]

[Footnote 36: The weaver, or star Vega. In the Chinese legend she is
personified as a woman always engaged in weaving.]

[Footnote 37: In the same legend, it is said that this weaver, who
dwells on one side of the Milky Way in the heavens, meets her
lover--another star called Hikoboshi, or the bull-driver--once every
year, on the evening of the seventh day of the seventh month. He dwelt
on the other side of the Milky Way, and their meeting took place on a
bridge, made by birds (jays), by the intertwining of their wings. It
was this which gave rise to the popular festival, which takes place on
this day, both in China and Japan.]

[Footnote 38: Little darlings--a kind of pink.]

[Footnote 39: The Tokonatz (everlasting summer) is another name for
the pink, and it is poetically applied to the lady whom we love.]

[Footnote 40: A female divinity in Indian mythology.]

[Footnote 41: From the Chinese poet Hak-rak-ten, who was mentioned
before. He says in one of his poems: "Once upon a time a certain host
invited to his abode a clever match-maker. When the guests were
assembled he poured forth wine into a beautiful jar, and said to all
present, 'drink not for a moment, but hear what I say about the two
choices, daughters of the rich get married soon, but snub their
husbands, daughters of the poor get married with difficulty but dearly
love their mothers-in-law.'"]

[Footnote 42: A soft style of Japanese writing commonly used by
ladies.]

[Footnote 43: A stiff and formal style of Japanese writing.]

[Footnote 44: The fifth of May is one of the five important national
festivals. A solemn celebration of this fete used to be performed at
Court. It is sometimes called the festival of the "Sweet
Flags,"--_calami aromatici_--because it was held at the season when
those beautiful water-plants were in the height of perfection.]

[Footnote 45: Another of the five above-mentioned. It was held on the
ninth of September, and it was customary on the occasion for rhymes to
be given out to those present, wherewith to compose Chinese poems. It
was sometimes called the "Chrysanthemum Festival," for the same reason
that the celebration of the fifth of May was termed the "Sweet Flag
Festival."]

[Footnote 46: This is an astrological superstition. It is said that
when this God is in any part of the compass, at the time being, it is
most unlucky to proceed towards it, and to remain in the same line of
its direction.]

[Footnote 47