ilt up the port of Macao, which has been styled the
brightest jewel in the Lusitanian crown. To Xavier and his
co-religionists they extended a cordial welcome. Bringing, as did the
missionaries, a similar but more imposing ritual, with dogmas in many
points analogous, but accompanied with the sublime teachings of the
gospel, the propagation of the new faith was so facile, that a single
generation might have witnessed the nominal christianization of the
entire empire, had not fatal dissensions arisen among the different
orders of the Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian missionaries. In
consequence of these dissensions the country was closed to foreign
commerce and religion for more than two centuries. A like cause led to
the closing of China to Christian nations.

The edicts of Gongen Sama (founder of the reigning Tycoon family) not
only prohibited the visit of any foreigner under penalty of death, but
condemned to death any native who might return to Japan after going
abroad, or being driven to another land by a storm. The vindictive code
was no _brutum fulmen_, for not long after their exclusion, the Macao
Portuguese despatched an embassy, nearly all the members of which,
including attendants and ships' crews, were massacred. Of the sixty,
only the menials, thirteen in number, were suffered to return.

A long period of exemption from foreign intrusion followed. With the
present century commenced a series of private and semi-official visits
from various nations. During their seclusion they ceased not to feel an
interest in Western affairs, but, aided by the Dutch, they studied
physical sciences and contemporaneous history. Thus they heard of the
gradual approach of the irrepressible foreigner, the opening of China
through the Opium War, the acquisition of Hong Kong by the English, the
frequent appearance of American whalers off their coast, the rise of
California, and the introduction of steam on the Pacific. These things
must have suggested to thoughtful observers the necessity of modifying
some day the institutions of Gongen Sama; indeed, the Dutch state that
they counselled against resisting the demands likely to be made by
mercantile powers for a relaxation of their prohibitive policy.
Therefore it was that the not unreasonable requirements of Commodore
Perry were complied with, which guaranteed succor and good treatment of
distressed sailors, and the admission of a consul. This last concession
was obtained with much