The Literature, History, and Civilization of the Japanese [pp. 306-329]

306 TIlE LITERATURE, HISTORY AND ~WILIZATION [April,
cause each individual ill it can claim an uninterrupted transmission of gifts and power, directly from the Apostles; and,
especially, that these its ministers are ~rncs[s, claiming to do
in behalf of man anything whatsoever having sacredotal virtue, thereby detracting from the completeness of the Redeemer's sacrifice; when it would substitute the outward use of
the sacraments as deriving their efficacy from the men who
administer them, for the all-sufficiency of personal faith in
Christ, in the individual soul-then we must pronounce its
preposterous and unscriptural pretensions to be of the esseuce of Auti-Clirist.
We are happy to inform our readers that an American edition of this book, by the liberality of a fellow-citizen, a member of the Lpiscopal Church, is soon to appear nuder the
editorial auspices of Rev. Dr. ~IUllLENBEnG, of this city.
AkL VI.-TllE LITERATURE HISTORY, AND CIVILIZA TION OF THE JAPANESE.
By M. LEON DE RoSNY, Prof~ssor of Japa~ese.
A DISCOURSE DELIVERED AT TRE OPENING or TllE JAPANESE COURSE AT TilE
SPECIAL SCilOOL OF ORIENTAL LANGUAGES, IN PARIS.*
The sympathizing encouragement which you kindly gave
m~ last year, at tlie inauguration of this course, leads me to
devote the first lesson of the new scholastic year to some
thoughts upon the ~4iom which it is my office to teach here.
This seems to me a useful introduction to the somehnies dry
study of a language, spoken by people as remote from us in
geographical distance as in manners and customs, and in
their way of regarding progress. The kindness which you
once before granted me, leads me to hope that you will honor
me to-day with the same favor.
The Japanese language is not widely diffused, and in
* Translated for this R~v~~w by E. L. S. from the Amna'es d~ Pki7osop~ie
Chr~ttenne, Paris, Nov. 1871.