10 
JAPANESE COURTESANS. 
Chap. L 
“The handsomest buildings,” says Ksempfer, 
“ belonging to the townspeople, are two streets 
all occupied by courtesans. The girls in these 
establishments, which abound throughout Japan, 
are purchased of their parents when very young. 
The price varies in proportion to their beauty 
and the number of years agreed for, which is, 
generally speaking, ten or twenty, more or less. 
They are very commodiously lodged in handsome 
apartments, and great care is taken to teach them 
to dance, sing, play upon musical instruments, to 
write letters, and in all other respects to make 
them as agreeable as possible. The older ones 
instruct the young ones, and these in their turn 
serve the older ones as their waiting-maids. Those 
who make considerable improvement, and for their 
beauty and agreeable behaviour are oftener sent 
for, to the great advantage of their masters, are 
also better accommodated in clothes and lodging, 
all at the expense of their lovers, who must pay 
so. much the dearer for their favours One 
of the sorriest must watch the house overnight, 
in a small room near the door, free to all comers 
upon the payment of one mass. Others are sen- 
tenced to keep the watch by way of punishment 
lor their misbehaviour. 
“After having served their time, if they are 
married, they pass among the eommon people for 
honest women, the guilt of their past lives being 
y no means laid to their charge, but to that of 
their parents or relations who sold them in their 
