their fellow-men that is accorded women in the West. This feeling is also in a sense misplaced, for though the condition of woman in Asia is deplorable, we should rather criticise the moral status of the people at large, which renders the seclusion of woman a necessity, than to find fault with the mere fact. Such seclusion is a mean between the promiscuity of savage tribes and the emancipated condition of women in enlightened countries. It is as much better than the former as it is worse than the latter. There can be no question that it is Christianity which has brought about the desirable conditions that prevail in the West, and we need look for no such conditions in the East until it is permeated with ideas emanating from Christian standards. We affirm, then, that under existing moral conditions the seclusion of woman in the Far East is a blessing and not a curse, and its immediate abolishment would result in a moral chaos rather than, as some suppose, in the elevation of society.
The discussion of woman's position in Korea falls under several general heads, such as seclusion, occupation, education, punishments, property rights, testamentary rights, divorce, courtship and marriage, religion, etc.
The degree of seclusion which a Korean woman enjoys depends upon the position she holds in society. Broadly speaking, there are three classes, which may best be termed the honourable, the respectable and the disreputable. As might be expected, the seclusion of women here corresponds to what we call " exclusiveness " in the West. The higher her position, the more complete is her seclusion. And just as women in America or Europe pride themselves upon their exclusiveness, so women here pride themselves upon the fact that no male person outside the immediate household ever sees their faces.
Up to the age of ten or twelve years, the little girl of good family enjoys considerable freedom, and can play in the yard and see anyone that comes; but the time arrives when she must never be seen without the changot, or sleeved apron, over her head held close about her face. From that time she remains
