LETTER CXVIII.

ON THE MEANNESS OF THE DUTCH AT THE COURT OF

JAPAN.

From Fum Hoam, to Lien Chi Altangi, &c.

I have been just sent upon an embassy to Japan. My commission is to be dispatched in four days, and you can hardly conceive the pleasure I shall find, upon revisiting my native country. I shall leave with joy this proud, barbarous, inhospitable region, where every object conspires to diminish my satisfaction, and increase my patriotism.

But though I find the inhabitants savage, yet the Dutch merchants who are permitted to trade hither, seem still more detestable. They have raised my dislike to Europe in general; by them I learn how low avarice can degrade human nature; how many indignities an European will suffer for gain.

I was present at an audience given by the emperor to the Dutch envoy, who had sent several presents to all the courtiers, some days previous to his admission; but he was obliged to attend those designed for the emperor himself. From the accounts I had heard of this ceremony, my curiosity prompted me to be a spectator of the whole.

First went the presents, set out on beautiful enamelled tables, adorned with flowers, borne on men's shoulders, and followed by Japanese music and dancers. From so great respect paid to the gifts themselves, I had fancied the donors must have received almost divine honours. But, about a quarter of an hour after the presents had been carried in triumph, the envoy and his train were brought forward. They were covered from head to foot with long black veils, which prevented their seeing, each led by a conductor, chosen

from the meanest of the people. In this dishonourable manner, having traversed the city of Jedo, they at length arrived at the palace-gate, and, after waiting half-an-hour, were admitted into the guard-room. Here their eyes were uncovered, and, in about an hour, the gentleman-usher introduced them into the Hall of Audience. The emperor was at length shewn, sitting in a kind of alcove at the upper end of the room, and the Dutch envoy was conducted towards

the throne.

As soon as he had approached within a certain distance, the gentleman-usher cried out with a loud voice, Holanda Capitan! Upon these words, the envoy fell flat upon the ground, and crept upon his hands and feet towards the throne. Still approaching, he reared himself upon his knees, and then bowed his forehead to the ground. These ceremonies being over, he was directed to withdraw, still grovelling on his belly, and going backward like a lobster. (2)

Men must be excessively fond of riches, when they are earned with such circumstances of abject submission. Do the Europeans worship heaven itself with marks of more profound respect? Do they confer those honours on the Supreme of Beings, which they pay to a barbarous king, who gives them a permission to purchase trinkets and porcelain? What a glorious exchange, to forfeit their national honour, and even their title to humanity, for a screen or a snuff-box!

If these ceremonies essayed in the first audience appeared mortifying, those which are practised in the second were infi(1) [“ Otherwise, the Hall of a Hundred Mats."-Kæmpfer, Hist. of Japan, vol. ii. p. 531.]

Kæmpfer was born
For this excellent

(2) [See Kæmpfer's History of Japan, vol. ii. p. 532. at Lemgow in Westphalia, in 1651, and died in 1716. work, which appeared in 1727, in two volumes folio, the world is indebted to Sir Hans Sloane, who purchased all the doctor's curiosities, drawings, and MSS. and induced Dr. Scheuchzer to translate it from the High Dutch into English.]

nitely more so. In the second audience, the emperor and the ladies of court were placed behind lattices, in such a manner as to see without being seen. Here all the Europeans were directed to pass in review, and grovel and act the serpent as before with this spectacle the whole court seemed highly delighted. The strangers were asked a thousand ridiculous questions, as their names, and their ages; they were ordered to write, to stand upright, to sit, to stoop, tocompliment each other, to be drunk, to speak the Japanese language, to talk Dutch, to sing, to eat; in short, they were ordered to do all that could satisfy the curiosity of women.(1)

Imagine, my dear Altangi, a set of grave men thus transformed into buffoons, and acting a part every whit as honourable as that of those instructed animals which are shewn in the streets of Pekin to the mob, on a holiday. Yet the ceremony did not end here, for every great lord of the court was to be visited in the same manner; and their ladies, who took the whim from their husbands, were all equally fond of seeing the strangers perform, even the children seemed highly diverted with the dancing Dutchmen.

"Alas!" cried I to myself, upon returning from such a spectacle, "is this the nation which assumes such dignity at the court of Pekin? Is this that people that appear so proud at home, and in every country where they have the least authority? How does a love of gain transform the gravest of mankind into the most contemptible and ridiculous! I had rather continue poor all my life, than become

(1) ["We obeyed," says Kæmpfer, "the emperor's commands in the best manner we could. I joined to my dance a love-song in High Dutch. In this manner, and with innumerable such other apish tricks, did we suffer ourselves to contribute to the emperor and the court's diversion. As I was dancing," continues the grave doctor, “I had an opportunity twice of seeing the empress through the slits of the lattices, and took notice that she was of a brown and beautiful complexion, with black European eyes, full of fire, and from the proportion of her head, which was pretty large, I judged her to be a tall woman, and about thirty-six years of age."-Vol. ii. p. 535.]

rich at such a rate. Perish those riches which are acquired at the expense of my honour or my humanity! Let me quit," said I, 66 a country where there are none but such as treat all others like slaves, and more detestable still, in suffering such treatment. I have seen enough of this nation to desire to see more of others. Let me leave a people suspicious to excess, whose morals are corrupted, and equally debased by superstition and vice; where the sciences are left uncultivated; where the great are slaves to the prince, and tyrants to the people; where the women are chaste only when debarred of the power of transgression; where the true disciples of Confucius are not less persecuted than those of Christianity; in a word, a country where men are forbidden to think, and consequently labour under the most miserable slavery-that of mental servitude." Adieu.

LETTER CXIX.

ON THE DISTRESSES OF THE POOR; EXEMPLIFIED IN THE LIFE OF A COMMON SOLDIER. (1)

From Lien Chi Altangi, to Fum Hoam, &c.

The misfortunes of the great, my friend, are held up to engage our attention; are enlarged upon, in tones of declamation, and the world is called upon to gaze at the noble sufferers: they have at once the comfort of admiration and pity.

Yet, where is the magnanimity of bearing misfortunes when the whole world is looking on? Men in such circum

(1) [This paper was first printed in the British Magazine, 1760. French critics have praised it, as exhibiting the spirit of an amusing, though humble optimist. It seems likewise to have been a favourite with the author; who introduced it into these Letters, when collected in 1762; and again into the volume of Essays, 1765. It touches his most favourite theme--one that is found in some form in nearly all his writings the hardships and distresses of the poorer classes of society.]

stances can act bravely, even from motives of vanity. (1) He only who, in the vale of obscurity, can brave adversity, who, without friends to encourage, acquaintances to pity, or even without hope to alleviate his distresses, can behave with tranquillity and indifference, is truly great: whether peasant or courtier, he deserves admiration, and should be held up for our imitation and respect.

The miseries of the poor are, however, entirely disregarded; though some undergo more real hardships in one day, than the great in their whole lives. It is indeed inconceivable what difficulties the meanest English sailor or soldier endures, without murmuring or regret. Every day is to him a day of misery, and yet he bears his hard fate without repining.

With what indignation do I hear the heroes of tragedy (2) complain of misfortunes and hardships, whose greatest calamity is founded in arrogance and pride! Their severest distresses are pleasures, compared to what many of the adventuring poor every day sustain without murmuring. These may eat, drink, and sleep; have slaves to attend them, and are sure of subsistence for life; while many of their fellowcreatures are obliged to wander, without a friend to comfort or to assist them, find enmity in every law, and are too poor to obtain even justice.

I have been led into these reflections from accidentally meeting, some days ago, a poor fellow begging at one of the outlets of this town, with a wooden leg. I was curious to learn what had reduced him to his present situation; and, after giving him what I thought proper, desired to know the history of his life and misfortunes, and the manner in

(1) [A similar train of thought occurs in the 67th Letter. See p. 271.] (2) [In the Essays it is-" an Ovid, a Cicero, or a Rabutin complain of their misfortunes and hardships, whose greatest calamity was that of being unable to visit a certain spot of earth, to which they had foolishly attached an idea of happiness."]