Japanese Literature

who, though she was not of high birth, enjoyed the full tide of Royal favor. Hence her superiors, each one of whom had always been th

, and this was probably the reason why her health was at last so much affected, that she wa

nce of Court ceremony, so that in this respect she seemed but little different from those whose fathers and mothers were still alive to bring

become a warning to after-generations. There had been instances in China in which favoritism such as this had caused national disturbance and disaster; and

influence on his mother's side was so great that public opinion had almost unanimously fixed upon him as heir-apparent. Of this the Emperor was fully conscious, and he only regarded the new-born child with that affection which one lavishes on a domestic favorite. Nevertheless, the mother of the first prince had, not unnaturally, a foreboding

around. In visiting her there the Emperor had to pass before several other chambers, whose occupants universally chafed when they saw it. And again, when it was her turn to attend upon the Emperor, it often happened that they played off mischievous pranks upon her, at different points

, which was in the K?r?-Den, and which was quite close to those in which he himself resided. It had

ain. But her illness increased day by day; and she had drooped and pined away until she was now but a shadow of her former self. She made scarcely any response to the affectionate words and expressions of tenderness which her Royal lover caressingly bestowed upon her. Her eyes were half-closed: she lay like a fading flower in the last stage of exhaustion, and she became so much enfeebled that her mother appeared before the Emperor and entreated with tears that she might be allowed

rture for this

so sad a

stay though w

for your

known thi

wered with grief, the Emperor at one moment would fain accompany her himsel

er withdrawal as privately as possible, so as to avoid any invidious observations on the part of her rivals. To the Emperor the night now became black with gloom. He sent messenger after messenger to make inquiries, and could not await their return with pa

t he should be sent to his grandmother for the mourning. The child, who understood nothing, looked with amazement at the sad counte

as really dead. During the ceremony, an Imperial messenger came from the Palace, and invested the dead with the title of Sammi. The letters patent were read, and listened to in solemn silence. The Emperor conferred this title now in regret that during her lifetime he had not even promoted her position from a K?yi to a Niogo, and wishing at this last moment to raise her title at least one step higher. Once more several tokens of disapprobation were manifested ag

blew chill and cold. The Emperor-who, when he saw the first Prince, could not refrain from thinking of the younger one-became more thoughtful than ever; and, on this evening, he sent Yugei-no Mi?bu[10] to repeat his inquiries. She went as the new moon just rose, and the Emperor stood and contemplated fro

ation; and, as she drove in, a

grounds were overgrown with weeds, which here and there lay prostrated by the violence of the winds; while over them, fair as elsewhere, gleamed the mild lustre of the impartial moon. The Mi?bu entere

I feel it now that I am visited by such a messenger as you."

when she saw you, face to face, her sympathy for you was irresistible. I, too, see now h

pathize with him; and he hopes that you will come to the Palace, and talk with him. His Majesty said also that the absence of the Prince made him anxious, and that he is desirous that you should speedily make up your mind. In giving me this message, h

r," and then read as follows, much in unison with the oral message: "I thought that time only would assuage my grief; but time only brings before me more vividly my recollection of the lo

ne of the letter, and it

the wind is

yagi's[11

ourn for the m

beneath th

it is painful to me to seem to neglect the honored command. As for the little Prince, I know not why he thought of it, but he seems quite willing to go. This is very natural. Please to

and handed it to the Mi?bu. At this t

r all about him, but he will already be impatiently awaitin

looked forward to her being presented at Court, and when dying he repeatedly enjoined me to carry out that wish. You know that my daughter had no patron to watch over her, and I well knew how difficult would be her position among her fellow-maidens. Yet, I did not disobey her father's request, and she went to Court. There the Emperor showed her a kindness beyond our hopes. For the s

been because their love was destined not to last long. And that though he ever strove not to injure any subject, yet for Kiri-Tsubo, and for her alone, he had sometimes cause

down westward and the cool breeze was waving the herbage to and fro, in which numerous mush

e weep the who

he Sudu-Mu

her melan

and darknes

ered, the lady to

where the Su

clouds[13] one c

n the grass aro

wn, to the nig

ented to the Mi?bu by her hostess, who thought that these things, which her daughter had left to be a

ers were in full bloom. With him were four or five ladies, his intimate friends, with whom he was conversing. In these days his favorite topic of conversation was the "Long Regret."[14] Nothing pleased him more than to gaze upon the picture of that poem, whic

letter. That letter stated that the mother of Kiri-Tsubo felt honored by his gracious inquiries, and that she was so truly grateful that s

o fostering

i tree is d

s deer lies o

weak, no sh

d thick. "How precious has been each moment to me, but yet what a long time has elapsed since then," thought he, and he said to the Mi?bu, "How often ha

ve, and fortune may have some boon in store for him; and

thought he, "could they be the souvenirs

find some w

words to

shades of e

dwells in r

the lotus and to the willow of the Imperial gardens, but the style after all was Chinese, and to the Emperor his lost love was all in all, nor, in his eyes, was any other object comparab

welt there, and who had not now for a long time been with the Emperor, w

t these have soun

gone, and da

realms 'abov

light, or tr

hat lone and

night watch of the right guard[15] was now heard. It was five o'clock in the morning. So, to avoid notice,

ies of the so-called "great table" had no temptation for him. Men pitied him much. "There must have been some divine mystery that predetermined the course of their love," said they, "for in matters in whic

r Prince for the elder one. But this was not possible, and, especially for this reason:-There was no influential party to support him, and, moreover, public opinion would also have been strongly opposed to such a measure, which, if effected by arbitrary power, w

onged to follow her daughter at an earlier period; and the only regret to which she gave

at least, let the child be received with better feeling." And if even stony-hearted warriors, or bitter enemies, if any such there were, smiled when they saw the boy, the mother of the heir-apparent, too, could not entirely exclude him from her sympathies. This lady had two daughters, and they found in their half-br

ave the Prince examined by him. It was, however, contrary to the warnings of the Emperor Wuda, to call in foreigners to the Palace. The Prince was

features, and then said, "His physiognomy argues that he might ascend to the highest position in the State, but, in that case, his reign will be distu

ch the Corean said what great pleasure it had given him to have seen before his departure, which was now imminent, a youth of such remarkable promise. The Core

ence. It must be remembered that, as yet, he had not even created the boy a Royal Prince. He now sent for a native physiognomist, who approved of his delay in doing so, and whose observations to this effect, the Emperor did not receive unfavorably. He wisely thought to be a Royal Prince, without having any influ

in in a private station. Nevertheless, as we have said, suspicions would have been aroused had Royal rank been conferred upon him, and the astrologists, whom also the Emperor consulted, having expre

e was still often haunted by her image. Ladies were introduced into his pr

ther, the Empress-Dowager. The Naishi-no-Ske, who had been at the Court from the time of the said Emperor, was intimately acquainted with the Empress and familiar with th

and, as yet, I have seen but one person who resembles the departed. The daugh

thought the Emperor, and he began t

tever to the idea, "How terrible!" she said. "Do we not remember the cruel harsh

th great kindness, and intimated his wish to regard her as his own daughter. In consequence of this her guardian, and her brother, Prince Hi?b-Ki?, con

f the Chamber of Wistaria), from the name

herself and to the Emperor; but the illustrious birth of the Princess prevented any one from ever daring to humiliate her, and she uniformly maintained th

ompanionship of all of them sufficiently agreeable; but beside the many who were now of maturer years, there was one who was still in the bloom of her youthful beauty, and who more particularly caught his fanc

on for the one made him feel the same for the other too, and that the mutual resemblance of her own and of his mother's face easily accounted for Genji's partiality to her. And thu

o Genji also. The beauty of her son, the Heir-apparent, though remarkable, could not be compared to his, and so

were to take place in public, were arranged by special order by responsible officers of the Household. The Royal chair was placed in the Eastern wing of the Seiri?-D

, a sudden thought stole into his mind. "Ah! could his mother but have lived to have seen him now!" This thought, however, he at once suppressed. After he had been crowned the Prince withdrew to a dressing-room, where he attired himself in the full robes of manhood. Then descending to the Court-yard he performed a m

id not encourage him. He had, on the other hand, some idea of Genji, and had sounded the Emperor on the subject. He regarded the idea

was held; Genji occupied a seat next to that of the Royal Princess. During the entertainment Sadaijin

Imperial gift, a white ?-Uchiki (grand robe), and a suit of silk vestments were present

t hair-knot[

t lasts for

ea of matrimony. Sadaijin fe

purple[20]

anxiously

iew in the yard, and were now presented to him. The princes and nobles were all gathered together in front of the grand staircase, and appropriate gifts were also presented to each one of them. Among the crowd b

was celebrated with much splendor. The youthfulness of the beautiful boy was well pleasing to Sadaijin; but the bride, who was

te Empress; and her rank therefore was unequivocal. When to this we add the union of their daughter with Genji, it was easy to understand that the in

of them, who was the issue of his R

range the youthful Kurand. On the contrary, he endeavored to establish friendly relations with him, as was inde

s bride, Lady Aoi (Lady Hollyhock), though her position insured her every attention from others, had few charms for him, and the Princess Wistaria much more frequ

rhearing her sweet voice, as its strains flowed occasionally through the curtained casement, and blended with the music of the flute and koto, made him still glad

uth; and whenever they did receive a visit from him, pleasant companions were invited to

the Shuri Takmi-the Imperial Repairing Committee-in obedience to the wishes of the Emperor. In addition to the original loveliness of the landscape and the noble forest ranges, the basin of the lake was now enla

Genji is said to have been originated by

TNO

d Kiri, has been named Paulow

titles held b

me of a Co

dynasty in China, whose administration was disturbed by a rebellion

n a part of the Imperial

s from childhood to boyhood. In ordinary cases, this is done when about

in the Court-yard of the Palace was o

was very commo

name was Yugei, holding

retty shrub, which blooms in the Autumn. In poetry it is associated with deer, and a male a

cts, which sing in herbage grass, especially in the even

nnected with the Court, are spoken

is, that after death she became a fairy, and the Emperor sent a magician to find her. The works of the poet Peh-lo-tien, as it is

visions of the Imperia

ecies of musical instrument re

f new families, and with some given name, the Gen being one most

. This was an ancient custom observed by the upper and middle classes

ered up in a conical form from all sides of the head, and then fastened securel

ple typifies, and is

tlemen-at-arms," and a part of whose