New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-29
WOMEN IN JAPAN.
THE MOST CHARMING OF THEIR SEX.

''"'o''
This was book which needed TO be written. for IT
is the first and only attempt thus far made to give
clear full and trustworthy account Of oneall OF the
mott Interesting and attractive Of all the oriental races
II could only have been written by woman, ana Only
bv n woman who had enjoyed rare opportunities Ior
observation. IngresS to the private life OF the 'api'
is difficult notwil outstanding the external indifference W
pubclty which the middle and lower classes appear 10
ex hbit and man. If admitted to TINS He couu
hone TO obtain that Intimate knowledge Of the subject
necessary TO an exposition Of any real value MISS
pacon however lived many years in Japan. and her
Mace As teacher enabled her to penetrate where 10
man and very few women could have passed slle MON
over had the advantage OF conldeh'ai rc'iuo''
with members OF the Japanese arstocIacy from "ho"
She has derived much curious and important nioFma
ton and her judgment Is At once 50 llDfra an"
sound thu, she has produced admirable and faNcat
ing volume. and which takes its place ~ the MAN
rcpository Of our knowledge upon the general subject
Nothing more generously apprcciavc or sympathetic
has been written. The women and girls oI Japan "IV'
in the estimation Of the author. the most CHARMING
amiable. tender and graceful Of their sex. But now
did they become sol The answer to this question ne
mands an analysis Of the Of viewing life when
have obtained in Japan FOR ages. The cher motive
agent with the Japanese Is altrli-m; but this
atrsm Ina, been developed her. not by intellectual
and ethical education but ~ the Scshnc,s and force
naIcurcn of man. The Oriental theory Of wOman's
ncroriiy does not in pan take form in the Institution
of the harcm japanese men appear always 10 have
been too liberal minded for that. II has. however,
crystaiizcd into a domestic system, which, while lcav
ing the women considerable freedom Of action, d0om9
them to wholly subordinate and subsidiary function
The lie Of the Japancs" baby child and young girl in
well TODD circles. is abund1ntly happy and pleasant
I'm country children treated with greater affection
and than ia Japan. While obedience and respect
for parents and elders are nstc at the earliest posi-
bic age there is nothing sur harsh or repcent in tho
training. II doubt the that centuries Of the
same system have prcdisroNcd japanese children to
ccn;lcnesS courtesy and amiaility. Beyond question
they are the bctbehaycd cheerful and contcntcd
children in the world, and in most respect, they have
be Hut the little girls first lesson Ia hi'
i, that Of subordnation. She is made 10 understand
not roughly but kiudy-that she must always put her
self last in everything and that she lives but Tor tho
comfort and convenience Of the superior being. Man
Her father her brothers. her clcS. FAR above her
mother. her sisters and her aans. They do not in
deed. enforce this superiority upon her Extensively a.
a rule but IL is the cardinal tcrc: in her creed
Until the Maria ycab!e however, the Young girl
leads. IN many respects ideal life Her cducation
whether ancient or modern is not in accordance with
Western notions though in particular the most nd
vanced Western educational ideas Oh all fourS with
the japanese. In learning To write the Chinese char
acter with facility the pupils acquire all the hucncy OF
expression and boldncss Of stroke ard surenc>s
q. hand which the practice Of free hand drawing dc
vcops and the essential character OF japanese draw
ing is greatly indebted to this preliminary 'cripuve
practice. japanese girls are also we'll grounded In
their national Literature. especially poetry, and much
time and care expended upon the elaborate Sys
tenn q etiquette which, II narrowing In way has
at least the advantage Of impartng grace Of move
mont. sefcOnhdcncc and rrpoae OF manner. IN"
Japanese women are the mos, graceful Of their SEX and
their manners are beautiful. These CraceS they o"c
IN part cducati,n. doubt but the whole tone and
tenor - Their life prrd po,c, them 70 refinement of this
kind The Intellectual force e the IS here strik
nrly exhibited Other oriental, treat their women aS
animals: ,ecude them jcal1r~ly refuse them ans
education: rcprc,s the Development Of their minds.
But the Japanese perhaps ut bottom not less S'Ih'h
than these other AsatlcS seek their pleasure and
comfort by raising their women high % possible, ~
coriing 10 their own stouda,i by teaching them the
love of beauty the practice ~ grace and satisfy Ing
! their aesthetic requirements.
Early marriage is the rule I'm nippon sixteen i
tho average age fr girls These are In measure ire'
to choose their mates; or, rather. e veto power IS
allowed them. But, the assumption is That every
girl will take husband. and aS She must not walt t."
long. there is virtually limit to her exercise OF tire
vet, once ma,i led. she belong, to her husband In
even a more literal sense than the Engl,hmans wife
IF I'D popularity believed To belong To nm y II
f. the custom for son ~ bring hi, bride home to the
| Maternal roof the motlcrln law problem is serious
one in Japan and I, not seldom a cause Of divorce,
which can be sought by cthc' party 10 the contract.
divorced wife loses custody of her children and this
is bitter penalty while she (, practically without a
home unless her parents will take her in. The wiDc
domestic system Of Japan differs radically from our
own, howcvet. 1t is the exception for men to devote
hcmselv Ives to ama,snR property. singular a. II may
appear 10 the Western observer here /, nation which
does not worship the almighty dollar which holds
that many things are better worth having thar riches
-, ls1l patsn q
lifetime to money making; and which, above all refuses
! 10 provide for the future" in the Western fashion.
| When a Japanese youth marries he never deans Of
setting up housekeeping for himself lie simply takes
his wife home, and then she Is adopted into the family
When a head OF family is about fifty years Of age he
thinks ID time 10 r,tirc from active life and enjoy him
self Having settled ms affairs. he turns over the
business Of furnishing the supplies to his sons or sons
! in law. and thenccfoth they must support the house
hold The old people now have their innings, and pass
! their declining years in q comfortable leisure.
| The Young folks chcerfully accept the new re
sponsbllity They realize that they have lived.
perhaps for years upon their parents. and think
Of dlsputing the obligation to take up the yoke in their
turn The last state of the japanese women i, thus
! often the happicst Of their lives. They deeply
cpcced and deferred to they no longercalicd upon
| 10 work. Surrounded by children and grandchildren
they occupy thems selves with teaching and amusing the
! little ones aud their last days spent in at
phc"r OF love ana Ncicrttlon 1ut the active ne
Of hc japanese wife has many drawbacks. chief among
! which is the fact that she Is after all only hor
husbands head servant. She is non his equal in social
po.ton aud ono of the curious consequences of the
rigid ~ stem etiquette is that there is actually more
| difference between the position, Of the Emperor and
Empre,, than between a peasant and wife. IN
fact Miss Bacon thinks the peasant women generally
better of than those Of the city and the court Their
very humility and nsignlcancc frees them from many
emlarrassmentS. They have variety OF healthful
cupatons and they afford to be natural. Miss
Bacon the life Of the various classes In much
detail and with plentiful illustration one point she
is apparently doubtful upon. namely whether ii is
nos,ibc for the women OF Japan TO acquire higher