Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 21 June to November 1860 . they must disembowel themselves, or rather,as the practice now is, must pretend to makethe attempt to do so at the moment when theirheads are struck oiF by the executioner. Such, in brief, is the account gleaned by , from the best sources within his reach,of the Japanese Government. We are inclinedto take it with many grains of allowance; aswell as to make no inconsiderable deductionsfrom his rose-colored accounts of the amiabilityand virtue of the Japanese people. But mak-ing all reasonable deductions from the glowingp
Harper's New Monthly Magazine Volume 21 June to November 1860 . they must disembowel themselves, or rather,as the practice now is, must pretend to makethe attempt to do so at the moment when theirheads are struck oiF by the executioner. Such, in brief, is the account gleaned by , from the best sources within his reach,of the Japanese Government. We are inclinedto take it with many grains of allowance; aswell as to make no inconsiderable deductionsfrom his rose-colored accounts of the amiabilityand virtue of the Japanese people. But mak-ing all reasonable deductions from the glowingpictures of Mr. Oliphant, there can be no doubtthat the Japanese are far in advance of any oth-er Asiatic people; and they manifest an apti-tude for acquiring the civilization of the Westto which no other Oriental race can lay the problem is still to be solved whetherthey can maintain themselves against the pres-sure from Euroj^e and America which must soonbe brought upon them. By the various treatiesfive ports are, or shortly Avill be, open to com-. GYMNA8T1CS.—FEOil A NATIVE UEA^yXSQ, merce and the residence of foreigners. It willbe vain long to attempt to restrict intercoursewithin these limits. What contests are to takeplace, and with what results, in the opening ofJapan as well as China to foreigners, is thegreat political and moral problem of the presentage. Those who anticipate a speedy increased com-merce from the opening of Japan to foreigntrade will undoubtedly be disappointed. Iso-lated from time immemorial from intercoursewith other nations, the Japanese have few ar-ticles adapted for exportation, while theypro-duce almost every thing necessary for their ownwants. Their habits are singularly unosten-tatious; their architecture is simple, their fur-niture inexpensive, their clothing cheap; theirdiet is composed mainly of vegetables, rice,and fish. They pride themselves upon thissimplicity. Every ceremonious note is accom-panied by a bit of salted fish, wra
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