The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-12-17
JAPAN.


The mysterious Empire of Japan, says M Pal
mer, has been since 1857, Dramatically sealed Il
all foreign intercourse and trade, except with tht
Chinese and Dutch. The following extract show
what will be TO most readers surprising, an ad
vance state Of civilization there:
The language is pollysyllabc, with an alpha
bet OF forty eight letters, solt, euphonious, ant
one OF the most polished and perfect OF Eastern
Asia, bearing no affinity to the Chinese, or any
other primitive Asiatic idiom. They have a rict
indigenous literature; primary schools, where
children oil both sexes and all classes are laugh
the elementary branches OF education; colleges
with professors In the higher departments OF learn
ing and science, including mathematics, astrono
my,geogrsphy ,and the leading Asiatic and Euro
pean languages; possess an imperial library a
Yedo, said to contain $50, 900 volumes; are more
advanced in arts and civilization than the Chinese
and are in many respects much superior race
Japan when first discovered by Europeans in
1912, was one of the most powerful maritime and
commercial nations OF Asia; its numerous fleets
and merchant ships visited the principal countries
OF Eastern and Southern ASH, and even exte nded
their voyages to the North Western and Western
coasts of America, with all which they conducted
an extensive and profitable commerce. Great
numbers of Japanese then resided abroad, either
engaged in trade, employed in the military
service o! various Oriental sovereigns by whom
they were regarded as their best recruits
Since the closing of the Empire TO all oreigenrs
except the Chinese and Dutch, and the prohibit
ton to Japanese subjects to leave their country,
the state had no vessels of war, and their mer-
chant marine has been exclusively confined to
their coasting trade with the ports OF the empire,
and its colonial dependencies the Kurile Islands,
Aniva Bay, on the Island OF Tarakay, the Loo
Choo and Mehacosima groups. Those natives,
who, after being cast away on foreign coasts, or
rescued at sea from sinking juuks return to their
country, are subjected to rigid examination, and
are sometimes imprisoned for lie.
THE LATE DR.. PARKMAN. The editor OF
the Trumpet and Universalist Magazine, pub.
lished at Boston, has the following reminisc ences
ofthis gentleman.
OF DR.. Parkman we can speak with freedom.
We have known him intimately for long time.
He was very rich man; but what stranger would
have supposed so, to have seen his humble de-
meanor, his rapid pedestrian motions, and his ac
customed habit OF doing duties for which some,
who cannot even pay their debts, would employ
servant! He was careful and rigid in the
management OF his propery;but not mean Where
man dealt honorably by him, he was very ac-
commodating creditor. He was kind to the needy
but he fulfilled, as far as possible the divine in
junction,-'Let not your lett hand know what
your right hand doeth We have repeated con.
LESSONS from persons whom he has assisted; but
never word from himself on that topic.
We saw him, on the day OF his disappearance,
making his way towards the Medical College. 1t
was probably the last time he walked down Cam
bridge street. He gave us his accustomed salu.
taion. He was frequently at the 'TrHmper office
and up among the. printers, leaving some matter
for our columns. This was the case on the very
day of the murder, and probably not one hour be-
fore the horrid catastrophe. 1t was he who trans
lated for our columns the sermon preached by
M. Coquerell, in Paris, the Sabbath after the Re-
volution, which drove Louis Philippe from his
throne. He was not sectaran. We never ask
ed his particular opinions in regard to specified
points OF theology. He worshipped with the Uni
tarians.
DR.. George Parkman was no miseT. He lived
in fine style in Walnut street. He was very al
fable. He was good judge OF human character,
and where he saw merit he marked it. He was
tall and slim, and was very active. Had he been
apprized OF any danger and been armed like his
adversary,he would undoubtedly, if obliged to do
SO, have defended himself well. The fatal blow
was probably given before he was aware of his
danger.
The Csrref of hrreIIenr1 Aa1I;tt in hia