New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-10-17

sort % painting ind musc, snd they hsd great fond
pess for hearcl representations, IN wnicn tney ar,
dediy e1cened. Their Writing, IN winch .aey gesay
stuoied brevity was in columns, a. with the Chinese,
from the ton 10 the bottom Of the page for which hey
gave this reason that wiring ousht TO De tue repre-
septstion OF mems thoughts, and that men naturally
stood erect These columns read from right 70 iei'.
They employed, beside the Chinese Hiogrsphic sgIs,
syf able alphabet of their own, thoosh 10 many ~o's
the Chinese characters were freely introduced.
JurspIpdense as T II mos, ssstn vsfT ep Heads
Of families exercised greet po yer over theli hut
Most private disputes were settsed oy aro drs;on
where this failed and in al crifninAi 49, Snno So
Vas made on the spot by magistrate no "a wno MI
- aIJS1, s,y srneaI The sentences were gererany
s,ecn,ed a, once and often with very great seye"l.
Wba.lse- from their temperament or tntn oenei ~ ~
W host'e. - Of trsnsmieratcn and annialsnon, IL
e 1900 that the japanese net death with more
49, 90 fhsn vi common NJ Europe. IL was, ndeed,
-oi,t of honor In many cases 70 lnfiict II on tne
Zee which they did IN horrid manner oy cutting
n ,beir bowels by two eashes in the shape OF cros<
TIE criminal who thus anticipates execution seoute
thereby the public sympathy ana applause, sa's ~
property from coDfecation and ms famly II om ueal
ano uson the death Of super1ors or masters tne s'o
fste was often as mark Of personal devotion aud al
tsehmept self naicted; and Sometimes $780, 10 coise
cuepce Of disgrace afront, 10 escape o. revenge
which no other means appeared. ne miss,onaee
pecaIly noted in the japanese pride, self respect
naughty Hssnannity, sense of personal homo: very
Uncommon In the East but natural characteristics
enough Of people who hsd Dever neen 9y
which ttey were exposed-a vassals generally sharing
the fac o their superiors-made them look upon the
goods and evils Of fortune in very philosophical spirit
At more recent period, we have descriptions
Of the domestic habits of the japanese by intelI
gent travellers, from which Mr.. Hildreth eondenses
an interesting account Ofthe
MARRIAGE CEREMONIES
With persons Of high rank marriages are made en-
tirey from family convenience; even with those OF the
middle class they are also much based upon prudential
considerations. Formerly the Bridegroom never saw
the bride TIL che entered his house, which enc does
prece ded by a woman bearing lantern which org
iDally served the bridegroom to catch his hst gmpse
of the BRIDE and if he did like her looks the match
might be broken Of and the bride sent home. " Such
cases." says TitsiDgh, formerly occurred but at
present beauty s held in much lees estimation thsn
fortune and high disadvantages to which people
would once have been ashamed TO attach 30 much
value and the custom has been by degrees entirely lad
asio on account of the modification WHICH II must
give the bride. Apresent when young man mas any
intention of marrying female whom be deems lkely,
ON the situation of her parents, to be suIaoe
match, first seeks to obtain sight of her. If he
kes tIpersOn, media'or selected from among his
married friends, s cent to negotiate match People
of qusty have neither lantern mediator, because
the paents Alliance the children in infancy, and mar
riage always follows Should y so happen that the
husband dislikes the wife, he takes as many concu-
bpes as he pleases. This is also the among per-
sons of the Inferior classes. The children are adopted
by the wife, who is respected in proportion ID the
number of which abe is either the actual or nominal
| mother
Formerly the bride was not allowed in case OF the
bridegroorns death before the contamination of the
puptia's to marry again. moving story is told OF
romantic japanese young lady, who, being urged by
her friends TO second beotha TO AVOID such sacfl-
fee of her delcacy cut off her hair, and, when that
| would not answer, her nose also. But this antique
! copstancy has in these la ter depraved tmes-de-
praved in japan as well az elsewhere-entrely dsap-
feared, as well among the nobility as the common
eople.
The match having been agreed upon, the BRIDE
gTooms father SENDS a present-nothing is done In
Japan without presents-to the brides father The
bear err accompanied by the mediator delivers not only
the presents and written is or invoice of them, but
complimentary message also. For these presents a
written receipt given and three dsys after the bearer
and those who attended him are eomplimented by
! counter present.
The following articles are then got ready at the
brides house by the way OF outht: white wedding
dress, embroidered with gold or silver four other
dresses ole with red, second With black ground,
| one plain white fourth plain yellow; number of
gowns both lined and single and all the other requi-
sites Of wardrobe as girdles, bathing under
robes both fine and coarse thick furred robs for
bed-gown; a mattress to sleep on; bedclothes; pill
lows; gloves carpets; bedcurtains; silk cap;
furred cotton cap; long and short towels cloak;
covering for a nOIimOD bag with mixture OF bran,
wheat and dried herbs to be used in washing the face
also bag Of toothpcks, some skeins of thin Irvine,
made Of twisted s 4 for Of 1E dP ,' small psSRe
of the best columbia, for painting the lips; several
kinds of paper for doing up packages; aSo paper for
writing letters; koilO Ia kind of harp; sdnlsi Ia
sort of guitar; a small chest for holding paper al
nkhorn incushion; several Sorts OF needles; box
of combs mirror with its stand mixture for BLACK
ing the teeth the distinguishing mark OF married
women in Japan, some blackening them the moment
they are married. and Others when they become preg-
nant) curling tongs for the hair; scissors aleter-case
case of razOs several small boxes, vanished or made
of osier; busters of articles for dressing the
hair iron for smoothing inen alarge osler basket
to bold the linen; tub with handles; small dagger
with white sheath in little bag, Thought TO drive
away evil spirits and 70 preserve from infectious exaa
laons-a quality ascribed also to the swords worn by
the mem; complimentary cards made OF paper, yari-
ously coored and gilt or slvered at the ends, to tie
round presents; R0s species OF edible sea-weed, of
which email pieces are attached to every copgraula-
tory present; silk thread; small tub TO I'D faxi
several slender bamboos, used in hanging out clothes
TO dry; circular fans common fans; fre-tureens and
what certainly ought to form part OF the bridal out
6t of eur city bees-a small bench for supporting the
elbows when the owner has nothing to do Several
books also added, poems and stories, moral pre-
cepts a book on the duties Of woman In the married
state and another-the very one we are now giving
an abstract of-on the etiquette of the marriage eere
mony Two different kinds of dressing tables are also
provided, containing many OF the sbsye- mentioned
articles also number Of other housekeeping utensils
When these things are ready the mediator and his
wife are invited to the house of the brides father and
entertained there. lucky day is selected for sending
the aforementioned articles accompanied by writ
ten list, TO the bridegrooms house. The mediator Is
present TO assist 10 receiving them, and formal re-
cept given, well refreshments and presents to
the bearers in proportion TO the value OF the articles
brought.
On the day fixed for the marriage, an intelligent fe
male servant Of the second class is cent TO the house OF
the bride 10 attend her; and the BRIDES father having
invited all bis kinsfolk, entertains them previous to
the brides departure.
The bridal party sets out in norimons the mediaors
wife first, then the bride, then the brides mother and