The weekly Placer herald., 1853-11-26
HISTORY OF JAPAN.


Str-II appears, days, that moth
ing but Russia on Turkey, or America at
Japan can arrest the public attention, or
satisfy the public taste. For this reason,
| presume it was, that the Panorama of
the japanese Expedition was exhibited at
the Ladies' Fair held at Auburn some
week or more ago. Considering the
strictly national character of such an ex-
hihtion, il was not to be wondered at
that the pub ic curiosity should he excited
to the degree it was to see "the Eie-
ph,nt" for so small price as so cents, or
that the Panorama shOu Il he 80 useful to
the Committee of Management in partic
uIar, ani 80 satisfactory to the visitors in
g"nern.
Indeed, it is the success which attended
the Panorama, on the occasion referred
~, that has induced me to send you a
short account Of Japanese matters, ns in
tprt sting in themselves AS those already
exhibited but whch from their historical
nature cou d not then he introduced. AT
the same time think it right to state,
that though the American officer execu-
ting the beautiful AMI varied scenes. pre-
sentrd ut the Fair, drew q leetIe upon the
int :ginafton of his spec. r.atorS, in his Pam
Drama, | sha do nothing of the sort in
my history, that | shall cOnfine myself
strictly II fActs, and relate nothing not
daily authenticated by competent authority
Never heess, | do not use the term
Imagination in condemnatory sense
of the artist of the Panorama, or of
his co-adjutor Ctmon, who so clever
ly did the grinding and the explana-
tinu, Ry M n,a,ns Eor haIipye n
has become generally received axiom
whatever the ladies' are concerned there
is much, very much, left TO the magina-
ton. defense Of the Panorama in this
respect is very easy; for | saw many
things on the night in question, as | hava
often on similar occasions seen them he
fore, wherein the imagination must have
been extraordinari large to have so far
believed in their reality as to invest money
upon them The Japanese expedition in
this respect was neither singular nor sol
itary. What fools we men are to be sure.
Imagination is the great weapon of the
Ladies and most unsparingly DO they use
It against US.
often think, as sit in my old arm
chair at home, reviewing in my mind,
over pipe, times and things long since
lost in the dark past, which like the
treacherous quicksand, keeps gradually
pulling us down, and gathering its fatal
shadows around us, that as far MS the La
dies are concerned Mr.. Weller was a pro-
found philosopher. Samiwe ," says
that old gentleman MS he caught his inter
esting son in the act of writing Valentines,
"Samiwel, my hoy, what are you about?
Writing valentines, father. Writing
valentines ! why, Samiwell, never
heerd slch thing-it amt no manner nor
means Of good writing them ere w allen
tines all covered over with hearts and
darts to the vimmen, moreviSe purticler
IT there's any what the law calls Nidders
amongst them, for my 'xperense tells me
they are wide awake and up to all that,
Jist like snuff. Saniweli, it'I n very bad
syn TO see young man writing walen-
unes; for whether it's to vidders in pur-
ncler, or elsevise viminen in general, the
more you learns on 'em aud their cunning
ways, the more you will believe with me
mat they're nothing but vanity and wex-
atlon of spirit" The moral Of Mr.. Wei
Ter, sir. is the moral of all Fancy Fairs
simply because they are managed 10y la
u'es; and their whole reality lies in the
imagination. Nevertheless, the Japanese
exhlh'tlon was upon the whole success
i"i; and although j: did produce one or
TWO instances Of what might be called
vanity and wexaton of spirit, ] cannot
'es'ss sending you sbor, account of a