudices of the Japanese, but
probably also. in those of the Dutch, who have
hitherto enjoyed this' privilege, to the exclusion
of all other foreign nations. Be this as- it may,
we have too high an opinion of British spirit, in-
dustry,.and: perseverance, not to be convinced
that they would find means to surmount even
still more powerful impedinients.
Such are the judicious remarks with which the
translator ushers this volume before the public,
and in which we heartily concur. It opens with
private memoirs and anecdotes of the reigning
dynasty of the Sovereigns of Japan, who have
occupied the throne since the year 1600. A
circumstance calculated to excite strong interest
and curiosity in behalf of this portion of the 'vo-
lume, is the prohibition- to publish any historical
work relative to a dynasty so long as it fills the
throne. This practice, . partly designed 'to pre-
serve historians from the temptation of swerving
from truth, and partly to prevent premature re-
velations and such discussions as are conceived
to be injurious to the Sovereign authority, and
dangerous to the tranquillity of the State, tends
to conceal the most recent facts from the know-
ledge of the public. M. Titsingli, who trans-
lated or extracted these Memoirs from Japanese
manuscripts, availed himself of the high cenfi-
deuce which his character had won him, to obtain
access to materials which the possessors carefully
conceal, or at least shew to none but their most
intimate friends. When we consider the Suspi-
cious spirit of the Japanese Government, its aver-
sions to foreigners, and the rigid inquisition and
barbarous jurisprudence by which private indi-
viduals are oppressed, we have abundant reason
to congratulate ourselves that a European- has
accomplished what a native never durst have
attempted. •
Having dismissed this part of the volume be-
fore us, from which, replete as it is with anecdote,
we can promise the reader much entertainment,
we shall not attempt to analyse the remainder of
its multifarious contents, which exhibit the
Japanese character in many singular points of
view. What shall we say of a nation in which
all persons holding offices under Government are
obliged to be ready to sacrifice their own lives,
on receiving an order to that effect ? and by
whom the art of ripping up one's body with grace
and dexterity is deemed an essental part .of a
genteel education ? Suicide is a 1 ractice whiCh
extends to the lowest classes, death being pre-
ferred by them to the slightest disgrace. The
fragments- of their poetry, and the explanatory
observations on them, throw light en a subject
which we have never yet seen toughed upon ;
they are interesting inasmuch as they enable us
to appreciate the degree of mental cultivation to
which the Japanese have attained, but wbich,
from these specimens) we should not be disposed
to rate very highly.

The latter half of the volume is chiefly occu-
pied with the details of the interminable cere-
monies practised at marriages and funerals, which
prove how completely the Japanese are the
creatures of etiquette. The numerous plates- at-
tached to this part of the work, copied from ori-
ginal Japanese designs, furnish accurate notions
of the costume and domestic economy of these
singular people. Two of these plates; of great
length, exhibit a striking representation of-the
funeral pomp, pride, and circumstance, atthd-
ing the obsequies of persons of some distinction.
To this part is appended the description of a
powder, the application of which is said to' give
flexibility to the limbs after death, but whose
composition is kept a profound secret.
We are certain that we need not dilate farther
on the contents of this volume, in order to recom-
mend it to the attention of every inquisitive mind
that wishes for a better acquaintance with a. na-
tion which has long and studiously kept itself
secluded from the rest of the world. We
therefore, merely add that the nature of the. em-
bellishments, -which are very showy, and the
prieral style of the work, qualify it for a pla& in
any library.