The Sun. — 1822-04-01 (London, England)

SLIOBERL. With Colotred. Plates; faithfully copied front Japanese OriginalS. Royal 4to. ' This copious title presents an accurate bill of fare of the entertaimnent to be found in this very curious volume.—Under the system of selelusion so long pursued by the ,Government of Japan, such an accession to our stock Of information, relative to the history, manners, customs, arts and literature of its inhabitants, as is furnished in these illustrations, cannot fail. to be extremely welcome to every inquisitive.mind.—. -'We .see by' the example of the author how much may be effected in the way of communis'ating to the Japanese a taste for the arts and s...ences. of Europe; by a man whose faculties are not Wholly. under the "diuninion of the plodding spirit of .comfierce. A beginning- having been made to open their - eyes to the benefits likely to' accrue tp themselves from a relaxation of their narrow policy, arm the permission of a more extensive intercourse with Europeans, it seems to be a point worthy of Serious consideration, whether British enterprize might not avail itself of this favourable disposition for attempting with some chance .of success to establish a counexioti with his populous insular. empire. We are well aware that it would have no trifling difficulties to encounter, not only in the prejudices of the Japanese, but probably also. in those of the Dutch, who have hitherto enjoyed this' privilege, to the exclusion of all other foreign nations. Be this as- it may, we have too high an opinion of British spirit, industry,.and: perseverance, not to be convinced that they would find means to surmount even still more powerful impedinients. Such are the judicious remarks with which the translator ushers this volume before the public, and in which we heartily concur. It opens with private memoirs and anecdotes of the reigning dynasty of the Sovereigns of Japan, who have occupied the throne since the year 1600. A circumstance calculated to excite strong interest and curiosity in behalf of this portion of the 'volume, is the prohibition- to publish any historical work relative to a dynasty so long as it fills the throne. This practice, . partly designed 'to preserve historians from the temptation of swerving from truth, and partly to prevent premature revelations and such discussions as are conceived to be injurious to the Sovereign authority, and dangerous to the tranquillity of the State, tends to conceal the most recent facts from the knowledge of the public. M. Titsingli, who translated or extracted these Memoirs from Japanese manuscripts, availed himself of the high cenfideuce which his character had won him, to obtain access to materials which the possessors carefully conceal, or at least shew to none but their most intimate friends. When we consider the Suspicious spirit of the Japanese Government, its aversions to foreigners, and the rigid inquisition and barbarous jurisprudence by which private individuals are oppressed, we have abundant reason to congratulate ourselves that a European- has accomplished what a native never durst have attempted. • Having dismissed this part of the volume before us, from which, replete as it is with anecdote, we can promise the reader much entertainment, we shall not attempt to analyse the remainder of its multifarious contents, which exhibit the Japanese character in many singular points of view. What shall we say of a nation in which all persons holding offices under Government are obliged to be ready to sacrifice their own lives, on receiving an order to that effect ? and by whom the art of ripping up one's body with grace and dexterity is deemed an essental part .of a genteel education ? Suicide is a 1 ractice whiCh extends to the lowest classes, death being preferred by them to the slightest disgrace. The fragments- of their poetry, and the explanatory observations on them, throw light en a subject which we have never yet seen toughed upon ; they are interesting inasmuch as they enable us to appreciate the degree of mental cultivation to which the Japanese have attained, but wbich, from these specimens) we should not be disposed to rate very highly.  The latter half of the volume is chiefly occupied with the details of the interminable ceremonies practised at marriages and funerals, which prove how completely the Japanese are the creatures of etiquette. The numerous plates- attached to this part of the work, copied from original Japanese designs, furnish accurate notions of the costume and domestic economy of these singular people. Two of these plates; of great length, exhibit a striking representation of-the funeral pomp, pride, and circumstance, atthding the obsequies of persons of some distinction. To this part is appended the description of a powder, the application of which is said to' give flexibility to the limbs after death, but whose composition is kept a profound secret. We are certain that we need not dilate farther on the contents of this volume, in order to recommend it to the attention of every inquisitive mind that wishes for a better acquaintance with a. nation which has long and studiously kept itself secluded from the rest of the world. We therefore, merely add that the nature of the. embellishments, -which are very showy, and the prieral style of the work, qualify it for a pla& in any library.