M£Nrs. 



260 J A P A N. 



to have been written in blood. Montejqideu obfcrves, that it is 

 to fupply the great defedt of the religion of the country, in its 

 ignorance of the do(5trine of future rewards and punilhraent. 

 AND Punish- Almoft every crime is puniflied with death, and often attended 

 with the molt excruciating torments. Crucifixion is very com- 

 mon ; fometimcs the malefador is crucified erecSt, fometimes 

 with the head down. I have httle doubt but that thefe punifh- 

 meuts were unknown in the empire, till the propagation of 

 Chriftianity. The ideas were taken from the crucifixes of 

 the Chriftians, and from the pictures of the fuftering of our 

 S A VI OR. The mode in which death was inflitfled on the 

 apoftle St. Peter, probably gave rife to that variation of cruelty 

 in Japan. 



The punifliment for gentlemen and foldiers is ripping open 

 the belly. As a peculiar favor, they are fometimes permitted to 

 be their own executioners. The emperor fends his mandate; 

 the perfon whom he fo favors, receives it with the utmofl re- 

 ipe6l ; makes a great feafl:, and on the conclulion puts the im- 

 perial order in execution, in the very prefence of his friends and 

 family. 



From the variety of feature and form of body in the Japanefe 

 of the feveral provinces, it is evident they are defcended from 

 different races of people, who have migrated, or have been caft 

 on the coafts at various times. " Thus," fays Kaempfer, i. 95. 

 " although the Japanefe in the main, particularly the common 

 " people of Nipon, be of a very ugly appearance, fliort-fized, 

 " ftrong, thick-legged, tawny, with flattilli nofes and thick- eye- 

 <' lids (though the eyes ftand not fo deep in the forehead as in 

 ^ " the 



