Excerpt from The Industries of Japan: Together With an Account of Its Agriculture, Forestry, Arts, and Commerce, From Travels and Researches Undertaken at the Cost of the Prussian Government

IN publishing these results of many years of study, I hope to afford welcome information and instruction to educated readers of all callings regarding many questions as to the state of civiliza= tion in Japan and the industrial activity of its inhabitants. The, rich literature Upon this land and people has either not touched at all upon many matters which are here thoroughly treated, or at least in such a way that the scientific and technical side has received scant justice. This circumstance, and various others, inclined me, during my stay in Japan, to extend my observations and studies to regions that did not come directly within the sphere of my undertakings. Still I do not fear that competent judges will find, on that account, any want of devotion and thorough'ness in the sections on Japanese art-industry.

It is very true, however, that with the wide range which I allowed myself, very considerable difficulties arose, especially when it came to working up and completing in Europe the impressions and results obtained in Japan. That this is so, and how it is so, will best be seen in the separate chapters themselves.

In what has been said I have already indicated the chief reason why this work is so late in appearing. It is now more than five years since the publication of the first volume, and two and a half years since its English edition, although since my return from Japan I have dedicated to the task the greater part of the time and strength left me by the duties of my profession.

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