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ing knowledge, we must be guided by great men, otherwise we shall not be able to develope our talents, and adjust ourselves to the infinite varieties of external circumstances. Again, the spirit of studies does not lie in mere reading and writing. The true spirit is to cultivate our minds by the method indicated and to advance to their applications. The phrase "The dragon...field" in which "field" refers to a ground in which something can be done, that is to say, I am now in a situation full of great works. The phrase "advantageous to see great men teaches me not to devote myself to mere reading and writing, but to attend the true school of mixing with great personages, of being aware of the wordly phenomena, and of piercing through the state of the nation, and gradually to advance; without doing which my exertions would be not only in vain, but utterly dangerous. I must then open myself to intercourses and I must freely mix with the world.

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I then rebuilt my old residence in a foreign style, and opened a hotel for government officers. It must, however, be remarked that as the civil wars were still raging then, the bias of general officers was naturally military, and their conduct was generally rude, such as devastating the silken cushions without taking off their shoes, so that the common landlords extremely hated to have them. merchants for their customers. my hotel was opened for the officers, and I was told afterwards that the world were astonished at my apparently eccentric conduct. But happily I obtained a great many customers.

They rather preferred
Just then it was that

As this was not for profiting myself, but for enlarging the field of my prospect of knowledge, I treated my customers exeedingly kind, without being afraid of my expenses in doing so. I would converse

with them and was able to know the political course of my country. I would meet with those who are going abroad, aud I would assist them in their luggages and correspondences, and ask them to tell those who are going home from abroad to lodge at my house when they arrive at here. Those who came home from abroad, thus obtained the benefit of knowing the state of their home first through me, and I the benefit of knowing foreign affairs through them. Again, as their tastes and topics are different for different persons, I could hear from them miscellaneous notices of foreign manners and customs. During this interval, I deliberated upon and discerned, out of the material I obtained, those which were in my power to attain. I determined and brought them into practice at last. These are the causes that led me to the execution of the great deeds, of railroads, of gaslighting, of the school, and of steamers. These causes were drawn out of the true school which I attended to and which is stated above.

The Hexagram of "Ken" refers to the continuous and dauntless action of the Sun. If a person will go on with his work diligently and without slightest delay, he will be able to succeed at last.

AGRICULTURE OF THE 16TH. YEAR OF MEIJI.

When I saw Mr. Matsugata, Minister of Financial Department, in May of the 16th. of Meiji, he told me that he is afraid of that year's being a fruitless one as the snow was very heavy in Spring, and the weather comparatively cold; and he asked me to divine. obtained the change of "Ken ()" into "Ri ()."

The "Lineation" of the "Positive III" says,

"Honourable men employ themselves assiduously all day long, and are wide awake from morning to evening. Though dangerous yet free from blame." is heaven and is related to the Sun, and the six elements are all positive.

"Ken

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Assiduously" or or “乾々” " is synonymous with "" meaning dry; hence involves the drought of “干々 the year. Moreover, the change of the line is in the third; and the whole hexagram contains no "water," while the altered one has "fire"; the drought can no doubt be expected. "Wide awake from morning to evening" means the people are all afraid of it, but "Though dangerous, yet free from blame" is a relief. For the "Positive II" says, "The dragon appearing in the field," and the change into the third, is analogous to the phenomenon of the Sun's shining over the farms. The dryness will be thus unusually severe. But from another aspect "Ken" means to ripen, and it is followed by the phrase "free from blame.' Hence the crop will be abundant, and the drought will not be so severe as to produce serious damages on the people.

That year went on exactly as I prophecied.

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THE NEGOTIATION WITH CHINA BY COUNT ITO,
AMBASSADOR.

Count Ito left Yokohama for China as the Ambassador for that country, on the 28th., Feb., 18th. year of Meiji, to negotiate with the Chinese Government for the Corean affair, which occured in December of the year before; and I was fully assured that he deserved the message very well, and will come home soon, after fulfilling his duty satisfactory. I, at the same time, endeavoured to divine the result of the negotiation and obtained the change of "Ken ()" into Tai

yu ()," the corresponding "Lineation" being "Positive V. The dragon has flown up into the heaven. Advantageous to see great men."

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The "great men" of the fifth stands homologous with that of the second. Now as the "yreat man """ of us and of China are to meet together, they are sure to disregard any slight matters, but to mind for more important ones only. Again the counterpart of the fifth of "Ken is the fifth of "Kon," whose "Lineation" says "Negative V is a Negative V is a yellow dress, and is prefectly lucky," which implies that the two great men will be anxious of the prosperity and well-being of the yellow races, and will assist each other, as far as it does not stain the national glories of each and will try to lead into a peaceful result, completing the happiness of the people of both countries.

The "Interpretation" to "Ken" says, "Honourable men assiduously set themselves to work and never cease." As a rule, when one gets the hexagram of " Ken," he must conduct himself like the Sun, who is rotating without a moment's suspension; hence it represents that hexagram which indicates the victory of him who outstrips his matches. As we are on that side which sent out the ambassador, we have the benefit of being the foremost, and it is certain that the result of the negotiation will be in favour of us.

I had obtained, before this, the change of "Kô (" into "Taikwa )," and had been afraid of it. but the hexagram showed the aims of the both ministers to be at the independence of the Asiatic nations; and I prayed the fear of " Taikwa" will be dispelled and every thing go on well. As a clerk of mine was then just on his way to China, I put this divination into his hands, to take it with him to Tentsing and present it to the Count there, through his secretary Mr. M. Itō.

I was then expecting through this interpretation, the peace between the two nations, and I was utterly satisfied to see that the negotiation was closed without disturbation, and the ambassador came home full loaded with glories of the "Rising Sun."

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