from　15　to　30　yen。　　I　have　not　seen　any　overloading　or　ill…
  treatment；　they　are　neither　kicked；　nor　beaten；　nor　threatened　in
  rough　tones；　and　when　they　die　they　are　decently　buried；　and　have
  stones　placed　over　their　graves。　　It　might　be　well　if　the　end　of　a
  worn…out　horse　were　somewhat　accelerated；　but　this　is　mainly　a
  Buddhist　region；　and　the　aversion　to　taking　animal　life　is　very
  strong。　　I。　L。　B。
  LETTER　XXIV
  The　Symbolism　of　SeaweedAfternoon　VisitorsAn　Infant　ProdigyA
  Feat　in　CaligraphyChild　WorshipA　Borrowed　DressA　Trousseau
  House　FurnitureThe　Marriage　Ceremony。
  KUBOTA；　July　25。
  The　weather　at　last　gives　a　hope　of　improvement；　and　I　think　I
  shall　leave　to…morrow。　　I　had　written　this　sentence　when　Ito　came
  in　to　say　that　the　man　in　the　next　house　would　like　to　see　my
  stretcher　and　mosquito　net；　and　had　sent　me　a　bag　of　cakes　with　the
  usual　bit　of　seaweed　attached；　to　show　that　it　was　a　present。　　The
  Japanese　believe　themselves　to　be　descended　from　a　race　of
  fishermen；　they　are　proud　of　it；　and　Yebis；　the　god　of　fishermen；
  is　one　of　the　most　popular　of　the　household　divinities。　　The　piece
  of　seaweed　sent　with　a　present　to　any　ordinary　person；　and　the
  piece　of　dried　fish…skin　which　accompanies　a　present　to　the　Mikado；
  record　the　origin　of　the　race；　and　at　the　same　time　typify　the
  dignity　of　simple　industry。
  Of　course　I　consented　to　receive　the　visitor；　and　with　the　mercury
  at　84　degrees；　five　men；　two　boys；　and　five　women　entered　my　small；
  low　room；　and　after　bowing　to　the　earth　three　times；　sat　down　on
  the　floor。　　They　had　evidently　come　to　spend　the　afternoon。　　Trays
  of　tea　and　sweetmeats　were　handed　round；　and　a　labako…bon　was
  brought　in；　and　they　all　smoked；　as　I　had　told　Ito　that　all　usual
  courtesies　were　to　be　punctiliously　performed。　　They　expressed
  their　gratification　at　seeing　so　〃honourable〃　a　traveller。　　I
  expressed　mine　at　seeing　so　much　of　their　〃honourable〃　country。
  Then　we　all　bowed　profoundly。　　Then　I　laid　Brunton's　map　on　the
  floor　and　showed　them　my　route；　showed　them　the　Asiatic　Society's
  Transactions；　and　how　we　read　from　left　to　right；　instead　of　from
  top　to　bottom；　showed　them　my　knitting；　which　amazed　them；　and　my
  Berlin　work；　and　then　had　nothing　left。　　Then　they　began　to
  entertain　me；　and　I　found　that　the　real　object　of　their　visit　was
  to　exhibit　an　〃infant　prodigy；〃　a　boy　of　four；　with　a　head　shaven
  all　but　a　tuft　on　the　top；　a　face　of　preternatural　thoughtfulness
  and　gravity；　and　the　self…possessed　and　dignified　demeanour　of　an
  elderly　man。　　He　was　dressed　in　scarlet　silk　hakama；　and　a　dark；
  striped；　blue　silk　kimono；　and　fanned　himself　gracefully；　looking
  at　everything　as　intelligently　and　courteously　as　the　others。　　To
  talk　child's　talk　to　him；　or　show　him　toys；　or　try　to　amuse　him；
  would　have　been　an　insult。　　The　monster　has　taught　himself　to　read
  and　write；　and　has　composed　poetry。　　His　father　says　that　he　never
  plays；　and　understands　everything　just　like　a　grown　person。　　The
  intention　was　that　I　should　ask　him　to　write；　and　I　did　so。
  It　was　a　solemn　performance。　　A　red　blanket　was　laid　in　the　middle
  of　the　floor；　with　a　lacquer　writing…box　upon　it。　　The　creature
  rubbed　the　ink　with　water　on　the　inkstone；　unrolled　four　rolls　of
  paper；　five　feet　long；　and　inscribed　them　with　Chinese　characters；
  nine　inches　long；　of　the　most　complicated　kind；　with　firm　and
  graceful　curves　of　his　brush；　and　with　the　ease　and　certainty　of
  Giotto　in　turning　his　O。　　He　sealed　them　with　his　seal　in
  vermilion；　bowed　three　times；　and　the　performance　was　ended。
  People　get　him　to　write　kakemonos　and　signboards　for　them；　and　he
  had　earned　10　yen；　or　about　2　pounds；　that　day。　　His　father　is
  going　to　travel　to　Kiyoto　with　him；　to　see　if　any　one　under
  fourteen　can　write　as　well。　　I　never　saw　such　an　exaggerated
  instance　of　child　worship。　　Father；　mother；　friends；　and　servants；
  treated　him　as　if　he　were　a　prince。
  The　house…master；　who　is　a　most　polite　man；　procured　me　an
  invitation　to　the　marriage　of　his　niece；　and　I　have　just　returned
  from　it。　　He　has　three　〃wives〃　himself。　　One　keeps　a　yadoya　in
  Kiyoto；　another　in　Morioka；　and　the　third　and　youngest　is　with　him
  here。　　From　her　limitless　stores　of　apparel　she　chose　what　she
  considered　a　suitable　dress　for　mean　under…dress　of　sage　green
  silk　crepe；　a　kimono　of　soft；　green；　striped　silk　of　a　darker
  shade；　with　a　fold　of　white　crepe；　spangled　with　gold　at　the　neck；
  and　a　girdle　of　sage　green　corded　silk；　with　the　family　badge　here
  and　there　upon　it　in　gold。　　I　went　with　the　house…master；　Ito；　to
  his　disgust；　not　being　invited；　and　his　absence　was　like　the　loss
  of　one　of　my　senses；　as　I　could　not　get　any　explanations　till
  afterwards。
  The　ceremony　did　not　correspond　with　the　rules　laid　down　for
  marriages　in　the　books　of　etiquette　that　I　have　seen；　but　this　is
  accounted　for　by　the　fact　that　they　were　for　persons　of　the　samurai
  class；　while　this　bride　and　bridegroom；　though　the　children　of
  well…to…do　merchants；　belong　to　the　heimin。
  In　this　case　the　trousseau　and　furniture　were　conveyed　to　the
  bridegroom's　house　in　the　early　morning；　and　I　was　allowed　to　go　to
  see　them。　　There　were　several　girdles　of　silk　embroidered　with
  gold；　several　pieces　of　brocaded　silk　for　kimonos；　several　pieces
  of　silk　crepe；　a　large　number　of　made…up　garments；　a　piece　of　white
  silk；　six　barrels　of　wine　or　sake；　and　seven　sorts　of　condiments。
  Jewellery　is　not　worn　by　women　in　Japan。
  The　furniture　consisted　of　two　wooden　pillows；　finely　lacquered；
  one　of　them　containing　a　drawer　for　ornamental　hairpins；　some
  cotton　futons；　two　very　handsome　silk　ones；　a　few　silk　cushions；　a
  lacquer　workbox；　a　spinning…wheel；　a　lacquer　rice　bucket　and　ladle；
  two　ornamental　iron　kettles；　various　kitchen　utensils；　three　bronze
  hibachi；　two　tabako…bons；　some　lacquer　trays；　and　zens；　china
  kettles；　teapots；　and　cups；　some　lacquer　rice　bowls；　two　copper
  basins；　a　few　towels；　some　bamboo　switches；　and　an　inlaid　lacquer
  etagere。　　As　the　things　are　all　very　handsome　the　parents　must　be
  well　off。　　The　sake　is　sent　in　accordance　with　rigid　etiquette。
  The　bridegroom　is　twenty…two；　the　bride　seventeen；　and　very　comely；
  so　far　as　I　could　see　through　the　paint　with　which　she　was
  profusely　disfigured。　　Towards　evening　she　was　carried　in　a
  norimon；　accompanied　by　her　parents　and　friends；　to　the
  bridegroom's　house；　each　member　of　the　procession　carrying　a
  Chinese　lantern。　　When　the　house…master　and　I　arrived　the　wedding
  party　was　assembled　in　a　large　room；　the　parents　and　friends　of　the
  bridegroom　being　seated　on　one　side；　and　those　of　the　bride　on　the
  other。　　Two　young　girls；　very　beautifully　dressed；　brought　in　the
  bride；　a　very　pleasing…looking　creature　dressed　entirely　in　white
  silk；　with　a　veil　of　white　silk　covering　her　from　head　to　foot。
  The　bridegroom；　who　was　already　seated　in　the　middle　of　the　room
  near　its　upper　part；　did　not　rise　to　receive　her；　and　kept　his　eyes
  fixed　on　the　ground；　and　she　sat　opposite　to　him；　but　never　looked
  up。　　A　low　table　was　placed　in　front；　on　which　there　was　a　two…
  spouted　kettle　full　of　sake；　some　sake　bottles；　and　some　cups；　and
  on　another　there　were　some　small　figures　representing　a　fir…tree；　a
  plum…tree　in　blossom；　and　a　stork　standing　on　a　tortoise；　the　last
  representing　length　of　days；　and　the　former　the　beauty　of　women　and
  the　strength　of　men。　　Shortly　a　zen；　loaded　with　eatables；　was
  placed　before　each　person；　and　the　feast　began；　accompanied　by　the
  noises　which　signify　gastronomic　gratification。
  After　this；　which　was　only　a　preliminary；　the　two　girls　who　brought
  in　the　bride　handed　round　a　tray　with　three　cups　containing　sake；
  which　each　person　was　expected　to　drain　till　he　came　to　the　god　of
  luck　at　the　bottom。
  The　bride　and　bridegroom　then　retired；　but　shortly　reappeared　in
  other　dresses　of　ceremony；　but　the　bride　still　wore　her　white　silk
  veil；　which　one　day　will　be　her　shroud。　　An　old　gold　lacquer　tray
  was　produced；　with　three　sake　cups；　which　were　filled　by　the　two
  bridesmaids；　and　placed　before　the　parents…in…law　and　the　bride。
  The　father…in…law　drank　three　cups；　and　handed　the　cup　to　the
  bride；　who；　after　drinking　two　cups；　received　from　her　father…in…
  law　a　present　in　a　box；　drank　the　third　cup；　and　then　returned　the
  cup　to　the　father…in…law；　who　again　drank　three　cups。　　Rice　and
  fish　were　next　brought　in；　after　which　the　bridegroom's　mother　took
  the　second　cup；　and　filled　and　emptied　it　three　times；　after　which
  she　passed　it　to　the　bride；　who　drank　two　cups；　received　a　present
  from　her　mother…in…law　in　a　lacquer　box；　drank　a　third　cup；　and
  gave　the　cup　to　the　elder　lady；　who　again　drank　three　cups。　　Soup
  was　then　served；　and　then　the　bride　drank　once　from　the　third　cup；
  and　handed　it　to　her　husband's　father；　who　drank　three　more　cups；
  the　bride　took　it　again；　and　drank　two；　and　lastly　the　mother…in…
  law　drank　three　more　cups。　　Now；　if　you　possess　the　clear…
  sightedness　which　I　laboured　to　preserve；　you　will　perceive　that
  each　of　the　three　had　inbibed　nine　cups　of　some　generous　liquor！
  ｛16｝
  After　this　the　two　bridesmaids　raised　the　two…spouted　kettle　and
  presented　it　to　the　lips　of　the　married　pair；　who　drank　from　it
  a