"Aston also, in speaking of the fact that the author of this classic" (the "Jôsa Nikki") "professes to write as a woman, calls attention to the extraordinarily preponderant influence of woman in the field of ancient Japanese literature. It has long been recognised that woman occupies a much higher place in Japan than in any other Oriental country, but it is none the less surprising, especially in view of the supposed lack of intelligence among the sex in Japan to-day, to be told that by far the larger number of works of the best age of Japanese literature were of feminine authorship."
The writer quotes from the transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan to the same effect: "that a very large proportion of the best writings of the best age of Japanese literature was the work of women."
This golden age in Japan was from the eighth to the eleventh century. During that time the men were chiefly engaged in pedantic studies in Chinese, while the women were developing a native and living literature. And during that time and for centuries before, the women of the West had not so much as arrived at the possession of human rights worthy the name!
[8] See "History of Provençal Poetry," Fauriel, Rowbotham, Hueffer, etc.
[9] "When Aurora enshrined in her robe of satin, unbars without noise, the doors of the morning."—Jasmin.
[10] b.c. 46.
[11] Gallienus made this edict of withdrawal a.d. 260.
[12] Mentioned by M. Fauriel in his work on Provençal Poetry.
[13] The story is given very fully by Duncan Craig in his book Miejour from which these verses and details are taken.
[14] This translation is taken from a small volume, entitled "Some Poets of the People in Foreign Lands," by J. W. Crombie (Elliot Stock).