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London 1852, Colburn. Green blind stamped cloth, 2 vol. set, very good, spines a bit faded, head, tail bit worn, else a clean & solid copy 334+286p., new & revised edition. R A R E A Russian Navy captain's classic account of Japanese customs life and thoughts from information gathered after his capt- ure off the coast of Kamchatka while on a Russian Naval sur- veying expedition. While captive of the Japanese, he worked on a Russo-Japanese grammar and dictionary. The expedition began on the sloop "Diana" in the Kurile Islands around Hokkaido, visit to many Ainu villages, treachery of the Jap- anese, attack and the imprisonment of Golownin and his crew. Cruel treatment under the Japanese, the prison. They were held in "Chakodate" [Hakodate], audience with the Governor, teaching the Japanese Russian words, Japanese curiosity respecting Christianity, Obunyos or viceroys, Japanese taste for reading & books, attempt at escape and recapture. Caged in confinement, earthquake, corporal punishment, intoleran- ce of Christianity, prisoners begin to learn Japanese, rela- xation of laws, teaching of scientific knowledge to the Jap- anese, notes to Captain Rickor, climate and weather in Japan ultimate release back to "Diana" and the Japanese visitors on board. Then the work begins on the "Recollections of Jap- an & the Japanese." Herein Golownin disgorges all that he has observed & learned about Japan during his two year capt- ivity. An astute and intellectual man, this part of the work outlines Japan and the Japanese as he compiled his notes. Covers early history of Japan, discovery, Catholic mission- aries, national character, education & knowledge of the Jap- anese, language, geography, politeness, religion & religious customs, mythology, superstitions, aesthetical ideas, forms of worship, punishment of ecclesiastics, monks & nuns. Gov- ernment, laws, police, navigation, trade, civil and criminal justice, military affairs, laws and manners, privileges of nobility, military regulations, domestic slavery, marriage ceremony, court costume, female attire, music and dancing, theatrical representations. Productions: agriculture, manu- factures, fisheries, salt, cotton, silk, copper, iron, lead, hemp,tea, tobacco, horses, tin, pearl, fruits & vegetables, birds, wild animals, fish &c. Fine arts, foreign trade, cus- tom houses, coinage, paper currency, trade with Chinese and Dutch. Population, military force, infanticide, arms, unif- forms and soldier's pay, officers, construction of ships,the skill of Japanese sailors. Nations paying tribute to Japan & its colonies. Kurile, language and origin, religion, food, customs & domestic manners. While it is true that Capt. Gol- wnin was a captive, he and the crew were eventually allowed their freedom within limited areas of Japan, during which he carefully observed the Japanese and through interpreters, gained a mass of valuable knowledge, set down in this text. Western information on Japan during this time was limited, antiquated & highly protected by the Japanese. It is there- fore with much pomp and show, that after Golownin's return to Russia, he published this current text which was an imme- diate sensation throughout England & Europe. The good body of new information on Japan was welcomed and served as the next step in the link to the Western world's understanding Japan & the Japanese. Little else was written on Japan from the inside by a Westerner except from scant Dutch sources from 1800 through 1853. Perry and other Americans read with great interest this, the last of Golowin's works as the U.S. Expedition to Japan was being formed. Based on this "new and revised" edition the Americans now decided that this was the right time to act, and force Japan to open her hitherto clo- sed doors. The rest is history. Golownin's Narrative of a Captivity has been a classic, as is this later, revised edi- tion of that work, with a new name. Fascinating primary re- source, one of the most valuable works of th.
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