The Capital of the Tycoon: A Narrative of a Three Years' Residence in Japan, Volume 1

Front Cover
Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green, 1863 - Japan
 

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 467 - CALIFORNIA 94305-6004 (415) 723-1493 All books moy be recalled after 7 days DATE DUE JUN...
Page 344 - Gotiro was thus between them at the foot of the bridge, in the open space formed by the making of a broad street, which debouches on the bridge. A few straggling groups, enveloped in their oilpaper cloaks alone were near, when suddenly one of these seeming idlers flung himself across the line of march immediately in front of the Regent's norimon. The officers of his household, whose place is on each side of him, rushed forward at this unprecedented interruption — a fatal move, which had evidently...
Page 61 - The like conception meets us in another country where the absolute ruler is regarded as divine. Sir E. Alcock quotes Thunberg to the effect that in Japan, " most crimes are punished with death, a sentence which is inflicted with less regard to the magnitude of the crime than to the audacity of the attempt to transgress the hallowed laws of the empire.
Page 39 - The modern regime of public opinion is, in an unorganized form, what the Chinese educational and political systems are in an organized; and unless individuality shall be able successfully to assert itself against this yoke, Europe, notwithstanding its noble antecedents and its professed Christianity, will tend to become another China.
Page 442 - Japan, nearly two centuries ago, by declaring that 'their country was never in a happier condition than it now is, governed by an arbitrary monarch, shut up and kept from all commerce and communication with foreign nations.
Page 345 - Gotiro himself, hacked off on the spot. But strangest of all these startling incidents, it is further related that two heads were found missing, and that which was seen in the fugitive's hand was only a lure to the pursuing party, — while the true trophy had been secreted on th'e person of another, and was thus successfully carried off. The decoy paid the penalty of his life.
Page 48 - On arriving at Bungo they were received with open arms, and not the slightest opposition was made to the introduction of either trade or religion. No system of exclusion then existed; and such was the spirit of toleration that the government made no objection to the open preaching of Christianity. Indeed, the Portuguese were freely...
Page 439 - A peasant and a philosopher may be equally satisfied, but not equally happy. Happiness consists in the multiplicity of agreeable consciousness. A peasant has not capacity for having equal happiness with a philosopher. A small drinking glass and a large one may be equally full, but a large one holds more than the small.
Page 124 - Happy for the former, when he is content with trying the edge of a new sword on the quadrupeds ; and many a poor crippled animal is to be seen limping about slashed over the back, or with more hideous evidences of brutality. But at other times it is some coolie or inoffensive shopkeeper, who, coming unadvisedly between ' the wind and his nobility,' is just as mercilessly cut down at a blow.
Page 197 - Yes, all this . is very true : such fertility of soil, fine growth of ornamental timber, richness and variety of foliage; — or such perfection of care and neatness in the hedge-rows and shady lanes, the gardens, and the numerous pleasure grounds of the temples, are not, I believe, to be found anywhere out of England. The brilliant green hues and freshness of the grass and every kind of foliage, rather betokens a damp climate; but...

Bibliographic information