Chapter XVI: Appendix: II

Some of the facts brought to light by the discovery of Seami’s _Works_:--

(1) It had long been suspected that the current _Kwadensho_ was not
the work of Seami. The discovery of the real _Kwadensho_ has made
this certain.

(2) Traditional dates of Kwanami and Seami corrected.

(3) It was supposed that only the music of the plays was written by
their nominal authors. The words were vaguely attributed to “Zen
Priests.” We now know that in most cases Kwanami and Seami played
the triple part of author,[219] musical composer and actor.

(4) It was doubted whether in the fourteenth century Sarugaku had
already become a serious dramatic performance. We now know that it
then differed little (and in respect of seriousness not at all)
from Nō as it exists to-day.

(5) It was supposed that the Chorus existed from the beginning. We
now learn from Seami that it was a novelty in 1430. Its absence
must have been the chief feature which distinguished the Sarugaku
of the fourteenth century from the Nō of to-day.

(6) Numerous passages prove that Nō at its zenith was not an
exclusively aristocratic art. The audiences were very varied.

(7) Seami gives details about the musical side of the plays
as performed in the fourteenth century. These passages, as is
confessed even by the great Nō-scholar, Suzuki Chōkō, could be
discussed only by one trained in Nō-music.

FOOTNOTE:

[219] Or rather “arranger,” for in many instances he adapted already existing Dengaku or Kōwaka.

* * * * *

Transcriber’s Note

The play “Haku Rakuten” has an Act II, but no Act I.

Illustrations have been moved next to the text which they illustrate. and may not match the locations in the List of Illustrations.

All instances of “i.e.” have been regularised to “i. e.”.

p. 2 “_New York Herald_” changed to “_New York Herald_.”

p. 14 “_kyōgen’s seat_.” changed to “_kyōgen’s_ seat.”

p. 19 “translated on p. 134” changed to “translated on p. 100”

p. 22 (note) “p. 268” changed to “p. 32”

p. 24 “may mimed” changed to “may be mimed”

p. 32 “Myōhō” changed to ““Myōhō”

p. 32 “p. 227” changed to “p. 229”

p. 35 “p. 224” changed to “p. 226”

p. 37 “p. 224” changed to “p. 226”

p. 37 “p. 225” changed to “p. 227”

p. 38 The lines “REAPER. / And music of many instruments ...” were printed in reverse order.

p. 74 The lines “from Heaven. And here you are shedding tears over it! What is the / matter?” were printed in reverse order.

p. 79 “assauit” changed to “assault”

p. 79 The lines “Roll, The Blade Drop, The Gnashing Lion, The Maple-Leaf Double, / The Flower Double.” were printed in reverse order.

p. 83 “p. 142” changed to “p. 142)”

p. 91 “loking” changed to “looking”

p. 97 “chiefly!” changed to “chiefly!””

p. 106 (note) “p. 246” changed to “p. 148)”

p. 110 “warriers” changed to “warriors”

p. 119 ““without” changed to ““without””

p. 127 “comorant-fisher” changed to “cormorant-fisher”

p. 145 “Rukujō” changed to “Rokujō”

p. 163 “Pillow of Kantan.” changed to “Pillow of Kantan.””

p. 167 “intent.” changed to “intent.””

p. 190 “City” changed to “City.”

p. 197 “_Enter the_ ACOLYTE” changed to “_Enter the_ ACOLYTE.”

p. 201 “speak-” changed to “speaking”

p. 220 “work” changed to “word”

p. 230 “it is my” changed to “it in my”

p. 237 "HIS SECOND WIFE." changed to "_HIS SECOND WIFE._"

p. 240 “litttle” changed to “little”

p. 248 “footbball ballet” changed to “football ballet”

p. 249 “disappeared.” changed to “disappeared.””

p. 251 “Mr Sansom” changed to “Mr. Sansom”

p. 251 “(p. 265)” changed to “(p. 267)”

p. 256 (note) “p. 169” changed to “p. 127”

p. 260 “History of _Japanese Literature_” changed to “_History of Japanese Literature_”

p. 268 “The poles” changed to ““The poles”

The following possible errors have not been changed:

p. 137 upon him

p. 137 turned,

p. 161 chrysanthem-dew

The following are used inconsistently in the text:

Bijinzoroye and Bijin-zoroye

bowstring and bow-string

framework and frame-work

Isé and Ise

Kántán and Kantan

reborn and re-born

seagulls and sea-gulls

seaweed and sea-weed

springtime and spring-time

Yūya and Yuya