The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-31 00:00:00

CUSTOMS OF THE JAPANESE.

The following are extracts from a work entitled " Man-
ners ani Cui.tDrns of the Japanese in the Nineteenth Ccn-
tury," from recent Dutch visitors of Japan, and the Ger-
man of Dr. Von Skbold

" cf both sexes, and , f all ranks, are almost
invariably strut to the inferior or primary schools, where
they learn to read and write, and acquire some knowledge
f the history of their own country. For the lower orders
this i, deemed sufficient education; but of thus much, it is
t,o.itively asserted that not a day labourer in Japan i; des-
titute. The children of the higher orders proceed from
these sclr.:ols to others of a superior description, where
tl ey are carefully in.tructed in morals and manners, in-
cluding the whole se:enee of good-breeding, the minutest
laws of etiquette, the forms ofr'behavi cur, as graduated to-
wards every indi%i !nal of the whole human race, by rela-
tion, rank, and station ; intluding also a thorough know-
ledge of the almanack, since it would be as vulgarly dir-
graceful as it could be disastrous, to marry, begin a
journey, cr rake any other important step, upon the un-
lucky day. _

" Every where the opperhogfd (or el i.f of the Dutch
factory) is received by his host in fall. dress, with the
national compliment of welcome ; and finally, men, women,
and clildren, upon the road, either perform a salutation
clo:cly resembling the Chinese kotoo in his honour, or turn
their back upon him, a somewhat singular Ja?anese demon-
straiion S f reverence, desigcei to inn nate that the person
so turning away is unworthy to look upon tha l crson turned
from. This last mark of reverence is described by the
Swede Thunberg, who adds, that the highest possible
expression of respect is, first to kotoo, and then to turn the
back."

" Of the religiaus festivals, it may suffice, omitting
numbers, to say that, in every month there are two, some-
what analogous to our Sunday ; that the grandest annual
fustival is New Year's-day, preceded by the imperative
payment of every debt on New Year's-eve ; that the
prettiest is one in which lighted lanterns are launched at
night upon the bay, to ascertain by their Lite, the destiny
of the souls of deceased relatives and friends; the queer-
est, one in which men, holding high official situations,
and of advanced years, busy themselves in flying kites,
the strings being thickly civered with broken glass,
and great interest at ached to the cutting the string o
a rival's kix.

4' In order to divert the company, shuuld conversation
flag, and their own music pall on the car, professional mu-
,iciens, jugglers, posture-makers, and the like, arc hired
for the day. To these are added a variety cf the story-
!ening genus, very different in charac er from the species
rdiearily fund in the East. These persons make it
their especial business to learn, not romances, but all the
gossip of a neighbourhood, which they retail for the en-
tertainment of their emplo3e;s. Some cf these traders-
in scAndel are frequently hired to rd eve the
a sick-room ; but those engaged to divert a party of plee-
itn, havc a second and somewhat startling duty—it is, to
;:et an example cf politeness and high brecdi,g, to imprave
the tone of the sot ie:y that requires their services. These
several, and not very homo,geaeous functions, they arc said
to combine in a most extraordinary marine.. We are as-
sured that, ah lnugh, in their cal;ari y of amusers, theyin-
dulge in extravez:nt buffoonery, rudeness, and impudence,
they remain pelf, etly self-possessed, and, at the proper rno-
:n: iv, resuming the r polished demeanour, recall the whole
company to order ald good breeding."

Lord and Lady Stanley and family leave town
'o-morros for Knowsley, the scat of the Eall of Derby. The
Noble Lord and Lady return to town for the season on the
_oth of the ensuing month.
BAD BREAD.—Captain J. Payne being in the
House of Commons the other day, during a debate
relative to the navy, had a note cobveyed to him
from another Member, de3lllll,g him to get up and
;.splaio to the House certain_ tea term 3 Which were
;%idcntly misunderstood.
,1 he nite beg-in thus
Sir, as yo I are bread&e.
no took out Lis

- •• • - ,
per, " I lAA iieJa.!.: to 6:11 St al6 bread to
e, and d—d bad bread it is."—Swinburne's Courts qf
Europe.