by A. B. Mitford (Lord Redesdale) · 1871
Historical Fiction · Classics · History
A young British diplomat's translations of Japanese stories and accounts from the last years of the shoguns, including the famous tale of the Forty-seven Ronin, with his notes on the customs behind them.
Content note: Written in the 1870s by a British diplomat. It includes accounts of ritual suicide, revenge and violence, and attitudes of the time.
FORMERLY SECOND SECRETARY TO THE BRITISH LEGATION IN JAPAN
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
DRAWN AND CUT ON WOOD BY JAPANESE ARTISTS
1910
PREFACE
In the Introduction to the story of the Forty-seven Rônins, I have said almost as much as is needful by way of preface to my stories.
Those of my readers who are most capable of pointing out the many shortcomings and faults of my work, will also be the most indulgent towards me; for any one who has been in Japan, and studied Japanese, knows the great difficulties by which the learner is beset.
For the illustrations, at least, I feel that I need make no apology. Drawn, in the first instance, by one Ôdaké, an artist in my employ, they were cut on wood by a famous wood-engraver at Yedo, and are therefore genuine specimens of Japanese art. Messrs. Dalziel, on examining the wood blocks, pointed out to me, as an interesting fact, that the lines are cut with the grain of the wood, after the manner of Albert Dürer and some of the old German masters,—a process which has been abandoned by modern European wood-engravers.
It will be noticed that very little allusion is made in these Tales to the Emperor and his Court.
