Page:"Round the world." - Letters from Japan, China, India, and Egypt (IA roundworldletter00fogg 0).pdf/96

NUMBER ELEVEN.

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A Spanish Legend—Wonderful Progress in Three Years—Foreign Devils Now Treated as Equals—Curious, but Resspectful—The Mikado’s Castle—A Progressive Ruler and People—Residences of the Daimios—Mount Atango—A Beautiful View—A Doubful Legend—Frequent Fires and No Insurance—Temples of Shiva—Cleanliness, Not Reverence Required—Catholic or Buddhist—Christian or Pagan—An Enormous Bell—Stone Lanterns—Spirits Over the Water—Pic-Nic Grounds.

Yeddo, Japan, December, 1870.

A fruitfal soil, a fine climate and an industrious people seems to be all that can be desired for any country in the way of material elements of prosperity, unless they are in the case described in an old legend of Spain, which tells how St. Jago, the Patron Saint of Iberia, went to his master and begged some special favor for the country he had adopted. And, first, he asked for a fertile soil, for a fine climate, for brave sons to defend, and for fair daughters to grace it, all of which were successively granted. Emboldened by his success he asked that they should be blessed with a good government. When his master, according to the Spanish version, either wearied with so much importunity, or in a spirit of justice to other lands, by way of compensation for so many rich gifts, replied with emphasis, “That was a blessing they would never have.” And how all other advantages have been neutralized by the want of this one crowning gift is shown on the page of history.

Japan under the servile abuses of the feudal system, which for centuries has drawn the life blood from her common people, may be classed with Spain, as a country blessed with every material element of prosperity, except a good government, But a change is taking place more rapidly than ever before in the history of this nation. But