218 New and interefting Fats relative to Fapan, by M.1 itfingh. | April 1, 
fatality, it happened that the emperor, 
who, in the year.1784, loft the laft of his 
five fons, juftas héwas on the point of be- 
ing married, nominated, by the prerogative 
vetted in him for that purpofe, this fame 
prince his fucceffor, in preference to his 
other relations. Soon after he actually af- 
cended the throne, his father-in-law di- 
reCting the public affairs during the prince’s 
minority. 
In Japan wealth alone and exclufively 
confers all diftinétion and all power. The 
wealth of the grandees is eftimated ac- 
cording to the revenues of the provinces 
which belong to them. ‘The emperor is 
poffeflor of ten of the richeft and moft 
extenfive provinces, and confequently on 
this account alone, independent of his 
fevenue as emperor, the richeft among the 
Japanefe princes. The richeft after him 
is his father-in-law, who has an yearly in- 
come of 120 millions of francs. The 
income of others amounts to 100, to 80, 
&c. millions. Our author found the 
names of about 60 fuch poor land-owners 
inferted in the Almanack of Japan. ‘This 
almanack is publifhed annually in four 
fmallvolumes in 12mo. very neatly printed. 
It contains the names of the emperor and 
his family, of the grandees and their fami- 
lies, of the perfons belonging to the courts 
of juftice, of the officers of ftate, and of the 
emperor’s fervants. There are likewife 
in it fome tolerable copper-plates, which 
generally reprefent the armorial-bearings 
of the grandees. After the name of each 
perfon inferted in the lift, the amount of 
his income is mentioned, from the greateft 
fum down to 10000 kepanzs, but none lower 
than that number. But Tirsinep afferts 
that the real income of each greatly fur- 
paffes the fum annexed to the name in the 
almanack. 
The Japanefe, when they are not irri- 
tated, are the mildeft and moft courteous 
and, at the fame time, the proudeft people 
on earth. But if any of them be offended, 
nothing but the blood of the offender can 
fatiate his revenge ; or, if he has no op- 
portunity of procuring that fatisfaétion, 
he kills himfelf. This revengeful fpirie 
extends even to the wemen. 
well as the men, con{jantly carry a dagger 
in their girdles, and, if neceflary, ufe it 
with the greateft coolnefs, when prompted 
by revenge, not only againft their enemies, 
but likewife againft their hufbands, their 
brothers, and even againft themfelves. 
The Japanefe are better informed than 
the Chinefe. They are free from the fool- 
ith pride of the latter, which defpifes every 
thing that is foreign: they on the contrary 
They, as, 
contemn no kind ‘of knowledge. The 
father-in-law of the reigning emperor, as 
likewife others of the grandees, {peak and 
write the Dutch language intelligibly, and 
~ even correctly: they likewife read a good 
many Dutch books.—The Japanefe lan- 
guage is more eafy to learn than the Chi- 
nefe ; one may mafter it in two years. 
Titfingh, who perfectly underftands it, 
aflures us that the articles relative thereto 
in the Excyclopédie are full of errors. He 
afferts that men of learning among the Ja- 
panefe underftand and with facility learn 
the Chinefe language, whereas, on the 
contrary, the moft learned among the Chi- 
nefe are not even acquainted with the fir 
elements of the language of their neareft 
neighbours. However, it would feem that 
the Chinefe efteem thé Japanefe above other 
nations, perhaps on account of their hay- 
ing many opinions and cuftoms in com- 
mon, which indicate the common origin of 
both nations, although. in times far re- 
mote. Befides, more than 300 years have 
elapfed fince they have ceafed to carry on 
war againft each other, although the Ja- 
panefe are a warlike nation. ‘The arms of 
the latter are now direéted only againft the 
neighbouring Corea, which is partitioned 
among feveral kings, part of whom pay 
tribute to China, and the reft to Japan. 
-Our author is likewife of opinion, that 
befides the Curiles there are other iflands, 
which lie nearer to Japan, and are of equal 
importance, with which they trade and 
fometimes carryon war. This he was led 
to conjecture from TITSINGH’s endeavour- 
ing ftudioufly and with much art to evade 
every queflion relative to the external re- 
lations of Japan, and the difcoveries it 
might ftill be poffible to make in thofe 
feas, efpecially at the time when La Peroufe 
navigated thofe parts. It even feemed to 
him as if Titsincu had awaited with ape 
prehenfion and impatience the refults of 
that voyage of difcovery. 
Since the laft revolution*, the Japanele 
are under the pain of death forbidden 
fingly to leave their native country. Ti T- 
SINGH related, that, notwithftanding the 
great influence he enjoyed at court, he had 
* The Jefuit miffionaries from Portugal 
caufedin 1616, and efpecially in 1622, this. 
revolution, the confequence of which was 
that all intercourfe with foreigners was 
~reftrited to one port, and the vifiting of fo- 
reign Countries forbidden under the pain of 
death. Since that time, the Chriftians have 
been dreadfully perfecuted, and in 1666 avery © 
fevere inquifitorial-court was inftituted againtt 
them, 
Fer 
