THE SENSATION OF foreign life here is very unpleasant, after life in the interior. A foreign interior is a horror to me; and the voices of the foreign women – China-Coast tall women – jar upon the comfort of existence. Can't agree with you about the ‘genuine men and women’ in the open ports. There are some – very, very few. (Thank the Gods I shall never have to live among them!) The number of Germans here makes life more tolerable, I fancy. They are plain but homely, which is a virtue, and liberal, which commercial English or Americans (the former especially) seldom are. They have their own clubs and a good library. But life in Yunotsu or Hinomisaki, with only the bare means for Japanese comfort, were better and cleaner and higher in every way than the best open ports can offer.

The Japanese peasant is ten times more of a gentleman than a foreign merchant could ever learn to be. Unfortunately, the Japanese official, with all his civility and morality rubbed off, is something a good deal lower than a savage and meaner than the straight-out Western rough (who always has a kernel of good in him) by inexpressible per cent. Carpets – pianos – windows – curtains – brass bands – churches! how I hate them. And white shirts and yofōfuku! [Western-style clothes] Would I had been born savage; the curse of civilized cities is on me – and I suppose I can't get away permanently from them. You like all these things, I know.