The above system of scripts is known as Manyôgaki and is sometimes imitated in modern productions as in a recently published play now before me. Texts preserved in such scripts could not fail to be corrupt or obscure in parts. Not only from the difficulty of reading the ideographs when these came to be translated into _kana_, but from the fact that the manuscripts were often in _cursive_ character, easily misread and miswritten by the copyists. The text of the Manyôshiu I have used is throughout that of the Kogi, but I have not omitted in the notes to the translations to give some attention to the various readings cited in that work. By far the best discussion of these seems to be that of Keichiu which with the Kogi is much superior in my opinion to the commentary of either Mabuchi or Motowori[6]--the latter especially appears to be lacking in critical acumen. The following additional remarks on the script are important. According to Amano Nobukage (died 1734), in the Manyô script the Chinese characters are read _japonicé_ in four ways:-- 1. _mana_, as 心 _kokoro_ (heart, mind, &c.), where single characters are read as true Japanese words. 2. Where combined characters are read true, as 春霞 _harukasumi_ (spring-mist); 秋風 _aki-kaze_ (autumn-wind). 3. Where combined characters are read in full, but the meaning of the whole is not the sum of the meanings of the parts, as 垣津{旗} _kakitsubata_ (Iris laevigata)--the characters separately mean--_kaki_ (fence), _tsu_ (place), _hata_ (flag). 4. Where combined characters are read together as a whole, as 春鳥 _uguhisu_ (Cettia cantans), lit. spring-bird; 三五夜 _mochidzuki_ (full-moon), lit. three-five-night = fifteenth night of a lunar month, when the moon is full. To these categories must be added that of humorous combinations, thus 十六 (sixteen) = _shi shi_ (4 × 4), and is used for _shishi_ (flesh); 靑頭鷄 _kamo_ (wild-duck), lit. green-head-fowl. In the Kogi text the characters are used in the following modes, all of which are fully illustrated by examples in a section of the _sōron_ or General Introduction to the Edition. A. According to the _on_ or Chinese sound (Japano-Chinese). 1. Full, as 阿 _a_, 伊 _i_; so in Chinese. 2. Contracted, as 安 _a_, 印 _i_; in Chinese _an_, _in_. B. According to the _kun_ (_yomi_) or Japanese reading. 1. 天 _ame_ (heaven), 地 _tsuchi_ (earth), 大地 _ohotokoro_ (great place). Each character is here read with one of its ordinary Japanese pronunciations and meanings. 2. Combined characters of similar meaning read as one word (Japanese)--明淸 _akirakeku_ (bright). 3. Combined characters of different meaning read as one word--海士 _ama_ (fisherman), 蜻蛉 _akitsu_ [or _seirei_] (dragon-fly). 4. The characters are read as = a Chinese translation of the Japanese word--行知所 _shiroshimeshi_ (govern). 5. The character or combination is read according to an ancient meaning--不知 _isa_ (no, not so), 服 _hada_ (naked skin).