THE ENGLISH WOMAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 981, 20 April 1911, Page 4

THE ENGLISH WOMAN.

AS SEEN BY A JAPANESE ARTIST. There is a very vivacious article by a clever Japanese artist now in Loudon in The English Review. It, is by Yoshio Markino, and is called “ My Idealed John Bullesses.” The writer is not quite master of the English tongue, but those almond eyes of his can see without any difficulty, and his clever fingers can draw with great deftness and skill, and the way in which he does write English adds piquancy to what he says. “John Bulless,” he explains, “is my home-made English for the English woman!”

“ No woman in the world is so fond of outdoor sports as the John Bullesses. I noticed its results upon them immediately when I came to England. They looked to me bigger than the Japanese women, of course. But much smaller than the Californians. Anyhow, I thought their figures are more well built. Their muscles are perfectly developed. One of my Japanese friends told me same opinion. He has been all over the world. He said, ‘ Comparing the English woman with others, I find out the former’s meat looks much harder.’ It is all through their daily exercises outdoors. Consequently there is a strange contrast between East and West. “ When I was in Paris some French ladies laughed at the John Bullesses’ outdoor game, and said, ‘ It seems to us foolish to go out to the field and chase after all sorts of tiny balls every day. We don’t see much pleasure in that. It’s too childish and too laughable. We prefer to go to cale and have gay lime.’

“ I said to them, ‘ I am very sorry for your own sake that you are not interested with the sports, Well, hockey may be “too foolish,” golf may be “100 silly,” and tenuis may not be so interesting for you. Permitting all your logic, how is it about your health ? Indeed it is the question about the health, not only physically, but mentally too. If you go to the open field you shall always be in contact with Nature.’

“ I sincerely contribute much of my estimation towards the John Bullesses who so wisely know how to pass their important time of life. That is why they are pure and sacred. I must say their gain is very great both ethically as well as physically. When the woman is physically strong her nation shall be strong. When the woman is ethically strong her nation shall be very virtuous. The woman is the backbone of the country. “If I see very high moral country, I always credit it as the result of woman’s behaviour. For men are fraud all over the world. Almost every man is searching the woman’s weak point to take bis advantage. I wonder how many men in the world are really pure and sacred ! It is the woman who are controlling the passions, both of men’s as well as of themselves.

“ It seems to me that in England almost everybody are extremely tond of dancing. I often asked the John Bullesses, ‘Doyou like dancing ?’ Their eyes start to shine brilliantly. Their mouths begin to break into a sweet smile. Before they give me their verbal answer I read in their faces how fond of the dance they are. Therefore I shall write about English dancing now. “My very first impression on European dancing was not at all favourable. When I was about fourteen or fifteen, the society people in Tokio organised the European ball. The Public Opinion was very noisy. Many loyal Conservative critics attacked the idea, and lamented that the the ball is too immoral for Japanese. “You John Bullesses have gracefully long necks, and your shoulders are much sloping down. You are more like those Greek godesses. And your spirits are not at all so feminine as the French. You are much interested in literature, science, and art, or even eager on the high Political question. You are so pure and sacred. Then why don’t you create some graceful dresses especially for yourselves to show your own dignity ? I frankly tell you, too much feminine fashions don’t suit you at all. You look rather vulgar, which is not your nature at all.”