=Prayer=.--Private individual prayer is seldom mentioned in the old Shinto records, but of the official liturgies or _norito_ we have abundant examples in the _Yengishiki_ and later works. The authors are mostly unknown, but they were no doubt members of the Nakatomi House. Their literary quality is good. Motoöri observes that the elegance of their language is an offering acceptable to the Gods. The Sun-Goddess is represented in the _Nihongi_ as expressing her satisfaction with the beauty of the _norito_ recited in her honour. [Illustration] The _norito_ are addressed sometimes to individual deities, sometimes to categories of deities, as "the celebrated Gods" or "the Gods of Nankaido," and sometimes to all the Gods without exception. They contain petitions for rain in time of drought, good harvests, preservation from earthquake and conflagration, children, health and long life to the sovereign and enduring peace and prosperity to his rule, the safety of his ambassadors to foreign countries, the suppression of rebellion, the repulse of invasion, success to the Imperial arms, and general prosperity to the Empire. Sometimes the Mikado deprecates the wrath of deities whose services had been vitiated by ritual impurity, or whose shrines had suffered from neglect or injury. The phrase "fulfilling of praises," which occurs frequently in the _norito_, must not be taken literally. It is really equivalent to "show all due honour to," and usually applies to the offerings which were made in token of respect. There is very little of praise in the ordinary meaning of the word. The language of the _norito_ presents a striking contrast to the profusion of laudatory epithets and images of the Vedas, or the sublime eulogies of the Psalms of David. The only element of this kind is a few adjectival prefixes to the names of the Gods, such as _oho_, great; _take_, brave; _taka_, high; _haya_, swift; _toyo_, rich; _iku_, live; _yori_, good, and perhaps one or two more. The _do ut des_ principle of offerings is plainly avowed in some of the _norito_. Besides petitions we find also announcements to the Gods, as of the appointment of a priestess, the bestowal on the deity of a degree of rank, and the beginning of a new reign. The Mongol invasion was notified to Ise in 1277 with the happiest results.