XXXVI. SANPAKU INAMURA (ZUIŌ UNAGAMI). COMPLETION OF THE DUTCH DICTIONARY (EDO HALMA).

There was a person by the name of Sanpaku Inamura, an official doctor of Feudal Lord Inshū.  While in the lord's province, he was inspired by A Guide to Dutch Learning and came to Edo to study the Dutch language under Gentaku.  Guided by Tsune-emon Ishii, he translated the Woordenboek by Halma into a huge Dutch-Japanese dictionary of 13 volumes.  This is the so-called Edo Halma.

It is said that Gentaku introduced Inamura to Ishii, and lent him the original dictionary too.  For the first manuscript, he was assisted by Genzui Udagawa and Hosetsu Okada.  Also, he visited Ishii often for instruction before the work was completed.  Some other persons also helped him at the time of revision.  Some time later, he excused himself from his liege lord's service for a certain reason, and lived leisurely in Unagami county, Shimōsa province.  Then he changed his name into Zuiō (Auiō Unagami).  Living in Kyōto later, he continued to espouse the cause of Dutch learning.  It is reported that he too is no longer in this world.

The fact that he put out a dictionary should certainly merit our admiration as it proved a valuable agency in Dutch learning especially for beginners.

XXXVII. GENSHIN UDAGAWA.

The present Genshin Udagawa, formerly of the Yasuoka family in Ise province, was born in Kyōto.  Coming to Edo, he was adopted by the Okada family.  He became a pupil of Genzui Udagawa in order to study Chinese classics.

Genzui found Genshin a man of great talent.  Being interested to make a Dutch scholar of him, Genzui often talked about him with Gentaku, so it is recorde.  About the time when Genzui was in the province in attendance to his liege lord, Genshin left his adoptive family resuming his previous name, Yasuoka, and went to Gentaky at his teacher's command and requested for instruction in the Dutch language from Gentaku.

It seems that Genshin had learned to write Dutch language from Genzui to the small extent of being able to manage Dutch letters.

So, Gentaku began by having him copy some Dutch books and allowed him to read a Dutch pharmacopoeia.  Genshin made daily visits to Gentaku's home and finally asked Gentaku if he would allow him to live in his house.

Gentaku was unable to meet this request because of some household reasons, but asked his colleague Shuntai Mine to take care of him.  Shuntai was sick then.  Becoming worse, he soon died.  Gentaku then turned to Hoshū Katsuragawa explaining: "This man is very enthusiastic in Dutch learning, but is having difficulty in finding a house to live in.  He will certainly develop into a man to be of help in your work if you should let him stay in your house."  Hoshū gladly accepted Genshin into his home.  Genshin continued to have contact with Gentaku and received instruction in Dutch translation.

This man, Genshin, was completely fascinated by Dutch learning.  He said he was willing to live in any place or with any man if that would facilitate his study.  This was the reason why Gentaku asked Katsuragawa was too busy with his official duties and with medical practices to satisfy Genshin's primary desire for Dutch learning.

One day, Gentaku told me about this.  At that time, however, I had become too busy with my work of medical practice to spare time for Dutch learning.

Still, I had a deep concern for the promotion of Dutch learning and could not tear myself away from it.  Even after the completion of A New Book of Anatomy, I was engaged in the translation of the Heelkundige Onderwyzingen (A Guide to Surgery) by Laurens Heister.  The manuscripts for some volumes of the book, including the chapters on "Wounds (Kinsō): and "Tumors (Sōyō)," had been finished.

But about this time I often fell ill and my friends thought that I was overtaxing my strength with Dutch learning.  They advised me to leave it off for a while.  Gentaku, for example, implored me to take good care of myself in my old age, and humbly expressed his willingness to take my place in Dutch learning.

I knew that I was getting too old and had no longer the power to manage a hard work.  So, I gave up the work, but my original wish for translation was not at all waning and I was buying Dutch books - scores of them and often voluminous ones - regardless of their price and to the limit of my funds, for I knew that no Dutch learning could be carried on effectively if not provided with a good library.  I might not have time to read them myself, but I could lend them to my pupils or some other students.  Then they would open the path for Dutch learning as much as I might myself.

Also, it was my desire about this time possibly to adopt a young Dutch learning devotee and find a girl to marry him so that they would succeed to my house and my profession with a view to their making further improvement on medical service in Japan, which was still in its infancy, and relieve the people of their sufferings from illness.

Such was the wish which I had held continuously.  So, this person Genshin appeared as the very person I had been looking for.  One day I invited him to my house and asked him what objective he had for his life.  His answer was exactly in accord with what Gentaku had told me about him.  So, I received him into my home and made him an adopted son of mine.

Genshin was happy as this was exactly what he had wished for.  Freely making use of my library, he worked hard day and night, often all the night through.  With this exertion, he advanced rapidly reaching twice the height of achievement as formerly.  My happiness, too, may well be imagined.

However, Genshin was yet young.  He was working hard, but he was at the same time in the prime of capricious youth.  He began to lead a riotous life and in spite of my repeated advice, he grew worse.  There was no question that he had rare abilities, but I worried that his dissipation might sometime lead to the disgrace of my liege lord.  I was racked with anxiety.  Finding no way out, I disinherited him and ceased to have anything to do with him for a long time.

Because of this affair, the Dutch learning colleagues ceased to associate with him.  With no friends to depend on, he was badly off.  Still, he did not give up his ambition.  Some kind persons as Inamura secretly supplied him with money, and also requested my son, Hakugen, to lend him some books on internal medicine out of my library for translation, as I was told later.  In the meanwhile, Genshin reflected on himself and came around to correcting his conduct.  The translation of Halma's Woordenboek, which Inamura was engaged in then, is said to have been assisted by Genshin.

Two or three years passed, and Genzui Udagawa died of a disease.  With no natural heir to the Udagawa family, they looked for a son to adopt.  Through the meditation of Inamura, Genshin was received into the family.  As was mentioned before, Genshin was closely related to the Udagawas.  Genshin must have been very happy to know that he was placed in a situation which met the original sentiments entertained by Genzui, now his deceased father-in-law, as well as to satisfy his own aspiration for Dutch learning.  After that, he became ever more studious in his work and published several translations including the Anatomical Synopsis (Ihan Teikō).  He was then a full-fledged scholar in Dutch learning.

Seeing that Genshin had completely reformed himself, restored his resolution for learning and had been adopted into the Udagawa family, Hakugen and Gentaku asked me to pardon him of his past misbehavior.  Seeing no reason why I should continue to refuse him, as he was then his original self, I complied with their request and came to associate with him as intimately as before, Genshin serving me as though I were his father and teacher, and I treating him as though he were my child.

XXXVIII. GENTAKU ŌTSUKI AND GENSHIN UDAGAWA BECAME OFFICIALS OF THE ASTRONOMICAL BUREAU.

Dr. Ogata's note: 1769-1834

By this time, Gentaku Ōtsuki had established his fame as a Dutch language scholar.  In 1811 (the 8th year of the Bunka Era), he received an order from the Shogunate to translate some Dutch books in their possession.

Dutch translation was first started some years ago as a trivial, private affair of my colleagues and myself.  But now, while I was still alive, I was to meet this occasion of seeing the august order granted.  I was grateful to the blessing of Heaven, for it meant my life-long prayer had been fulfilled.  My original resolution to save the public of their ignorance and distress, and my initiating the almost inaccessible task were after all not without fruit.  Soon, Genshin also was appointed for a similar duty as Gentaku.

Really, my joy was beyond description, for these two persons were my pupils whom I trained with my heart and soul.  What more satisfaction could one expect for an old man like me; I am grateful to Heaven for granting me a long life.  Once I was nicknamed "Under the Sod (Kusaba-no-Kage)," but I am still here under the gracious reign of the lord and allowed to watch the full flowering of the seed.  This, I feel, is an infinite benevolence; a grace from Heaven, I should call.

Ishii came to Edo not primarily for taking an official post as a translator, but he rendered a useful service, as Edo was at the height of Dutch learning then.

XXXIX. SCHOLARS EXCELLING THEIR TEACHERS.

Besides those I have mentioned, I am told some good scholars, even surpassing their teachers, have appeared in the schools of Gentaku, Genzui and Genshin.  I know little about them, as they are my children's children's grandchildren, so-to-speak, some living in large towns such as Kyōto, Edo and Ōsaka, some being scattered in different feudal provinces all over the country.  They must be immense in number.

XL. INTERPRETERS AT NAGASAKI. CHŪJIRŌ SHITSUKI. SAJŪRŌ BABA.

Dr. Ogata's note: 1735-1794

Dr. Ogata's note: He died in 1806 at the age of 47

In the early years of Bunka Era (1804-1818), such persons as Rokujirō Yoshio and Sennosuke Baba learned the essentials of Dutch grammar under Nakano's tutelage.  This sennosuke, now renamed Sajūrō (Sadayoshi), was summoned to Edo several years ago for a temporary work with the Shogunate.  While working in Edo, he was appointed a low ranking direct retainer (gokenin) of the Shōgun, and settled there towork mainly as a Dutch translator.  Naturally, many people came to take Dutch lessons under him.  My own pupils and their pupils were no doubt among them.  I am sure that these people will lead our translation work to its ultimate perfection.

Chūjirō that I mentioned is said to be the ablest interpreter since the word "Oranda-tsūji (Dutch interpreter)" appeared in Japan.  His attainment in Dutch learning, however, might not have been effected that far, if Chūjirō had stayed with the official profession of translation.  Or, it may have been that he, being informed of our efforts at translating a Dutch book in Edo with no teacher, was inspired on his part to a higher exertion.  All these happenings should be attributed to the general atmosphere of the nation pointing to a cultural development in the continued peaceful days of Tokugawa regime.

FOOTNOTES

Dr. Ogata's note: Sanpaku Inamura or Zuiō Unagami was born in 1759 and died on the 16th of January, 1811, at the age of 54.  The so-called Halma's Dictionary is the Woordenboek der Nederduitsche en Fransche Taalen, edited by François Halma (1653-1722).  This is the first Dutch-Japanese dictionary ever published in Japan, being completed in February, 1796.  Only about 30 copies were made.  It was a huge one containing 62,000 words.  This was called Halma-wage, that is, Halma-Japanese Translation.  Some time later, Hendrik Doeff, chief of the Dutch settlement on Dejima, succeeded in 1833 in rendering the same original into Japanese after many years' toil.  This latter translation came into use more widely than the Halma-wage.  The Halma-wage is commonly called Edo-Halma while Doeff's work, Doeff Halma.  The Doeff Halma was put to print in 1855

Dr. Ogata's note: The Shogunate had the Astronomical Bureau (Reki-kyoku) under its administration at Kuramae-kata-machi, Asakusa, Edo, which was engaged in astronomy, land survey and translation.  In 1811 the section "Western Books Translation Service (Bansho-wage-goyō) was set up.  Gentaku Ōtsuki and Sajūrō Baba of Nagasaki were appointed officials of that section i the same year.  Genshin Udagawa joined them in 1813.

Genpaku considered this event a happening of great importance in that Dutch learning had finally come to be officially recognized by the Shogunate.  Also, he seems to have been profoundly moved by the fact that he had outlived Hoshū Katsuragawa who had nicknamed him "Under the Sod." (See Section XXIII)