Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-06-18
The Japanese.


THE Japanese are perfect mystery.
A perfect mystery.
Nearly ten years have elapsed since the
doors were opened through which for
eigners entered to hold converse with the
inhabitants, and still we are only on the
threshold; and as to understanding the
people, We have never met the foreigner
who did so. There are several who have
a very excellent knowledge OF the lam
guage, and pretty good notion of the
manner Of life of certain classes, but no
one has fathomed the depths of Japanese
inner life-by which we mean their modes
OF reasoning, bent Of mind, and motives
of action.
At glance, we should be apt to pro-
claim them good humored, happy, easy
going, but withal proud and shrewd race
And the longer they are known, these
characteristics appear more clearly But
there is besides a kind Of hidden charac-
ter, which is only observed after long ac-
quaintauce. The suspicious that are
are always prevalent where espionage
prevails have quite stamped them and
while their houses are wide open, and
they chatter at the top of their voices,
apparently regardless of who may hear
or see them, they are, at the same time,
only to mask their real thoughts and
intentions. They seem TO be all can
dor and sincerity; but in these very
virtues are they almost always found
to be wanting, when reliance is
placed on them. Indeed, there is no
remark more frequently heard than
that there is no depending upon them, for
the truth is not in them; and yet we
know many Japanese who have been con-
nected with foreigners for years, OF whom,
should any speak slightngly, we
should be inclined TO resent it.
But the japanese are q mystery What
should be called the upper classes, are, as
yet, all but totally unknown to us, The
middle classes are only few degrees more
familiar 10 us; and of the lower ranks,
we only come into direct contact with
those who are, our servants men and
women, generally speaking, well able to
impress foreigner favorably at first, but,
as II should seem incapable OF approaching
laVors shown 10 them, as proofs of regard I;
or returning anything like gratitude for
them, or indeed reoiprooating in anyway,
They will work, and that well, for q time /;
and the master or mistress ia just boasting
10 a neighbor Of the treasure they possess
in their servants, when, without q word Of
warning, or any cause for separation, ON
the day after their wages have been paid
up never before-they will Just walk OF,
and their place knows them no more.
There is no opportunity for remoustranee
or persuasion; they are of without with
your leave" or by your leavei" and you
sit down and cry-"these Japanese are 4
perfect mysteTyp ?
And Of the merchant class-Who knows
anythingi Society, we suppose, does not
exist in Japan, Ia our acceptation Of the
word. Among the great, Waiting must be
rare because II is said TO be an acknowl-
edgment on the part Of the visitor Of his
inferiority to the visited. But after all
the years Yokohama has been opened,
hardly q foreigner knows whether the
men he meets daily in business are mas
teEs or servants. Not q dozen among US
have ever visited Japanese merchants
! family; hardly any have entertained or
been entertained by natives with whom
they are in constant tntsIe0urse a. buyers
or sellera II is but the natural course OF
things that education should be unWilnng
70 mingle with Ignorance, or rennement
with cnarseness and the gr0Bsness OF tne
native win occasionally ahaE ITSELF how
ever guarded they may be tho ohly pal
llatIon a modest nlaa esr ana tog IAela