one is received after the fashion of Europe. Their most frequent visitors are the four court physicians and the imperial astronomer; all better Dutch scholars than the interpreters, and anxious to make the most of the opportunity of acquiring information respecting the latest scientific discoveries: an appreciation of the superiority of European knowledge, which strikingly distinguishes the Japanese from the self-sufficient Chinese. Siebold (whose testimony is, from his own character for learning, most satisfactory) says, that the questions of both physicians and astronomers discovered a proficiency in their respective sciences, which, considering their deficient means of acquiring information, actually astonished him. And it may be added, in proof of the acuteness and cultivation of the Japanese intellect, that the objections and difficulties started by the priests in their arguments with the first missionaries, are reported to have been singularly astute and logical. The most acceptable present that can be offered to the physicians and astronomers is a new scientific publication in the Dutch language. Many of those given them they have translated into Japanese; some of Laplace's works included.

These scientific men are members of the Yedo College. Such colleges, which the Dutch writers compare to their own high schools, are said to exist in many of the great cities, but the most

distinguished for the excellency of their scientific professors are the colleges of Yedo and Miyako, though the latter, indeed, seems more akin to an academy of sciences.

But these are by no means the only visitors of the Dutch. "We had no want of merchants and shopkeepers, who offered us the most beautiful ware, infinitely better and much cheaper than are to be had at Nagasaki. If they did not bring prohibited wares with them, they willingly sent for whatever we desired. Great personages always came late in the evening, and their arrival was commonly preceded by a present, consisting of mercery, lackerwork, fine paper, fans, letter-cases, tobacco-boxes and pipes, or rarities, such as they know the Hollanders value. When the present was costly, the opperhoofd always gave something in return; but it was necessary to do this very circumspectly, and through a third hand, and our envoy was especially diligent thus to win the favour of those officials, on whom our business depends. Although no women could lawfully be admitted to us, the concourse of our fair visitors was greater here than any where else. One gentleman would sometimes bring with him six ladies, especially in an evening, on which occasions our large stock of confectionery and liqueurs suffered prodigious reductions.

At these visits, the ladies often unpacked our

trunks of clothes, expressing much wonder at the form of our garments, as well as curiosity concerning the mode of wearing them. We were thus obliged to present them with some of the more valuable articles, either immediately, or through their servants, sent to us for that purpose. At all events, something, as a remembrance, they must have, were it but a couple of Dutch words written upon their fans. The opperhoofd's Dezima servants, who all understand Dutch, are usually our underhand interpreters; and, indeed, the princes and other high personages who came nayboen, prefer employing our servants, rather than the government interpreters, in that capacity. These grandees rarely make themselves known until next day, when they send a secretary with a present and their thanks for our reception of them. They are accordingly received without any ceremony, and often come in the dress of the middle classes, as do their attendants, who, if the prince is right well-pleased and merry, become very familiar, and write down as much of our answers to their inquiries as they wish to recollect. The princes are always friendly, conversable, and unwearied questioners respecting European arts, sciences, customs, and manners, or the locality and government of Holland and our East-Indian possessions; but they never allude to Japanese policy. We thus received visits from the Princes

of Matsmai and Tamba, the Prince of Mito, brother to the emperor, and the emperor's secretary; from the secretaries and other household officers of the Princes of Satzuma, Nagatz, Firakatta, Owari, Caga, &c.; the first of whom brought us a present of twelve beautiful birds, fifty rare plants, a pair of dwarf fowls, a pair of rabbits, a pair of fan-ducks, and some pieces of silk; but all stowed in such nice cages and boxes, that their cost assuredly exceeded that of their contents.'

The amusements of the Dutchmen in their not solitary confinement must not be dismissed without adding Doeff's account of one of the shop-keepers who visited them in his time, whose wealth, grandeur, and liberality, remind the reader of some of the merchants commemorated in the Arabian Nights' Entertainment.

"There is a silk-mercer here, named Itsigoya, who has shops in all the great towns throughout the empire. If you buy any thing of him here, take it away to another town-say, to Nagasaki— and no longer like it, you may return it, if undamaged, to his shop there, and receive back the whole sum paid for it at Yedo. He sent us five or six large chests, out of which to choose. The wealth of this man is astonishing, as appears by what follows. During my stay at Yedo, there occurred a tremendous fire, that laid every thing, our resi

* Fischer.

dence included, in ashes, over an area of about three leagues by one and a half. Itsigoya lost on this occasion his whole shop, together with a warehouse containing upwards of a hundred thousand pounds weight of spun silk, which fell altogether upon himself, the Japanese knowing nothing of insurances. Notwithstanding this, he sent forty of his servants to our assistance during the fire, who were of great use to us. The second day after the conflagration, he was already rebuilding his premises, and paid every carpenter at the rate of about ten shillings (English) a-day.”*

This fire is the accident previously alluded to as having afforded the Dutch a sight of more, at least, than they usually see at Yedo, and endangered the presents. Having been incidentally mentioned, the account of it may as well be here given.

"At ten o'clock in the morning of the 22nd of April 1806, we heard that a fire had broken out in the town, at the distance of about two leagues from our quarters. We heeded not the news, so common are fires at Yedo; a fine night never passes without one; and as they are less frequent during rain, a lowering evening is a subject of mutual congratulation to the Yedoites. But the flames came nearer and nearer; and about three o'clock in the afternoon, a high wind driving the sparks towards our neighbourhood, four different

* Doeff.