aracter of his
ordinances against extravagance almost taxes credulity.

Thus, he forbade the custom of exchanging presents between official
colleagues; ordered that everyone possessing an income of less than
ten thousand koku should refrain from purchasing anything new,
whether clothing, utensils, or furniture; interdicted the wearing of
white robes except on occasions of ceremony; ordained that wedding
presents should henceforth be reduced by one-half, advised that dried
lobsters should be substituted for fresh fish in making presents;
prohibited the wearing of brocade or embroidered silk by ladies not
of the highest class; enjoined simplicity in costumes for the no
dance, in children's toys, in women's pipes, or tobacco-pouches, and
in ladies' hairpins or hairdress; forbade gold lacquer in any form
except to delineate family crests; limited the size of dolls; vetoed
banquets, musical entertainments, and all idle pleasures except such
as were justified by social status, and actually went to the length
of ordering women to dress their own hair, dispensing entirely with
professional Hairdressers, who were bade to change their occupation
for tailoring or laundry work.

This remarkable statesman laboured for the ethical improvement of his
countrymen as well as for their frugality of life. In 1789, we find
him legislating against the multiplication of brothels, and, two
years later, he vetoed mixed bathing of men and women. One of the
fashions of the time was that vassals left in charge of their lords'
mansions in Yedo used to organize mutual entertainments by way of
promoting good-fellowship, but in reality for purposes of
dissipation. These gatherings were strictly interdicted.
Simultaneously with the issue of this mass of negative legislation,
Sadanobu took care to bestow rewards and publish eulogies. Whoever
distinguished himself by diligent service, by chastity, by filial
piety, or by loyalty, could count on honourable notice.

THE KWANSEI VAGABONDS

During the Kwansei era (1789-1800), Yedo was infested by vagabonds,
who, having been deprived of their livelihood by the famine during
the years immediately previous, made a habit of going about the town
in groups of from three to five men committing deeds of theft or
incendiarism. Sadanobu, acting on the advice of the judicial
officials, dealt with this evil by establishing a house of correction
on Ishikawa Island. There homeless vagrants were detained and
provided