Ch. XII. PENALTY FOR OFFENDING A GREAT MAN. 197 
such a proceeding is not without a precedent), hut 
I had no intention of, and could have no motive 
for, treating you with disrespect, as my letter of 
yesterday might have shown you. I have there- 
fore to complain of the very uncourteous style of 
your last letter, which you have thought it your 
public duty to address to me as a British subject, 
and with this remark I beg to close my corre- 
spondence.” 
It is stipulated in the treaties which the Japan- 
ese have made with foreign powers, that no 
foreigner, unless he be an official, can proceed 
nearer tp'Yedo than that point where the river 
Loga intersects the Imperial highway. But all 
the ministers who reside there had been in the 
habit of inviting their friends to Yedo, apparently 
with the knowledge and sanction of the Japanese 
Government. Even English ladies had been there 
on several occasions, and had returned highly de- 
lighted with their view of the great city. I had, 
therefore, no idea that I was committing a heinous 
offence in accepting the hospitality of the repre- 
sentative of a friendly Power, particularly as it 
was well known I had no dangerous political ob- 
jects in view. But I was unfortunately a British 
subject, and I had come to Yedo (unwittingly, I 
must confess) without first bowing^ the knee to 
him who was dressed in a little brief authority. I 
have been travelling in Eastern countries for 
nearly eighteen years, and I can truly state, that, 
