New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-10
WOMAN IN JAPAN.
a Japanese Gentleman IN The Boston Herald.
mention.

~, Japanese Gentleman IL. The Boston Herald.
Inc western people are invariably aggrieved to
see the inferior state of women in Asatc countries
and heartily sympathze with them in their cond
ton OF total subsection under tho despotc hands of
family tyrants. To this the japanese ladies are an
exception they are never reduced to the same de-
gree as in other Asiatc countries. They are I'M
donbtedly treated rs the gentler SEX and also with
respect and considerable care In this as III so
Chinese We see them treated with S acc tG% a ,S
nI nas IN fact in japan as in America the
ladies' ladies' rule the house. They allowed greater
freedom, and have more dignity self confidence
than any other Eastern ladies yet it is true that
japanese lady is deprived of the privilege Of recev
ing her young male friends in such unrestric ted
manner as is allowed in this country nor is with
ont chaperon, permitted to indulge IN the plea
theatre-gOing with him with whom she may stand
on terms of friendship of more tender relation
we scarcely hear, Ill any Japanese family, such
free expression of love and affection is tolerated
IN this cOunty in fact, it is there considered too
delicate an affair to speak of or demonstrate in The
presence OF parents or friends if not violation of
the propricty of socialsttiquette. We can easily
infer from these facts that marriage in Japan is
seldom the fruit OF mutual love and admiration.
nc III itrlmonia union is wholly to be arranged and
settled by the hands of parents, and the proposed
husband and wife have to take each other either
ior better or for upon the Judgment of others
Eut II Is amazing to find that there
happy couples in Japan than there are in this coun
Try, where marriage Is the sweet result of long
guanance and mutual love.
} Through the influence of Confuciansm and Budd-
hls,l, obedience has been inculcated the chief
and most amiabe virtue of ladies and undoubtedly
tins prevailing notion has prevented Them from
v,
or shall | say unhappily. for men, our wives
nave hardly ever attained such an ascendancy TO
henpeck their husbands, "A custom often discoy
able among the so-called civilized countries. In
tracing the history of any nation, wo invariably
seem to come across an age in which the female SOL
was more or less brought under sublectlon. The
ancient leutonu race Is said, even during its bar
barous times to have regarded the gcntler with
tine greatest respect and courtesy; but. if we turn
to the common law of England, find the asser-
ton quite Inconsistent with it. Unfortunately for
them, Japanese women have thus far been deprived
OF many rights and also of the means of eleyatir
themselves: but to-day the education of girls
Is receiving the greatest attention from educa-
honal department.. The prospect is cheering, and
1t may safely he predicted that, al no distant tay
our scholastic institutions will produce myr&ls of
schoolinarms; that pleasing feature of the New
England Landscape. japanese young ladies are
generally admired by foreigners pleasing ami
graceful IN Their department, and for their gentle
ness, neatness and good taste IN dress. As far as
they are generally demure and di.fdent in society
and apparently fall short of such an activity and
ease of manner IN shown by American young
ladies: Our misses neither reduce the size of their
feet like the Chinese contract their waists, like
The W cstcrn ladies, nor Wllfully inlurc what is
given tn them that is by piercing through the ears
custom prevalent almost every where, both IN tho
civilized countries of Europe and America, ana the
half-civilizcd countries of Asia. Among married
women II has, from ancient times been the custom
To shave of the eyebrows and to backen the tee h.
This invariably attracts the attention of strangers,
and IL not infrcquently ridiculed most singu lar
customs and pcculiaritics and we doubt If those
ladies' who inclined To condemn the custom are
normally free from the shade of any singular fash
ions and peCuiarties attendant upon their persons.
We have q common saving, Correct yourself he
fore YOU criticize Others We gladly state khat
our married women sensible enough to perceive
the shortcomings in the custom above alluded @,
and il is now noticeable how rapidly it is dIsap-