New-York tribune., 1871-12-29
Yedo a. IN China is not properly an act OF adorao"

srcnshened by the difficulties offered by the dry ,tndy
Of his works For the study Of hnes oGSs Socsuse the
Language OF the latter has 70 analogy WIN tna VI .;
The Japanese tongue stands alone among tcn ne =" he
learned but also renders the acdirchehl VI onei "n
guages dlfHcut to those who speak It, ..u.,,u -, ,,.
mother source 81 confusion Is tho diversity oI the
Japanese dialects. At Hakodad. there r. one. Qn,e
distinct; another 1t Nagasak and thrn III st tne Loo
boO archpciago. In the Island of Nippon IL preserved
the ancient idom Of Yaniao the classic language OF
Japan The difficulties of the written LANGUAGE naso
missionaries memhers of the diplomatic corps lherS
are w" d" thu o apa nh h % te {"
books and the Hirdiorn basel upon the Cnnoso run
niughand Both are written iiTm 'T 10 Dc''S % Ia after
alphabet used by the people, and Tor hghter literary
works. ..,., 80 ,,,oro,o Tor n IN.
borious career Having acquired the Hiukdnd In hls
youth he must also learn the katafomd IN %
besides acquiring sufficient knowledge 0i the Ches9
Mcncius Then needs make himself scrviceablo Tor
public employment or the liberal proitssions 10y VIC
ans ",' sccG The an style % Of the japanese
sprinkcd with particles and ceremonial rhrasrs wnch
ns to the prescribed rules Even the character of the
rip differs, when on Inferior addresses Supe
"Miako was formerly the only cradle OF literature
in Japan. At present The old pon'dcal city preserves
It's speciality OF albums for miniatures, alauacs OF the
MkaGo, eiors Works rolnances. and poems on vel
vet paper busted with gold But the pr,t-es OF ird9
SsfHn he m I sne Of her e' Te literary
works of the capital due chiefly To- Professors OF The
University or the advanced students of the College Of In
terprccrs Nearly all of them have didacc character
practical tendency or some useful purpose. There is
one which might be called scientiac ANIMAL review
Of Inventions and a.e9veries statistics OF the countries
OF Europe aud Aneli9a manIal Of Modern nistoTE
cal. naval mechanical, and military subjects. The an
ciont Ency,gphd-, witch c"se ~ more tnan n"S
Conversation which appears annually q single vol
Hnc WITH Wool rn yar ahe Of ca
appreciation: for instance it is simply said Of the span
rls and Portuguese that they Have very badreligon
"As 10 the purely literary productions of the Japan
authors possess very ittlc and the selections
More tRorous rcssarch will Doubtless lead to better
result hut they will not he truly fruitful until after we
Dr aud the latter have furnished with tho topics OF
ih"ir plays, lcrcnd, stories, end songs They all nave
the pass children for hearing the latter. As soon
,lors of the worken and the currents OF trans
| MAY he seen. ranged semclrcc arOunc some pro-
fcssiuna declaIner, Who sluats upon some bench be-
srlc erTphass hut limited use Of mircry lie inier
rlts tnrin nov an1 tcn 10 crnk cup OF tea or take
smoking and exchanging remarks upon the the1e OF III,
"Metrjcnl roniances and legendary songs left TO
Cians ThCy form very IuinrrOGs class; but only The
intro artists ,rad eriIrcly nonadc life. We
rally meet them very rcscciabiy dressed. under tie
W the Cllouscs Or in sort q" portable booth
when seem 20 be specially rncied for hcir
often actual bowers oiiuec ana flowers formed by the
magnificent which aOnuni in Jdpd!I camelias and
| magno.ias, piulowna-, and wINtcIias.
| "Thr WUS ilStngu' 'h"d singers ONLY appear III
pl;,y with three four mu,icltrs aud ITO them
| sr.yrs pcrorn any Instrument. The orchestra
N.,cI accom- panic the pieces they offer. whether rcc
,a,ions consists of one or two tamsn3, or
guitars sl, cics vonucelo played with without
| bow, aud a dulcimcr with nlnc strings
musicians. sad to our yakouDin-. the hoin,.
Of t 'r S'o no% IL ,a my a.Snrei In me-, % sns mn
mo o!itcins thcir ,h"nde7'. hti really los nothnr
| tons II the and legends o:Antcd at the tea
HOUSES crIi be obtained rt tc bookstores in tie city.
| | a " lie
and had reason to believe that lie faithfully executed
anecdotes and ballads. Most Of them being illustrated
not dnhcut 10. ne to recognize The most popular
They principally heroic exploits Of tho most
astonishing anu Impossible character. But il would he
difficult to give idea Of til" more. fantastic legends.
The merit OF the Latter, which expressed very
brief pocni, seems 10 comist i'll the choice Of express
| ions in the structure OF the vcrs"-in word, IN
sract elegance Of style, for the translation very
gives something totally TRIVIAL, with significance
"For example. what he the point of the foowing'
kettle Of an Old priest The latter saw it issue
one day when he had exposed the kettle to hotter fire
one Of tue favonie picturrs of the people.
1.-THE worship of trees, which existed among all the
o S Of ano 70
ns o the As s%n
bounded back from ihe bark and drops OF blood fol-
have souls, like men, on account " their great age
They also show themselves sensible OF the isforiunes
/, luoIe tban saved behind the screen Of their
branches raNclnOuS hollow OF trunks
unfortunate warrior, VINO would otherwise have fallen
INTO the hanGs OF his cncmics
'AniIndi3. also, which attain ace, finally re-
ccive souls Ike trees or human beiD;s and sometimes
possess supernatural powers. The pUIeca when 1t ~
and the clouds; hal and OBEY it. 1t rides forth
on tiic Wings Of ihe hnrri,anc The traveller, sur
is stIug - if by tno co. Of knife, from the claws
Of tic poecat AS ii passes tv. Old frogs. suatted
around the edges ot pend, CtlSe thick mist To
sftG % On The tes . Of i.G & lgaS4 cd n 11e
|
have the power OF mctamorph"Sis When travellers he
meet the evening. at the edge Of wood beautiful
gIi CARRYING IN her hand lantern painted with bou-
into the Jaws OF d voraci0us wot.
In Japancee hirra,nrc. there s great number Of
moral tales, conceived in the spirit rs the Col
lection OF NiTUous Actions of the scnoo Confuciue
TIer authors ale generally men OF letters, from TIE
by the bookse Hers While the heroic fanta>tc legends
are the colubincd result OF popular tradition and the
Imagination Of the old boLzcs who have remained
faithful the spirit OF the national poetry. II eone
Of the moral tales rival the .popnlart, of he old
VINO e.ther produce good and cheap editions OF the
former, employ artists OF talent and pOparit to us
"Oar cosmopolitan age, eager for new commercial
Ou,ts, Viii al-o acquire new sources OF intellectual
ttest. Our Eno"an literature viii lose nothing by
uin- from ts somewhat restricted horizon. Already
Win mary jc wei drawn nom Jir i', an,,in! stores
OF Pcrer ni India; but the extreme Orient Is still an
| unt0ugLt q m.lt'
striking pccnharity of the races who POSSESS the
Chinese civilization is the want of q regular day of
ST from labor, similar to the bcneicent Semitic in
Stitution of a weekly Sabbath. They have monthly
festivals. however during which all labor is sIls
pended and the people Of both city and country give
| themselves up TO recreation. VI. Iumbert presents
interesting account Of their habtsn this respect
| as well ~ Of other
| DOMESTIC CCsTOAR
THE citizens OF icdo, the art sans, the Japanese
merchants and manufacturers lived under economical
conditions OF the most exceptional character until the
arrival OF Europeans. Only labOring the internal
consumption OF n country highly favored by nature