258 JAPAN. 



the Mofaical laws, and in the laft that they had adopted the rite 

 of the Rechabites f 

 Lanouage. ''japan has its peculiar language, different from all the Afiatic, 



and probably the primitive one, brought over by the colonifts 

 who originally peopled the iflands, and came diredtly from the 

 banks of the Euphrates, on the difperfion of mankind after the 

 confufion of languages. The Japanefe have an opinion that 

 the primoeval emigrants fettled in the province of IJje ; numbers 

 therefore make a pilgrimage annually to the antient fpot, the 

 place where their anceftors dwelt, and as fuch honor it with pe- 

 culiar acts of devotion. At Ifje are two temples * ; within that 

 which they name the True Temple, nothing is to be ^tew but a 

 looking glafs, and bits of white paper, emblems of truth and pu- 

 rity. They probably brought with them a pure' Monotheifm, 

 which was afterwards converted into Polytheifm, by their inter- 

 mixing with thefeveral nations, which fubfequently contributed 

 to the population of Japan, becaufe it is reafonably believed, that 

 empire received a vaft increafe of inhabitants by the numerous 

 fliipwrecks on its ftormy coafts, and likewifeby migrations from 

 the neighboring China and Korea. Whether the vaft reverence 

 which the Japanefe pay to their parents was copied from the 

 Chinefe, or whether it might not have been introduced by the 

 primoeval colonifts, as a part of the firft great code of laws, the 

 fifth commandment, I will not pretend to determine. 

 Government. Japan is governed by two emperors ; one called the Cubo, or 

 Secular. fecular monarch, who rules with abfolute power ; all the princes 

 and great lords of the empire pay him the moft fervile obedience. 



* Kampfer^'u tab, 17. 18. 



Formerly 



