the same subject in the works of Kampfer and Thunberg. In general, the Japanese words are more correctly given, and better translated by M. Titsingh, owing, no doubt, to his having made greater progress in the study of the language. This reason induced me to introduce also into the Appendix some tables already known, such as those of the cycle, the elements, &c. The reader will, therefore, have in this volume, without being obliged to refer to any other work, all that is requisite for making himself acquainted with the division of time among the Japanese.
The plates which embellish this volume, and which are carefully copied and reduced from drawings or engravings executed in Japan, have all a reference, more or less direct, to the subjects of which it treats. That which represents the tremendous eruption of the mountain of Asama, in the province of Sinano, is well calculated, conjointly with the animated description which M. Titsingh has given of that phenomenon, to furnish an idea of the dreadful convulsions to which nature is frequently subject in the Japanese islands. The plan of the palace of the Djogouns at Yedo, will not be less useful in following the account of the ceremonies observed at the court of those princes. It were indeed to be wished, that this plan had been accompanied with explanatory particulars of the names and destination of the different parts composing that edifice; but I had not before me the original plan, in which I should probably have found the necessary illustrations. The inscriptions, which the Japanese, in imitation of the Chinese, are accustomed to place on the doors, and which are faithfully introduced in their plans, would have been a sufficient substitute for any other explanation, had I possessed the original. I had this assistance in two other plans inserted in this volume, the one representing the Chinese factory at Nangasaki, the other the Dutch factory and the island of Desima, situated near the same city. As the originals of these two plans were placed in my hands, I have been enabled, by such inscriptions as those to which I have just alluded, and some Japanese notes annexed to them, to draw up a short explanation, which is subjoined to the first Part. The figures of this explanation correspond with those in the engravings.
To the text of M. Titsingh I have added nothing but a few very short notes. The author himself had, in general, taken care to furnish the most necessary explanations. I have supplied his omissions of this kind, whenever it was In
