and his position thus became assured. The following year he first became acquainted with Motoöri's writings. This led him to give himself up entirely to the study of Japanese antiquity.
His first published work, a criticism of a treatise by the famous Kangakusha, Dazai Shuntai, was written two years later. In 1804 he began to take pupils, and from this time forward not a year passed without some publication by him. He also practised as a physician. In 1808 he was sent on a mission to instruct certain Shinto official guardians in the principles of the old faith, and acquitted himself with credit of this duty. In 1811 he retired to Suruga, where he composed the Seibun, which was the most important work he had yet written. In 1822 the Abbot of Uyeno (an Imperial prince) asked for a copy of his works, and sent him a handsome present in return. This led subsequently to his visiting Kiōto, and having his work brought to the notice of the Mikado and his court. Some of his later writings gave offence to the Shōgun's Government, and in 1841 he was ordered to return to his native province and to publish nothing more. He at once started from Yedo and proceeded to Akita. The arrival of the distinguished scholar caused no little excitement in that remote place. His contemporary relations were mostly dead, but he was welcomed by numerous nephews and other younger branches of the family. The social duties thus imposed upon him, together with the demands upon his skill as a physician, soon wore out his strength. He died two years later at the age of sixty-seven.
That in view of their own interests the Shōgun's Government were perfectly right to put a stop to Hirata's career is not to be doubted. The attention drawn by
