[35] An ideal woman patroness of the art of dyeing.
[36] The weaver, or star Vega. In the Chinese legend she is personified as a woman always engaged in weaving.
[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.
[38] Little darlings—a kind of pink.
[39] The Tokonatz (everlasting summer) is another name for the pink, and it is poetically applied to the lady whom we love.
[40] A female divinity in Indian mythology.
[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.'"
[42] A soft style of Japanese writing commonly used by ladies.
[43] A stiff and formal style of Japanese writing.
[44] The fifth of May is one of the five important national festivals. A solemn celebration of this fête 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.