By Robert Neff
After several weeks of anxiousness, young Imperial Prince Yeong managed to recover ― without serious disfigurement or blindness ― from the visit of The Guest. On June 4, the palace gates were opened once again.
However, the malevolence still lurked about the palace and soon the young prince was stricken with another bout of sickness ― this time it was measles.
Once again, planned celebrations and audiences with foreign diplomats and guests were canceled. Court physicians were summoned and prayers were offered at various temples for the prince s speedy recovery. It was not cheap. According to an article appearing in the 1903 edition of The Korea Review, an English-language magazine published in Seoul:
Gardens galore at the US legation to Seoul
Posted : 2021-05-09 09:23
Updated : 2021-05-09 17:54
The American and British legations of Seoul, circa 1890s. The Moffett Collection courtesy of Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, PA
By Robert Neff
A rose by any other name ― Rose Foote, circa 1880s. Robert Neff CollectionIn the 1890s, the American legation was rather dismal when compared to its peers. The British and Russian representatives were housed in large new buildings, modern and imposing, while the American representative was forced to make do in the original Korean buildings that were already on the land when it was purchased the previous decade. The American compound s buildings were fairly run down and often had to be repaired ― and while they may have been looked upon with somewhat embarrassment by the American community in Seoul, they were proud of the American legation s extensive gardens.