in offering a revised edition of a book which has been before the public for more than ten years, there is little to say that has not been said in the original preface. the work as published before, however, was always, to its author's mind, unfinished, for the reason that a chapter on household customs, which was necessary for the completion of the plan, had to be omitted because it could not be written in america.

this defect has now been remedied, and the chapter "within the home" contains the supplementary matter necessary to complete the picture of a japanese woman's life. in addition to this a thorough revision has been made of the whole book, and the subjects discussed in each chapter have been brought up to date by means of notes in an appendix. the reader will find these notes referred to by asterisks in the text.

finally, a second supplementary chapter has been added, in which an effort has been made to analyze present conditions. from its nature, this chapter is only a rapid survey of the progress of ten years. it is not easy to write with judgment of conditions actually present. a little perspective is necessary to make sure that one sees things in their proper proportions. it is therefore with some hesitation that i offer to the public the result of two years' experience of the present state of affairs. if subsequent events show that my observation has been incorrect, i can only say that what i have written has been the "thing-as-i-see-it," and does not lay claim to being the "thing-as-it-is."

in closing, i would thank once more the friends whose names appear in the previous preface, and would add to their number the names of mr. h. sakurai and mr. and mrs. seijiro saito, who have rendered me valuable aid in gathering material.

a. m. b.

new haven, connecticut,

november, 1902.