,,woman ,,man',s ,,equal4 ,,by ,rev4 ,,thos4 ,,webster1 ,d4,d4 ,,with ,,an ,,introduction ,,by ,,bishop ,,simpson4 ,,cincinnati3 ,,hitchcock ,,and ,,walden4 ,,new ,,york3 ,,nelson ,,and ,,phillips4 #ahgc ,entered1 according to ,act of ,congress1 in the year #ahgc1 ,,by ,,hitchcock ,,walden1 ,in the ,office of the ,librarian of ,congress1 at ,washington4 ,,to ,,readers4 ,the publishers of ,,woman ,,man',s ,,equal conscientiously feel that they are placing before the public the discussion of one of the most important topics of the day2 and they indulge the strong conviction that the author of this little volume presents this important topic in a manner at once attractive and convincing4 ,the teachings of nature1 history1 and the ,word of ,god are freely drafted1 and skillfully arranged to show what nature designed1 what ,god has taught1 and what woman has proved herself capable of being and doing in the world4 ,the abuses to which the sex has been subject from the physically stronger lords of creation1 in heathen nations and in brute ages1 are ably and fully set forth4 ,the lessons of the past are the teachings of the future4 ,christianity has enlarged woman's area1 and multiplied her duties and responsibilities4 ,america is ahead of all other nations in opportunities offered to woman4 ,public sentiment is in favor of enlarging her sphere1 and woman is venturing into hitherto untried avenues of employment and usefulness4 ,this is an age of experiment4 ,an ounce of experiment is worth a pound of theory4 ,woman's capacity will first be tested2 and1 if found equal to the opportunity1 no door will be closed against her4 ,she may preach1 orate1 lecture1 teach1 practice medicine or law or politics2 may vote1 marshal armies1 navigate ships1 and go sailoring or soldiering to her heart's content1 and at her own good-will and pleasure1 if she only proves to the age that she has ability to do and dare in all these directions4 ,this is an age of discovery1 as well as of experiment2 and man is daily waking up1 applying1 and marshaling new forces for the benefit of the race4 ,steam1 light1 electricity1 magnetism1 mechanics1 have all contributed of their boundless capacities to human welfare4 ,man is gradually coming to be aware that1 in the latent powers of woman1 only just now on the eve of development1 half the capacities of the human race1 like the powers of steam and lightning1 have slumbered1 until now1 from the beginning of the creation4 ,a new era is dawning upon the world4 ,this little volume is one of the rays that herald the coming sun4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,natural ,,rights4 ,equals in the ,beginning--,apparent ,mental ,inferiority result to be expected when ,means of ,mental ,culture are denied--,natural ,rights--,flattery not an ,equivalent for ,justice--,dawning ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,woman ,,in ,,antiquity4 ,women of ,antiquity--,their ,condition in ,heathen and ,mohammedan ,countries--,marriage1 ,divorce1 etc4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,later ,,estimate ,,of ,,woman4 ,estimation in which ,women were held later--,cause and ,effect--,mental ,attainments despite of ,oppression and ,prohibition--,equal ,men in ,government1 etc4--,frivolity1 ,literature1 and ,home ,duties--,muscle not ,mind--,marriage ,ceremonies ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,sexes ,,equal ,,at ,,creation4 ,created ,equal--,genesis iii1 #af1 considered--,monogamy--,lapse into ,heathenism--,polygamy--,the ,patriarchs--,the ,law of ,maid-servants and ,bondwomen--,divorce2 ,christ recognized the ,equality of ,right therein--,eminent ,women of ,israel--,virtue and ,vice of no ,sex ,,chapter ,v4 ,,new ,,testament ,,teachings4 ,the ,new ,testament ,scriptures--,how they ,define the ,position of ,women ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,woman ,,before ,,the ,,law4 ,equally amenable to ,laws1 ,human and ,divine--,to rear and govern a ,family rightly1 requires ,sound ,judgment--,relative ,mental ,capacity of the ,sexes not yet fairly tested--,comparisons--,christianity has done much1 yet much remains to be done--,right in ,each ,other's ,property--,men juster than the ,laws--,query--,justice should be even-handed--,a ,united ,head--,women trained to perpetuate the ,wrongs of their ,sex ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,woman ,,and ,,legislation4 ,taxation without ,representation--,one-sided ,legislation--,similar ,objections urged against the ,extensions of ,franchise--,domestic ,discord--,present ,causes--,citizenship not ,inconsistent with ,home ,duties--,the ,state has been benefited at the ,risk of her ,life through all ,ages--,assertions confuted--,modern ,churches have departed from ,primitive ,usages--,the ,friends--,women as ,philanthropists1 ,public ,speakers1 ,artists1 ,physicians--,educated ,women during the ,late ,war--,the ,universities ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,famous ,,women ,,of ,,antiquity4 ,dido1 ,queen of ,carthage--,cleopatra--,lucretia--,zenob ia--,hypatia--,other ,famous ,names ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,eminent ,,women ,,of ,,modern ,,times4 ,the ,countess of ,montfort--,anna ,askew--,esther ,inglis--,lady ,pakington--,mrs4 ,mary ,washington--,mrs4 ,wesley--,mrs4 ,fletcher--,miss ,crosby--,ann ,hasseltine--,sarah ,h4,b4 ,judson--,the ,misses ,chandler--,other ,eminent ,characters of ,modern ,times ,,introduction4 ,christianity is the special friend of woman4 ,christian civilization has exalted her almost infinitely above the position to which either paganism or ,mohammedanism assigned her4 ,this elevation is the natural outgrowth of the example and teaching of ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,unlike other ancient great instructors1 he did not repel women from discipleship1 but cordially welcomed her presence wherever he taught4 ,his lessons of wisdom1 and his precious promises of life everlasting1 were in all their fullness addressed to her as freely as to the most honored of men4 ,his illustrations of sweeping the house to find the lost piece of silver1 and of the leaven hid in three measures of meal1 were drawn from her employments1 and were probably suggested by her presence4 ,to the cry of the poor ,syro-,phenician woman1 no less than to that of the centurion or nobleman1 did he give his attention and sympathy1 and with equal speed did he answer the agonizing prayer4 ,rising far above the trammels of ,jewish prejudice1 while he sat weary at the mouth of ,jacob's well1 he taught the beauty of spiritual worship to the astonished woman of ,samaria4 ,she became his first missionary to the people of her city1 to whom she told the story of his wonderful wisdom1 and said1 ,is not this the ,christ8 ,how kind must have been his spirit1 how tender his words1 to the sisters at ,bethany1 to cause the exclamation1 ,if thou hadst been here1 my brother had not died6 ,how consoling must have been his accents1 which drew the fair penitent to his feet1 and which led her1 in loving adoration1 to wash them with her tears and to wipe them with the hairs of her head6 ,how wonderful the manifestation of that ,divine condescension and love which elicited that gratitude which still lingers in the rich perfumes of the alabaster-box of precious ointment6 ,no marvel that women followed him from ,galilee1 stood sorrowfully beholding his crucifixion1 and when he was taken from the cross1 followed after and beheld the sepulcher1 and how his body was laid4 ,their devotion was rewarded1 on the morning of his resurrection1 by their being made the first messengers of his glorious triumph4 ,on such perfect equality were men and women placed by the blessed ,savior as to terms of salvation and ,gospel privileges1 that the apostle exclaims1 ,in ,christ ,jesus there is neither male nor female4 ,all are members of his body1 and in him all become one4 ,as ,christian influences more fully control society1 and as the spirit of ,christ permeates the masses1 the position of woman becomes more elevated4 ,she is no longer considered as a slave1 and compelled to bear every burden1 as in savage life2 nor is she a mere attendant1 or minister to sensual pleasure1 as among the ,mohammedans4 ,the bars are removed from the doors of the harem1 and the veil is taken from her face4 ,she sits with the family at the table1 entertains her guests1 and enjoys their society4 ,she studies with her brothers in the same school1 recites to the same teachers1 and reads the same books4 ,with her friends1 she joins in the service and song and worship of1 the sanctuary1 converses in the social assembly1 and listens to distinguished speakers as they discuss topics of literature1 art1 science1 or statesmanship4 ,the cry of suffering humanity touches her heart1 and she is deeply interested in the great movements toward the elevation of the race4 ,in this ascent1 every step she has taken has been in opposition to the protest of the spirit of other civilizations1 which yet lurks in many a breast4 ,to be seen by strangers1 to have her face unveiled1 to sit in public assemblies1 to study sciences and arts1 is contrary to nature1 is an offense against purity1 and tends to destroy her loveliness1--said these inveterate croakers4 ,yet society recognized her influence and power1 and believed she had both rights and duties4 ,step by step1 odious laws have been repealed1 her right to her own property has been in great measure secured1 doors of usefulness have been opened before her1 her voice is welcomed from the platform1 and her writings from the press4 ,she visits the sick and the prisoner1 and pleads for the suffering1 until hospitals and asylums are founded in their behalf4 ,she soothes the sorrows of the aged1 takes the hand of the orphan to lead him in paths of safety1 and in the tumult of war ministers to the wounded and dying4 ,amidst her general activity1 many questions arise as to what further avenues of usefulness may properly open4 ,how far may she engage in business1 and in what branches8 what is her proper work in the ,church1 and to what extent may she perform public religious services8 is she properly a citizen1 and what privileges or rights should she enjoy8--are inquiries which are considered and discussed4 ,the greatest interest is at present excited by the question1 ,should women have the ballot8 and both in this country and in ,england it has able advocates and strong opponents4 ,it can not be denied that the answer of the large majority is in the negative1 and that in many instances this answer comes in the form of the laugh of ridicule or in the sneer of contempt4 ,such is the fate of all incipient efforts for reformation2 but where a cause is intrinsically just1 it can survive and triumph4 ,without entering into the general discussion1 two points may be briefly noted4 ,first1 this question is considered only in ,christian lands4 ,it is not even heard of elsewhere4 ,it is mooted only in countries where the ,bible is placed in the hands of the common people4 ,it is strong only where free institutions have been established1 and where liberal ideas have prevailed4 ,it is the outgrowth of ,bible freedom4 ,secondly1 many of its opponents are persons of strong intellect1 of broad views1 of great benevolence1 and of unquestioned piety4 ,yet in the opposition we find also all1 or nearly all1 of the most ignorant classes of society4 ,we find also in the opposition1 with very few exceptions1 the entire class of venders of intoxicating drinks1 drunkards1 gamblers1 and other notoriously vicious characters4 ,is there any reason for such an aggregation8 ,on the other hand1 the friends of the measure1 though fewer in number1 are generally found among the intelligent and religious members of the community4 ,it is true that a few of those who desired to be recognized as leaders of the movement are known as free-thinkers or infidels2 and a still smaller number have been advocates of free-love and other loathsome vagaries4 ,the opponents of the cause have skillfully presented their names as representatives of the idea1 and have thus cast such odium upon it that many timid persons1 dreading even an apparent association with them1 have feared to express their own convictions4 ,these odious parties1 however1 are very few in number1 and their influence is constantly diminishing4 ,there can be no question that four-fifths of the friends of female suffrage are to-day active members of various ,christian ,churches2 and of them no small number are ministers distinguished for their learning1 benevolence1 and piety4 ,the signs of the times indicate a determined struggle between temperance and intemperance4 ,the use of intoxicating liquors is the source of nine-tenths of all the dark and terrible crimes that disgrace humanity4 ,it whets the assassin's dagger1 and pours poison into the cup of the suicide4 ,it beggars the laborer1 breaks the heart of the anguished wife1 and starves the helpless children4 ,it fills jails and penitentiaries with victims1 and hospitals and asylums with the injured and hopelessly wrecked4 ,it fastens on society an army of police to be supported1 and it oppresses the land with taxes4 ,the money amassed by the venders buys our legislators1 corrupts our judges and governors1 and controls our political parties4 ,who shall stay its ravages1 or curtail its power8 ,my conviction is1 and for years has been1 that the only hope is in giving the ballot to women4 ,true1 some women love strong drink1 and some are vile2 yet the vast majority are utterly opposed to intemperance4 ,none so well as the drunkard's wife knows the terrible evil1 or so keenly feels its pangs4 ,could the mother1 who bows her head in sorrow as she beholds her loved boy hastening to ruin2 the wife1 whose once affectionate husband has been transformed into a demon2 the daughter1 whose cheek has been mantled with shame at her father's fall1 and who has suffered the bitterness of blasted hopes and of dismal poverty1--could they have the ballot1 how quickly would the rum-shops be closed1 and our youth be preserved from multi-fold temptations6 ,what other triumph could compare with this8 ,with this conviction1 ,i hail with pleasure this volume from the pen of ,dr4 ,webster4 ,it discusses an important question calmly1 clearly1 forcibly4 ,i may not agree with all of his positions1 or with some of his ,biblical criticisms1 yet ,i believe the work possesses much merit1 will lead to serious thoughtfulness1 and be productive of good4 ,i also rejoice that the enterprising publishers whose names appear on the imprint have added this volume to their catalogue1 and have thus given the influence of their names1 and their widely extended means of circulation1 to a cause so intimately connected with the interests of humanity4 ,the ,church1 in its various denominations1 and by its varied agencies1 must ever be1 as it ever has been1 the leader and the guide in great moral movements4 ,m4 ,,simpson4 ,,woman ,,man',s ,,equal4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,natural ,rights4 ,in the discussion of the question of woman's equality with man1 ,i purpose to prove from the ,bible1 as ,i believe ,i can1 that at the creation there was neither superiority nor inferiority ordained between ,adam and ,eve2 and that the partial distinctions which have for ages existed1 and which still exist1 are of man's invention2 and may1 therefore with propriety1 be examined1 and1 where found unfair or oppressive1 may be justly condemned4 ,i hope also to be able to establish the fact1 from history1 that in every age1 whenever an opportunity has afforded itself1 women have proved themselves to be fully men's equals in intellectual capacity1 in morality1 industry1 and religion2 and that1 in matters of government1 they have proved themselves to be as wise and judicious rulers as any of the opposite sex1 under the same1 or similar1 circumstances4 ,that the instances in which women have been called to places of power and responsibility in the ,state are comparatively rare1 is not to be attributed to natural incapacity or mental inferiority1 but to the fact of the persistent efforts made by men to keep them as much as possible in the background2 that in many instances women have broken the fetters of oppression and prejudice by which they were bound1 and have ascended the hill of fame in advance of their male opponents4 ,if1 then1 women have in other and darker ages over-leaped the formidable barriers placed in their way1 and thus benefited their respective nations1 and sometimes the world1 by their intrepidity1 why should obstructions be placed in their path now1 in this day of professed light and progress8 ,freedom1 improvement1 and righteousness ought to be the watchwords of the nations4 ,after enduring years of ridicule and contempt1 the advocates of women's rights begin to see some slight indications that their labors have not been altogether futile4 ,both in ,england and ,america the movement is now making considerable progress4 ,persons of wealth1 of high position in the social scale1 and of sound education1 have become its warm friends and advocates2 but1 so hard is it to remove old-time prejudice1 it is probable that many years may yet elapse before women will be allowed to enjoy equal rights and privileges with men4 ,all great reforms1 whether ,european or ,american1 are of slow growth1 and are usually denounced as running counter to ,scripture and common sense2 as witness the discussions on the disestablishment of the ,irish ,church in ,britain1 and on the abolition of slavery in the ,united ,states2 both of which reforms were fiercely assailed as contrary to the ,word of ,god and reason1 and declared to be in fact the offspring of infidelity4 ,but1 like these two great reforms1 when movements of vital importance are once inaugurated1 their arriving at perfection is but a matter of time4 ,right is almost always sure to prevail in the end4 ,the claiming for women equality with men1 not only in mental capacity1 but in civil and ecclesiastical rights1 may shock the preconceived opinions of many persons1 and will probably subject the individual advancing such views to the charge of fanaticism and false teaching2 yet we conceive the claim to be consistent with reason1 justice1 and the ,word of ,god2 and its full recognition to be of vital importance to the entire race of mankind4 ,in the discussion of this question1 the object will not be to flatter women1 or to give offense to men2 but simply to present the requirements of impartial justice with regard to a portion of the human race1 who1 because of their sex1 have for centuries been held in a position little1 if any1 better than that of slaves2 and who1 up to the present time1 are deprived of their natural rights and privileges by the laws of our own and other countries1 professedly civilized1 enlightened1 and ,christian4 ,while1 therefore1 the injustice suffered1 both in the past and the present1 by women1 will be briefly presented in the following pages1 there is still no wish to deprive the lords of creation of any really ,god-appointed privilege4 ,but should we happen to come in contact with the selfishness and the usurped prerogatives of men1 we will not hesitate to expose what we conceive to be grievous wrongs1 because of their antiquity4 ,there is no human tie so sacred as that of marriage2 and yet there is no covenant so generally violated in some way or other by many of the contracting parties4 ,the alliance1 it is true1 may be continued1 and even observed1 so far as the letter is concerned4 ,but what of the spirit8 ,when once true confidence is lost1 the sublime and exalted character of the relation is destroyed4 ,there is no longer any genuine affection1 or real union of heart1 between the parties4 ,nothing will destroy mutual confidence between two parties sooner than an arrogant assumption by one of them of fancied superiority over the other4 ,self-respect is an inherent principle in human nature4 ,the mind of prince and peasant is alike actuated by it1 and by an instinctive desire for freedom and independence of action1 for the advantages of civil and religious liberty1 and for the exercise of individual rights2 and this instinctive desire is no less strong in the hearts of women than of men4 ,it is impossible for a woman of proper discernment1 and of refined taste and liberal education1 to consider herself1 simply because of her sex1 inferior to her own male relatives1 or indeed to any one of the opposite sex1 of the same intellectual powers1 literary attainments1 and position in society4 ,nothing but the influence of a misdirected or perverted education1 or the most extreme degradation and ignorance1 can in any one induce the belief that woman is the inferior of man1 merely because she is a woman4 ,no business firm could remain together in harmony for a single day1 if it were understood that one of the partners assumed the position that he was superior to the other1 who1 prior to entering into the partnership1 had been received in the same social circles1 and who had brought into the business an equal proportion of funds and of business talent4 ,and doubly preposterous would the assumption be1 if it were based on the fact that the assumer was the larger or physically stronger man2 and1 because possessed of more of the animal nature than his partner1 it therefore became his right to dictate to and control the other4 ,such an assumption as this is no more absurd1 nor is the reasoning upon which it is based more illogical1 than that which asserts that woman1 because she is a woman1 is therefore an inferior1 to be ruled at the discretion of her husband or sons in her own home2 and that she ought to be contented to be considered such1 and to be so treated by her own nation and in her own family4 ,the carrying out of such an idea is more than absurd4 ,it is monstrous4 ,it is an imposition that has only been tolerated because the exactions are not in every case so bad as the system is capable of enforcing2 and it is one from which every advocate of ,christian liberty1 to be consistent with his profession1 should withdraw both countenance and toleration4 ,the history of woman's wrongs has for ages been written in tears1 often with her life-blood2 and yet the volume has1 in most instances1 been concealed in her own bosom1 notwithstanding its fearful weight4 ,but if1 at any time1 as sometimes happens1 unable to keep it hidden longer1 she unfolds the pages of her grief to others1 what an outcry is raised against her6 ,the oppressed ,italian peasant1 the ,russian serf1 the ,spanish or ,american black1 all1 if they are only of the male sex1 may make their wrongs public1 may even resist oppression to the death1 and be applauded for so doing4 ,but let a woman speak so that she can be heard1 no matter how great the outrages from which she has suffered1 let her couch her timid complaint in ever such delicate language1 and what a storm of invective is hurled at her6 ,the very act of complaining is declared--by the advocates of her inferiority--to be in itself unwifely1 indecent4 ,a woman's voice has no business to be heard outside of her own house2 nor there1 if her lord decrees otherwise1 say they4 ,it is asserted that she has been induced to give publicity to her sorrows--indeed1 has occasioned them--by peevishness or imprudence1 or by something worse2 and thus1 by an1 unfair1 sometimes an altogether false1 issue being raised1 the unhappy victim not merely of oppression1 but of downright brutality1 is shut off from justly merited sympathy4 ,and women1 too1 who are more fortunately situated1 in possessing somewhat kinder husbands1 or in being possessed by them1 shaping their views according to those entertained by the sterner sex1 unite with them in the condemnation of a sorrow-stricken sister2 and1 instead of making her burden lighter1 contribute to increasing its weight4 ,such women having never felt the iron pierce their own souls1 can not realize the woes of those in whose bosoms the barb is rankling at every pulsation1 and they weakly fancy that the sorrows of those suffering ones are but the inventions of an ill-ordered mind1 or1 at most1 that the picture has been overdrawn4 ,unkind men are not the only class1 however1 who assert the inferiority of the gentler sex4 ,if they were1 they might be disposed of in a very summary manner4 ,there is another class not less dangerous1 not less tyrannical or less arrogant1 though somewhat more plausible4 ,these speak1 when occasion suits1 quite eloquently1 often with indecorous flippancy1 of the great influence which the ladies are capable of exerting upon society2 and for the qualified good which the orators graciously concede that women have accomplished1 or may be capable of accomplishing1 they bespatter them with a sort of sneering praise that is absolutely insulting to a woman of common sense4 ,this style of fulsome flattery1 with some degree of soft attention1 graciously bestowed upon women1 these men deem adequate compensation for all the indignities put upon their so-called inferiors4 ,with what supreme contempt1 therefore1 must every right-minded woman listen to such harangues1 or read them when in print6 ,learned orators and divines and grave professors may1 indeed sometimes do1 soar away almost to the seventh heaven while recounting the heroic or generous actions of women in past ages4 ,admiring audiences are told that gentle women are the ministering angels1 sent by the wisdom of ,god to be the comforters of mankind upon earth1 as the beloved of our hearths and homes2 that the world1 without the gentle hand of woman to alleviate our sorrows1 would be a dark and dreary solitude swept by the whirlwinds of despair4 ,the delighted listeners are borne away on the wings of fancy--alas6 it is only fancy--till1 in imagination1 it would appear that woman had escaped from her worse than ,egyptian bondage1 had crossed1 without trouble1 the ,red ,sea1 passed the dreadful wilderness1 moved out from the plains of ,moab1 and1 by some peculiar magic of her own1 had been deftly wafted over ,jordan into the promised land2 that already she had gloried in the tumbling-down of the walls of ,jericho1 and had enjoyed the triumph of having the delegation of ,gibeonites coming1 in their old garments1 to seek an alliance with her as the chosen of the ,lord4 ,but let a woman allured by such an oration ask a right1 and how soon the strain is changed6 ,let her ask to be placed on an equality with man in regard to the holding of property1 or to civil or ecclesiastical rights1 or authority or position2 let the daughters ask equal rights and privileges with sons2 let them request admission into the same colleges and universities with their brothers1 so that they may compete with them for the honors and degrees conferred in such institutions1--and what then8 ,the flowery oratory is all gone4 ,the angels1 the heroic1 brave1 and virtuous women1 have suddenly become agitators whose conduct is unseemly4 ,they are ambitious1 indelicate1 not to say immodest1 bold-faced females--whether of the human or some other race we are not told4 ,forgetting1 apparently1 that the ,creator's universal law is liberty of thought and freedom of action1 coupled with a strict responsibility for the use of both1 those who are opposed to women exercising or enjoying equal rights with men1 contend1 as an excuse for their opposition1 that some of the women engaged in the present reform movement are extravagant in their demands1 and abuse the privileges they already possess4 ,precisely the same thing was said of the slaves in the ,south4 ,indeed1 the same argument1 variously worded1 has been used by oppressors in all ages4 ,ye are idle1 ye are idle1 is a very old cry4 ,but1 admitting that some women are injudicious and occasionally one is irreverent1 are not men1 in advocating their peculiar views on politics1 the same1 only in much larger proportion8 ,are they1 therefore1 deprived of the franchise or other privileges8 ,if men were obliged to come to such a standard as they lay down for women1 they would consider the measure meted out to them a very hard one4 ,still1 if it is a just and fair way of dealing with woman's suffrage and other questions of importance1 it is an equally just and fair way to deal with men concerning their right to exercise the franchise4 ,but1 though deprived of the civil and ecclesiastical privileges accorded to their sons and brothers1 women are yet held equally accountable with them for any infraction of these same civil and ecclesiastical laws4 ,not supposed to have sufficient mental capacity to understand what a law really means1 she is yet1 if she violates that law1 punished for such violation4 ,and1 in the face of all this1 it is sneeringly asked1 ,what can reasonable women want more than they already have8 ,the answer is simple3 ,equal rights and privileges with men4 ,and it is to be hoped1 for the honor of ,christianity and civilization1 that these will soon be accorded4 ,very much has been accomplished in several of the ,states of the ,republic1 in regard to giving women a proper position in civil and educational matters1 but much still remains to be done2 and just now it would seem doubtful which country will first accord the suffrage to them--,england or the ,united ,states4 ,eminent statesmen in both of these countries are moving in the matter4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,woman in ,antiquity4 ,in the preceding chapter it is mentioned that the intention is to present to the reader1 in as condensed a form as possible1 some of the indignities put upon women1 both in the past and the present1 so that the reader may be able to form a candid judgment on the subject of woman's rights and woman's wrongs4 ,we will1 therefore1 first consider the condition of the women of antiquity1 and of those in heathen and ,mohammedan lands2 and1 afterward1 her position in professedly civilized and ,christian countries4 ,after the dispersion of mankind at ,babel1 we behold1 through the mists of the surrounding gloom1 the various tribes into which the race had by that event become divided1 subsisting at first by the spontaneous fruits of the earth1 and by the chase4 ,then they became herdsmen1 tillers of the soil1 and traffickers1 varying these occupations by predatory warfare4 ,they are all astir1 passing to and fro through the wide extent of the regions as yet inhabited4 ,history1 so far as it deals with the earlier portion of this period1 necessarily derives its material from traditionary legends1 more or less credible1 as the case may be4 ,these recount the marvelous exploits--not unfrequently manifestly fabulous--of their rude heroes2 their deeds of might1 their noble enterprises1 their indomitable courage1 their persistent activity1 and often their deeds of most revolting cruelty4 ,of the women of this period we obtain but slight glimpses1 but sufficient to show that1 in their domestic arrangements1 the ancients early acted upon the principle1 that might makes right4 ,muscle appears to have been at a premium during these eras4 ,later1 the nations are found still engaged in war1 as if each esteemed the slaughtering of its neighbors the grandest and noblest of human achievements2 but their equipments indicate that1 meanwhile1 manufactures have been making some advancement4 ,warriors present a more formidable appearance than did those of former ages4 ,they are clad in armor1 and guard themselves with breastplates and with shields4 ,their glittering swords and spears1 their battle-axes and their bows1 are grasped in hands only too eager to use them2 and the combatants press proudly on toward the scene of conflict2 while others1 equally intrepid1 but less military in their tastes1 still employ themselves in the chase2 and the more indolent pursue pleasures of a less exciting character4 ,but where1 meanwhile1 are the counterparts of these--the wives1 sisters1 and daughters of these grim warriors and sturdy huntsmen1 or of these dreaming idlers8 ,in existence they certainly are2 but they exist only to drudge and suffer4 ,while their masters are employing or non-employing themselves1 according to the bent of their inclination1 they are cultivating the fields or watering and herding the flocks1 bearing heavy burdens1 carrying the luggage of their husbands to facilitate progress on the war-path2 or at home rearing up children1 who rarely rise up to call them blessed2 or they are waiting1 in submissive obedience1 at the feet of their reclining lords1 to be petted and caressed or cursed and kicked1 as passion or caprice may dictate--subjected alike to neglect1 contempt1 and abuse4 ,exceptions to this general rule doubtless occurred occasionally2 for irresponsible power does not of necessity convert every man into an unfeeling tyrant1 just as under other systems of slavery1 some were fortunate enough to fall into the hands of kind1 considerate owners1 whose hearts they inspired with love and tenderness2 but neither bound wife nor bond slave was treated with kindness1 respect1 or common justice1 because their inherent right to be so treated was recognized4 ,it mattered little to the women of this period whether they were held as wives or concubines2 their actual condition was that of slavery4 ,in none of the countries of antiquity had women more liberty than in ,egypt2 and yet what was her real condition there8 ,alexander remarked1 it is true1 that though the women promised obedience1 men often yielded it2 and1 in many instances1 it is equally true that the laws respecting women were immeasurably in advance of those of neighboring nations2 as1 for instance3 ,each wife had entire control of her own house4 ,among the princes nearest the throne1 women might take their places1 and even reign as sovereigns 7a regency was frequently committed to their care72 or they might rule as joint sovereigns with another party2 and as ,isis took rank above ,osiris1 so in such a case the woman might take rank above the man4,a ,but notwithstanding this advance beyond other nations1 they were still spoken of1 and in many instances not only treated as inferiors1 but held in hopeless bondage4 ,among the ,greeks1 the wife was at times permitted to take part in public assemblies1 but never as the equal of her husband4 ,she neither went with him to dinner1 when he dined out1 nor sat at table with those whom he invited to his house4 ,aristotle held that the relation of men to women is that of governor to a subject4 ,plato says3 ,a woman's virtue may be summed up in a few words3 for she has only to manage the house well1 keeping what there is in it1 and obeying her husband4 ,again1 in further proof of the low estimation in which he held women1 he says3 ,of the men that were born1 such as are timid and have passed through life unjustly are1 we suppose1 changed into women in their second generation4 ,plutarch tells us that women were compelled to go barefoot1 in order to induce them to keep at home4 ,the ,spartan women were better off than their neighbors2 and1 in consequence1 we get glimpses of a higher type of womanhood4 ,the ,spartan mother has furnished a theme for the pen of every ancient ,greek historian4 ,under the ,lycurgean system1 women were considered as a part of the ,state1 and not simply household articles belonging to their husbands--chattels to be disposed of according to the supreme pleasure of their masters4 ,free women were trained for the service of the ,state with scarcely less severity than men4 ,lycurgus remarks3 ,female slaves are good enough to sit at home1 weaving and spinning2 but who can expect a splendid offspring--the appropriate mission and duty of free ,spartan women toward their country--from mothers brought up in such occupations8 ,but though1 like the ,egyptian women1 and indeed in advance of them1 the ,spartan women were treated with1 for the times1 a marked degree of attention and respect1 still1 even in ,sparta1 there were laws in force by which women suffered grievous injustice4 ,with all the apparent freedom accorded to them1 fathers claimed and exercised the right of disposing of their daughters in marriage to suit their own views or interests4 ,though free-born1 a girl had no choice1 if her father willed it so1 in the selection of her husband2 and husbands might1 if they wished1 dispose of their wives by will1 at death1 as they would of any other piece of property4 ,though in a measure free1 because she was a woman1 she was still a slave4 ,among the other infringements of the rights of women1 and one of the most barbarous1 common to the heathen1 both ancient and modern1 and to the ,mohammedans1 is early betrothal4 ,in fact1 the system of betrothal prevailed to a very great extent among the very earliest nations of which history furnishes any account1 the laws affecting it being only slightly modified to suit the circumstances of the various tribes by which it was adopted4 ,the main feature was still the same--the girl had no choice2 there was nothing for her but submission4 ,the lot of woman in ,china has1 from time immemorial1 been a hard one4 ,says a writer in the ,westminster ,review for ,october1 #ahee3 ,of all nations1 the ,chinese carry out the system of early betrothal most completely2 parents in ,china not only bargain for the marriage of their children during their infancy1 but while they are yet unborn4 ,if1 when a daughter is betrothed during infancy1 the contract should not assume the form of actual sale1 it is nevertheless usual for the bridegroom1 at the time he acquires possession of the bride1 to pay into the hands of her father a sum considered equivalent to the current value of a wife4 ,immortality is denied to woman by them4 ,a ,christian1 intent on the evangelization of the ,chinese1 spoke to one regarding the salvation of their women4 ,women1 replied the ,chinaman2 women have no souls4 ,you can't make ,christians of them4 ,few persons born in civilized lands1 unless brought into immediate contact with the heathen1 can have any idea of the wretched condition of their women1 even at this day4 ,kept in a state of abject bondage1 they are compelled to serve with rigor4 ,controlled as though they were possessed of less intelligence than male children of tender years1 it might yet be supposed1 from the burdens laid upon them1 that they were possessed of far superior strength1 physically1 than men4 ,in some countries--not all of them heathen or ,mohammedan either--the amount of labor imposed upon women of the lower orders in society would task the strength of beasts of burden4 ,the only exercise of reason allowed among such1 is a sort of instinct which will enable them to perform all kinds of drudgery1 and to act with scrupulous fidelity to their unkind1 very often brutal and faithless1 husbands--task-masters would be the better name4 ,of women under such rule1 it may truly be said1 the grave is their best1 their only friend4 ,among the ,arabs1 prior to ,mohammed1 the women were in a wretchedly debased condition1 which has been but slightly improved by the rules of the ,koran4 ,by its sanction1 wives were bought by their husbands1 though it was asserted that it was not lawful for men to exchange their wives4 ,the price paid by ,mohammed for his wives1 of which he had nine1 varied1 according to their rank and beauty1 from one to one hundred dollars each4 ,the common people procured theirs at a cheaper rate4 ,specific directions are given1 too1 for the proper government of women4 ,those wives1 says ,mohammed1 whose perverseness ye may be apprehensive of1 rebuke1 and remove them into separate apartments1 and chastise them4,b ,when such precepts as these were laid down in the ,koran1 which was considered a direct revelation from ,god1 it is not surprising that the severest punishment was inflicted on women who attempted to exercise any control over themselves or their households4 ,the will of the proud1 insolent ,arab was supreme1 whether his demands were reasonable or otherwise2 having bought his wives cheap1 he might maltreat or divorce them at pleasure4 ,like the ,chinese1 the ,mohammedan women are denied the hope of immortality4 ,earthly women1 when they die1 cease to have any existence2 but men1 if faithful to ,mohammed1 are to enter paradise1 and be associated with a new race of transcendently beautiful female beings4 ,the glories of eternity1 says the ,koran1 will be eclipsed by the resplendent 'women of paradise1' created 'not of clay1 as mortal women are1 but of pure musk1 and free from all natural impurities1 defects1 and inconveniencies incident to the sex2 444 secluded from public view in pavilions of hollow pearl4',c ,a distinguished ,european writer observes3 ,the ,hindoos seem to have legislated with the greatest care and detail concerning women4 ,yet by no people1 legally speaking1 is her individuality more entirely ignored2 and in no country is the slavery in which she lives1 at once so systematic1 refined1 and complete as it is in ,india1 where the lawgiver and the priest are one4 ,the oppressive custom of life-long guardianship is expressly ordained4 ,by a girl1 or by a woman advanced in years1 nothing must be done1 even in her own dwelling-place1 according to her mere pleasure4 ,in childhood must a female be dependent on her father1 in youth on her husband2 her lord being dead1 on her sons2 if she have no sons1 on the near kinsman of her husband2 if he left no kinsman1 on those of her father2 if she have no parental kinsman1 on the sovereign4 ,a woman must never seek independence4,d ,not permitted to have any discretionary power over her own actions at any period of her life1 but held in every respect subject to the will of her husband1 or some other male guardian1 she is nevertheless to be unswervingly faithful to her lord while he lives2 and no matter how cruelly he may have treated her1 she is loaded with contumely1 reproach1 and scorn1 if she refuses to lay herself upon the funeral pile1 and in the flames pass into another state of being1 to do honor to him who through life had been an unrelenting tyrant4 ,knowing the obloquy which attaches itself to the widow who recoils from such a fearful death-bed1 and ignorant1 too1 of the better way1 the unfortunate creature generally yields to the pressure brought to bear upon her1 and terminates a miserable life by an awful death2 her horrid shrieks1 while burning1 mingling with the clamor of sounds raised to drown them by the heartless throng of spectators1 and yet sometimes rising with distressing distinctness above them4 ,when the wife of a ,hindoo dies1 does he sacrifice himself upon a funeral pile1 in order to honor her in another state of existence8 ,by no means4 ,his precious body can not be committed to the flames2 they are too hot for his manly courage4 ,he burns her corpse with what are termed appropriate offerings2 and1 if so disposed1 adds a new wife to his household1 thus soothing his sorrow4 ,in ,australia1 the practice of early betrothal is nearly universal among the natives2 men of distinction having several wives at the same time1 and these varying in age from the little child to the woman of mature years4 ,but while polygamy prevails to a fearful extent among the men of the wealthier class1 many of the men of the humbler ranks remain unmarried1 because they are unable to raise the purchase-money which secures them their domestic drudge4 ,in the western part of ,australia1 especially before the benefits of civilization began to be felt in the island1 it was the practice to betroth the daughters to some individual1 immediately upon their birth2 and should the man1 or male child to whom the infant girl was betrothed1 die before she arrived at maturity1 she became the property of the heirs of her betrothed husband1 though she might never have seen either this reputed husband1 or the person who1 as his representative1 claimed her as his wife by virtue of the betrothal4 ,in ,new ,zealand1 if the spouse of a female child dies before she is taken to his home1 she is never allowed to marry any one else4 ,by this custom young children become the widows of little boys or old men1 according to the whims of their fathers4 ,another horrible practice of the ,australians is1 the exchange of daughters by their fathers4 ,this is very common among the chiefs1 the exchange being made with as little concern as jockeys exchange their horses4 ,it is stated that the poorer men sometimes supplied themselves with wives after the manner of the ,romans in the case of the ,sabine ,rape2 and that when victorious in war1 the women and girls captured were taken as wives1 while the male prisoners were put to death4 ,but where they were able to afford it1 they preferred the betrothal system1 as giving them more consequence4 ,not only in ,australia1 but in the other countries where early betrothal was practiced1 if1 when a boy grew up1 he formed a dislike to his betrothed1 or for some other whim desired to cast her off1 he was at liberty to do so1 but no such privilege was granted the girl4 ,then1 as now in civilized nations1 those making the laws were careful to make them all to their own advantage4 ,in the foundation of some of the nations of antiquity1 men were frequently gathered1 from almost every quarter of the then known globe1 to the particular spot that seemed best suited for the purposes of self-aggrandizement2 and1 in the rude horde thus congregated together1 there was necessarily an undue preponderance of the male element4 ,in some instances1 not one woman was to be found in such a community4 ,the tribes more immediately contiguous to these settlements1 if such they might be called1 were not inclined to enter into friendly relations with them1 and therefore they were unable to supply themselves with wives in the usual manner2 consequently1 they had recourse to other means4 ,sometimes women were procured by stratagem2 sometimes bands of marauders sallied forth1 and stole1 or in some other equally exceptionable way took possession of1 the women of the neighboring or of hostile tribes4 ,ordinarily1 the poor victims submitted to their fate with the best grace they might2 but if one thus taken by force attempted to make her escape from him who claimed her as his wife1 and was unfortunate enough to be retaken1 a spear1 or some similar weapon1 was thrust through the fleshy portion of one of her limbs1 effectually disabling her from making another attempt of the kind2 and not unfrequently the combined bodily pain and mental anguish terminated in death--a happy release4 ,in process of time1 however1 the various tribes began to regard each other with less aversion than formerly2 and it became safer and more profitable to purchase women1 on the same principle that any other kind of merchandise was bought4 ,prices were regulated according to the supply in the market and the beauty or the muscular strength of the hapless creatures exposed for sale4 ,fathers sold or exchanged their daughters1 brothers their sisters1 without the slightest shame or remorse4 ,among the ,tambanks1 in exchanging the women for stock1 a woman1 full-grown and of ordinary strength1 was considered equal in value to two cows or one ox4 ,as the settlements became more permanent1 assuming by degrees the character of established nations1 and the centers of enterprise grew into populous cities1 the barter and exchange traffic naturally declined2 but in its place were established regular markets for the sale of female slaves4 ,civilization was beginning to make some slight progress2 and fathers began to entertain doubts regarding the propriety of selling their own flesh and blood1 though they did not hesitate to buy their wives4 ,the slaves who were exposed in the marketplaces1 therefore1 were generally the overplus not desired in the harems of those who had captured them in war2 and as the most beautiful brought the highest market-price1 the public exhibitions of the poor unfortunates drew thither crowds of gaping people--some merely curious1 some intent on business4 ,even in more modern days1 the slave-markets of the ,east1 and in the ,southern ,states of the ,american ,republic1 have attracted crowds of spectators--some to condemn the horrible practice1 some to compassionate the unhappy victims1 but most to engage in the monstrous traffic4 ,it is not necessary to review further1 in detail1 the condition of women in the various nations as they sprang into existence1 or through the successive periods of their history to the commencement of the ,christian era4 ,various causes brought about a partial liberty for women1 in both the ,jewish and ,roman nations1 prior to the birth of ,christ2 but for those of other lands the blackness of darkness still remained4 ,it was but a partial liberty1 it is true1 even for the ,hebrew or ,roman women1 but their condition was much improved4 ,concessions had been made slowly4 ,they had come in shreds1 and had not amounted to much in ameliorating their situation when they came2 but slight as were the privileges yielded1 they were yet indications of the dawning of a brighter day for ,eve's poor daughters4 ,the reformations effected were like wresting prey from the mighty4 ,and how could it be otherwise1 with selfishness and love of power1 sustained by unjust and one-sided laws1 arrayed against merely natural rights--not demanded1 scarcely even asserted--and those to whom these rights belonged excluded from every position where they might hope to do either the one or the other successfully8 ,the law of divorce was still common2 and1 like every thing else where the sexes were concerned1 all the advantages were on the side of the oppressor1 man4 ,the laws of the ,romans1 though according a greater degree of freedom to woman than had hitherto been granted1 were still not only imperfect1 but were not properly carried out1 in many instances1 where it suited venal judges to side with wealthy libertines who might have it in their power to bestow a favor4 ,professedly1 each ,roman had but one wife2 but divorces1 on most frivolous pretexts1 were of frequent occurrence1 granted in favor of one who wished to gratify his licentious passions without rebuke4 ,slavery was yet in force2 and it gave ample opportunity for the practice of this injustice1 even upon the free-born ,roman woman4 ,every true ,roman held his wife's or his daughter's honor sacred1 and would resent to the death any attempt to violate it2 but1 by the connivance of corrupt officials1 the protection of an upright father was rendered of no avail1 by a perjurer being found who would appear before the proper tribunal and swear the maid or woman in question to be his slave4 ,the decision once given in the libertine's favor1 there was no longer hope for her--she was lost forever4 ,not always1 however1 would ,roman freemen tamely brook open injustice1 much less shame1 without revenging it1 though they died in doing so4 ,the case of ,appius--who was himself both the libertine and judge--is in point4 ,having set his licentious eyes upon the beautiful ,virginia--daughter of ,virginius1 a centurion of the army--and having in vain sought to obtain possession of her person by tampering with the matron who conveyed her to and from her school1 he induced an equally licentious individual1 one ,claudius1 to claim her as his slave1 and bring the matter before himself for decision4 ,in vain the anguished father asserted that ,virginia was his child4 ,with an air of apparent impartiality1 ,appius decreed that she belonged to ,claudius1 who thereupon proceeded to remove her4 ,the father begged that they might at least be allowed to take leave of each other1 which request was granted1 on condition of their doing so in the presence of the oppressor4 ,drawing the girl1 now nearly dead from fright1 toward himself1 and also toward the shambles1 adjoining which they were1 he snatched thence a knife1 and1 before any suspected his intention1 stabbed her to the heart1 crying1 ,this alone can preserve your honor and your freedom4,e ,the fearful deed of the centurion is appalling2 but remember his ideas of right and wrong were veiled in pagan darkness4 ,he took the life of his child to save her from a fate incomparably worse than that of death2 and made his name historic by doing so4 ,thousands of fathers have found their efforts to protect the innocence of their daughters as unavailing as did the unhappy ,virginius1 unless1 like him1 they shortened life4 ,the victims1 too1 are as little free-will agents in the matter as ,virginia would have been2 and many thousands of daughters have fallen1 not by their father's hand to save their honor1 but by cruel deception1 and died to all that was beautiful or pure on earth1 and to every hope of heaven4 ,and while the woman who has sinned1 and fallen through that sin1 is pitied by few1 despised by nearly all1 and but little effort made to win her back to the path of purity1 how is the companion of her sin treated8 ,he1 the seducer--often the grossest of deceivers1 the instigator of the crime--because he is a man1 is countenanced by the many1 his conduct palliated1 and himself received as an honored guest1 even in the highest circles of society4 ,the law of ,god makes no distinction between the male violator of ,his holy law and the female violator of the same2 but man1 arrogating to himself superior wisdom1 makes a very marked one4 ,no wonder1 then1 that women groan because of their bondage4 ,,footnotes3 ,footnote ,a3 ,sharpe's ,history of ,egypt4 ,footnote ,b3 ,koran1 chap4 iv4 ,footnote ,c3 ,sale's ,preliminary ,discourses on the ,koran1 sec4 #d4 ,footnote ,d3 ,laws of ,menu4 ,footnote ,e3 ,bloss1 page #ccd4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,later ,estimate of ,woman4 ,in the discussion of the position occupied by women as wives1 those only have been spoken of who were betrothed in infancy1 or were captured1 stolen1 or bought4 ,these latter were1 without further ceremony1 merely taken home to the abode of their future husband and lord4 ,in the later periods of antiquity1 betrothal terminated in a marriage ceremony1 the rite varying according to the prevailing customs of each nation4 ,opinions with regard to the qualifications which ought to be possessed by a woman to fit her for marriage--which were1 in fact1 considered indispensable--were as various as the nations or the rites2 and1 truth to tell1 are about as conflicting now as they were centuries ago4 ,in all the ages1 and in every country1 one thing seemed to be agreed upon1 however1 and sedulously kept in view2 namely1 woman's inferiority4 ,let her be free-born or a slave1 to be married or bought1 she must still be a bondwoman--a creature subject to guardianship4 ,after men began to desire wives who were not altogether drudges1 women began to be esteemed in proportion to their beauty1 not their wisdom or good judgment4 ,a fine figure1 delicate hands1 and handsome face1 with fascinating manners1 a graceful carriage1 and such accomplishments as were the fashion1 quite regardless of the accomplishments of head or heart1 were all that were required by the class of men who could afford to keep such dainty wares4 ,but love1 inspired by such attractions as these and nothing else1 is ever fickle as the wind4 ,when health declined and beauty faded1 the fire of passion1 misnamed love1 died out2 and the hapless wife frequently found herself deserted--if not openly1 none the less shamefully--for a younger rival1 whose eye was brighter and whose cheek more plump4 ,then shrewd women began to study artifice4 ,deception is wrong1 without doubt2 but before we too severely censure these women1 let us remember how deeply they were wronged1 how great their temptations1 how much they had at stake4 ,in order to retain any thing like a comfortable or respectable position in their husband's houses1 the waning beauties resorted to flattery and to the invention and skillful use of various articles which would conceal the declension of beauty or artfully counterfeit it4 ,the ways and means by which attractiveness of face and figure might be enhanced1 preserved1 or simulated1 became the subject of serious study--something neither to be sneered at nor laughed at4 ,the happiness of a life-time often depended upon it4 ,the sex1 taught by a bitter experience1 learned that men1 as a rule1 were more easily influenced by blandishment and show than by good sense and genuine worth1 and1 with a few exceptions1 strove somewhat to better their condition by practicing the lesson so learned4 ,if1 in the long run1 women became frivolous1 brainless1 and heartless1 why was it8 ,there were1 however1 in all ages1 exceptions4 ,women1 yielding to the ,god-given yearning after higher and better things than idle frivolities1 and longing just as ardently for love and happiness in their married homes1 sought to work out life's problem differently1 and went to work as rational creatures4 ,breaking through or over the obstacles which debarred them from enjoying or making use of the sources of information open to the opposite sex1 they strove to cultivate their minds and store them with useful knowledge1 that they might indeed be helpmeets for their husbands1 and so not only win1 but by true worth retain1 their love4 ,then those who had hitherto sneered at woman's incapacity for intellectual attainments1 or lectured her roundly for frivolity1 heartlessness1 and deception1 sneered all the more at her presumption in fancying her heart1 or head either1 required any other cultivation than man1 in his wisdom1 saw fitting4 ,any thing at all likely to elevate woman to her proper place of equality with her husband1 must be put down at once and forever1 if possible4 ,but1 notwithstanding all the pains taken to place women in an inferior position1 and keep them there1 they have1 in many instances1 despite the sneers and persecutions of the opposite sex1 proved their aptitude in acquiring knowledge2 and1 when placed in positions to call forth such powers1 have manifested a judicious tact in the government of nations or generalship of armies1 quite equal to men1 with all their vaunted superiority4 ,nor did those women who thus distinguished themselves1 or those who in private life became proficients in the various branches of science or in music1 poetry or the languages1 necessarily neglect their homes and families in consequence4 ,experience1 in our own times1 proves exactly the reverse4 ,dereliction of duty with regard to home duties results much more frequently from devotion to fashionable pleasures--considered quite allowable and womanly--than from the pursuit of literature4 ,that marriage was designed by the ,creator for the mutual benefit1 help1 and happiness of those entering into that relation1 there can be no doubt2 but1 through the selfishness of man--helped on by the fact that1 like the partner referred to previously1 he was physically the stronger of the two--the gracious purposes of the ,creator were lost sight of1 or ignored4 ,and ,god suffered it so to be1 for the time1 just as he did other forms of slavery and outcrying sins of various kinds4 ,it has been said that the marriage ceremonies and festivals were as various as the several nations in which they were performed4 ,a description of a few of these may not be uninteresting4 ,among the ,jews1 the period of betrothal having expired1 the marriage was celebrated by a feast1 the bride being arrayed as magnificently as her circumstances would allow4 ,if the contracting parties were distinguished personages1 the ceremony was frequently celebrated at night1 the bridal party1 carrying their lamps or torches with them1 going forth in procession to meet and do honor to the bridegroom4 ,with the ,romans1 the consent of the father or guardian of the maiden having been obtained1 a sacrifice was prepared4 ,the gall was carefully removed1 and the propitiatory offering made to the gods4 ,to have been emblematical1 the gall should have been presented to the bride4 ,in most cases1 it fell to her lot4 ,on the wedding-day the bridegroom1 with his attendants1 presented himself at the place designated for the performance of the ceremony1 where he was met by the bride1 gorgeously appareled1 and her maids4 ,then1 in presence of her father or guardian and proper witnesses1 the pair went through a formula of words as given them by the officiating priest4 ,on the completion of this part of the ceremony1 the company partook of a cake made of flour1 salt1 and water4 ,this was the original bride-cake4 ,after night1 the bride1 accompanied by her relatives and maids of honor1 was escorted with due pomp to the residence of the bridegroom1 the door of which she found bound with strings1 over which she was obliged to step4 ,having effected an entrance1 she received the keys of the house1 and the bridegroom and herself again repeated1 after the priest1 the formula which had been gone over earlier in the day4 ,then1 having touched fire and water1 and sacrificed to the domestic gods1 which were placed on the table1 the wedding festivities commenced1 and were continued till midnight1 when the guests dispersed4 ,in ,india1 the magnificence of the marriage-feast can scarcely be imagined1 especially when celebrated by torch-light procession4 ,in almost all the nations of antiquity1 who had any marriage ceremony at all1 a woman's wedding-day was one of splendor and apparent honor1 the only day in which any of her wishes were deferred to during her whole lifetime4 ,light was soon lost in darkness--anticipated pleasure in disappointment1 degradation1 and despair4 ,the day of her death was the first day of her freedom4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,the ,sexes ,equal at ,creation4 ,from the arguments brought forward by the advocates of woman's inferiority1 it might be inferred that she was designed1 from the very dawn of creation1 for man's servant1 not for his companion2 and1 indeed1 it is not only inferred by the great mass of mankind1 but broadly asserted to be the fact by very many who1 from their knowledge of the history of creation1 ought to know better4 ,those who have striven to establish this doctrine have contrived to bring the ,scriptures to their aid by wresting them to suit their own particular view of the question1 and in this manner have endeavored to silence any controversy respecting their dogma4 ,the result has been--and it is the legitimate result of such a pernicious course--that this wresting of the ,scriptures1 and its having been allowed for a length of time to go unchallenged by the ,christian world1 has produced scores of infidels1 who1 not having examined the ,word of ,god critically for themselves1 have accepted as true expositions of the doctrines contained therein the statements of men1 apparently supported by isolated texts1 separated from their contexts2 and thus1 having been led to believe that the ,scriptures sanctioned1 if they did not enforce1 manifest injustice1 they have repudiated the whole as unworthy of belief4 ,a deplorable conclusion1 truly6 ,then1 though responsible for this infidelity through their perversion of ,scripture1 these same writers1 or those of a kindred spirit1 denounce every argument or movement in favor of the equal rights and privileges of women as evil1 and only evil1 and necessarily evil1 because among the advocates of measures according these rights there are found some men and women who are skeptics4 ,but what say the ,scriptures upon the subject8 ,in the history of the creation1 there given1 we search in vain for any evidence of the ,divine appointment1 at that time1 of masculine domination4 ,and ,god said1 ,let us make man in our image1 after our likeness3 and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea1 and over the fowl of the air1 and over the cattle1 and over all the earth1 and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth4 ,so ,god created man in his own image1 in the image of ,god created he him2 male and female created he them4 ,and ,god blessed them1 and ,god said unto them1 ,be fruitful1 and multiply1 and replenish the earth1 and subdue it2 and have dominion over the fish of the sea1 and over the fowl of the air1 and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth4,f ,this dominion of the human race over the inferior creation seems to have been the only dominion instituted at the time of the creation2 nor is there any indication that it was to be confined to the male portion of the race4 ,as between the human pair1 there is not here the slightest intimation given of the subjection of the one to the other4 ,the ,great ,infinite in wisdom1 who created them1 and who could not be mistaken in their capacities1 appears to have placed them on a perfect equality1 committing to them conjointly the dominion over the earth and all that it contained4 ,in the second chapter of ,genesis we find a brief recapitulation of the events narrated in the first1 the sacred historian entering more fully into the creation of the woman4 ,god1 in his wisdom1 saw that ,adam was not sufficient alone to sway the mighty scepter over the vast domain about to be intrusted to him2 therefore he created for him an helpmeet1 and gave them a joint authority over the rest of creation4 ,and the ,lord ,god said1 ,it is not good that man should be alone2 ,i will make him an helpmeet for him4444 ,and the ,lord ,god caused a deep sleep to fall upon ,adam1 and he slept2 and he took one of his ribs1 and closed up the flesh thereof2 and the rib1 which the ,lord ,god had taken from the man1 made he a woman1 and brought her to the man4,g ,this implies1 says a distinguished commentator upon ,holy ,writ1 that the woman was a perfect resemblance of the man1 possessing neither inferiority nor superiority1 but being in all things like and equal to himself4 ,thus it was in the beginning4 ,but1 in process of time1 men1 glorying in the physical strength in which they excelled women1 refused to recognize as its equivalent the peculiar qualities and faculties possessed by women which were lacking in themselves4 ,and overlooking the importance of the duties which the mothers of mankind were discharging1 they plumed themselves upon their own prowess1 and concluded that women and all else were made only to minister to their pleasures4 ,reason and justice were obliged to succumb to the strong arm1 and women were forced into a subordinate position4 ,if the ,creator1 in the arrangements of his plans1 designed that women should be inferior to men in intellect and freedom of action1 then1 in regard to one-half of the human family1 ,god worked by the law of retrogression1 producing ,eve1 an inferior1 from ,adam1 a superior being2 which is clearly contrary to the law of progression1 and contrary to the general plan of his creation2 and1 if this be true1 the laws of progression and retrogression were to alternate perpetually4 ,is this supposition of inferiority in the case of woman consistent with what we know of ,god's method of working1 as given in the history of the creation8 ,let us recapitulate the whole briefly1 and see4 #a4 ,he created inanimate matter4 #b4 ,he brought vegetable life into existence4 #c4 ,the inhabitants of the waters were created4 #d4 ,the cattle after their kind4 ,still ascending1 ,god said3 ,let us make man in our image1 after our likeness4 ,so ,god created man in his own image1 in the image of ,god created he him2 male and female created he them4 ,here1 then1 we see that ,god created man from a portion of inanimate earth2 but that he produced the woman from a perfect portion of the perfect man1 plainly appears from the twenty-first and twenty-second verses of the second chapter of ,genesis1 which1 though quoted recently1 necessarily come in1 in this place4 ,and the ,lord ,god caused a deep sleep to fall upon ,adam1 and he slept2 and he took one of his ribs1 and closed up the flesh thereof2 and the rib1 which the ,lord ,god had taken from the man1 made he a woman1 and brought her unto the man4 ,and ,adam said1 ,this is now bone of my bones1 and flesh of my flesh3 she shall be called woman1 because she was taken out of man4,h ,prior to the fall1 then1 it is quite evident that woman was equal to man in every respect4 ,did ,eve1 then1 because she was first in the transgression1 forfeit her right of equality with ,adam1 who just as flagrantly transgressed the ,divine command2 or was the penalty inflicted in consequence of her disobedience another matter altogether8 ,genesis iii1 #af1 is usually brought forward to prove that1 if woman was not inferior before the fall1 she became so absolutely and unconditionally then4 ,a disinterested reader--could such be found--would scarcely so render it4 ,unto the woman he said1 ,i will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception2 in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children1 and thy desire shall be to thy husband1 and he shall rule over thee4 ,upon the latter clause of this verse1 separating it from all connection with the former part of the sentence1 with which1 however1 it is connected in the ,sacred ,word1 is based the dogma of the continued1 unchangeable curse of inferiority of all the daughters of ,eve1 and their obligation to serve and implicitly obey their husbands4 ,and yet if a wife1 in obedience to the command of her husband1 violates the law1 either of ,god or man1 she is the party held responsible4 ,if she is not possessed of sufficient mental capacity to judge for herself in all things1 how can she know when she should obey or when disobey8 ,if implicit obedience is her duty1 is there any justice1 then1 in punishing her for obeying the order of him whom she is bound to obey8 ,those who construe this and other portions of the ,word of ,god to suit themselves1 would protest loudly enough against the manifest injustice if it were meted out to them4 ,but we know there is no unrighteousness with ,god4 ,the ,bible expressly declares that ,god is no respecter of persons1 and that his ways are true and righteous altogether4 ,if then we examine this text 7,gen4 iii1 #af7 candidly1 even taking the generally accepted translation1 and construe it with the same fairness with which we would construe a sentence the meaning of which was not in dispute1 the conclusion arrived at would be very different from what it usually is2 and it would be apparent that the words1 ,and thy desire shall be to thy husband1 and he shall rule over thee1 has reference to the subject of generation1 of which the entire passage treats4 ,there are1 however1 some commentators who incline to the opinion that the words and he shall rule over thee1 might with equal propriety be rendered1 ,he shall have power with thee4 ,we know that at this very time the promise of the ,messiah--the seed that was to bruise the serpent's head--was given to the woman4 ,he1 thy husband1 shall have power with thee1 would not then be an inappropriate termination to the sentence relating to generation4 ,raschi1 a celebrated ,hebrew writer and rabbi1 who flourished in the twelfth century1 supports this reading1 ,he shall have power with thee2 but the majority of commentators and the ,talmud are against such a rendering4 ,it is to be borne in mind1 however1 that the ,talmud is not the ,pentateuch1 and that learned and sincerely pious commentators have differed1 and do so still1 as widely as the poles1 upon passages quite as easily understood as the one now under discussion4 ,there is no more proof in this verse that a woman is bound to serve and obey her husband1 in the common acceptation of the term1 than that a man is obligated to serve and obey his wife1 or worship her with his body--whatever that may mean--as he solemnly vows to do in certain marriage services4 ,the endowment with worldly goods and the worship promised1 were perhaps put in as an offset to the pledge of service and obedience4 ,certainly the man's vow to worship his wife is no more inconsistent than is the woman's to obey implicitly2 and her obedience1 if it is not implicit1 is not obedience at all1 but is merely acceding to the wishes of her husband when they accord with her own judgment4 ,infidels1 in seeking to disparage the ,word of ,god1 quote this passage and kindred ones1 and1 accepting the commonly received idea of their meaning1 endeavor to subvert the faith of the masses4 ,with those who do not carefully examine the matter for themselves1 they often succeed4 ,it has been asserted1 too1 by those who would wish the teachings of the ,koran to take precedence over those of the ,bible1 that the position accorded to women by the ,mosaic law was quite as degrading as that accorded to them by ,mohammed2 but a careful reading of the ,scripture warrants no such conclusion4 ,many matters are spoken of1 both in the law and the prophets1 as having been practised and tolerated1 and even rules given for their regulation1 which were by no means of ,divine appointment4 ,this distinction should always be carefully marked in regard to the sacred text2 and in addition to this it should be remembered that the ,word of ,god is not responsible for the erroneous opinions of mankind4 ,when the ,almighty placed human beings upon the earth1 he created one man and one woman1 destining them to be the progenitors of the entire race1 thereby indicating that monogamy was of ,divine appointment4 ,but original purity was soon departed from2 lawless passion was allowed to mar the beautiful completeness and concord of the marriage relation as instituted by ,god2 and1 in time1 many even of those who were nominal worshipers of the true ,god1 fell into polygamy4 ,the true idea and design of marriage1 and the rights of woman1 with the respect due to her1 was lost sight of1 and the requirements of the ,divine law set at nought4 ,men became the slaves of their own lusts4 ,god was not in all their thoughts4 ,iniquity prevailed to such a frightful extent that it repented the ,lord that he had made man upon the earth1 and it grieved him at his heart4,i ,at this time of general apostasy1 ,noah--and1 it would seem1 he alone--was seen righteous before ,god4 ,him1 therefore1 with his family1 the ,almighty preserved in the ark1 when in his fierce wrath he caused the deluge to sweep away the corrupt inhabitants from the face of the earth they had polluted4 ,notwithstanding the wide-spread corruption of the times1 it does not appear that either ,noah or his sons were polygamists4 ,certainly1 if any one of them had been such prior to the building of the ark1 he was not permitted to bring his harem into it for protection from the fearful storm4 ,only eight persons1 we are informed1 were preserved alive2 namely1 ,noah and his wife1 with his three sons and their wives4 ,then1 at what may be termed the second starting-point of the human race1 there was again an equal number of men and women upon the earth2 clearly pointing out that the design of the ,almighty in this matter was the marriage of one man with one woman4 ,god made no provision for the marriage of either man or woman after the obtaining of a divorce4 ,it might have been supposed that so fearful a display of the wrath of ,god would have made a lasting impression upon the descendants of ,noah2 but as is the case with perverse mankind now1 so it was then2 the lessons of the past were lost upon them4 ,no very great period of time elapses till we find the posterity of this good man1 ,noah1 impiously and daringly conceiving the idea of measuring strength with the ,almighty by attempting to build a tower so high that it could not possibly be overflowed should a subsequent deluge occur4 ,the dispersion of mankind1 and the consequent division into tribes1 or races1 was the result of such presumption4 ,the desperately wicked heart of man began to devise new mischiefs1 and revive old ones4 ,monogamy1 the great conservator of moral purity1 was disregarded1 and one corruption viler than another followed in rapid succession4 ,before the calling of ,abraham1 mankind1 as a whole1 appear to have lapsed1 if not into absolute heathenism1 at least into something very near it4 ,the knowledge and worship of the true ,god seems to have been retained only in isolated families1 and even there to have been but partially observed1 being marred and dishonored by human inventions and substitutions4 ,that ,abraham might be delivered from the pernicious example of his neighbors1 and that his mind might be prepared for the reception of the grand manifestations of the ,divine character which ,god designed to impart to him1 he was commanded to break off all association with them2 and1 the more completely to effect this1 he was desired to leave his kindred and his country1 and become a stranger in a strange land4 ,yet somewhat of the contamination of early association seems to have clung both to him and ,sarah1 as is evidenced in the matter of ,hagar4 ,in something very like doubt of ,god's power to fulfill his own promise1 ,abraham yielded to ,sarah's suggestion1 and thus was partially drawn into the evil current1 though he does not appear to have been a willful polygamist4 ,it is asserted by ,jonathan ,ben ,uzziel1 the ,jerusalem ,targum1 and other learned authorities1 that ,hagar and ,keturah are the same person2 but if this be a mistake1 there is still no evidence that ,abraham took ,keturah till after the death of ,sarah4 ,polygamists1 both in the ,jewish nation and elsewhere1 have not failed to plead ,abraham's example in defense of their conduct4 ,early association had somewhat obscured his moral perceptions of right and wrong4 ,had he waited for the ,divine command before carrying out ,sarah's suggestion1 no incident in his life would have given countenance to the demoralizing practice4 ,isaac was a monogamist1 though ,jacob1 through the artifice of ,laban1 became a polygamist4 ,that ,laban's family were tinctured with idolatry is unquestionable2 and with idolatry came many other vices4 ,when ,jacob with his household took his departure from ,laban1 ,rachel stole certain images which were her father's1 the character of which was unmistakably indicated by ,laban when he demanded1 ,wherefore have ye stolen my gods8 ,yet such was the general apostasy of the times1 that this family was so much in advance of any other1 that it was to it that ,abraham was obliged to send1 a generation previous1 for a suitable wife for the amiable and meditative ,isaac4 ,what wonder then that many practices prevailed among the descendants of ,jacob that were not in accordance with either the will or the word of ,god6 ,though plurality of wives was customary both before and after the giving of the ,law1 it was by no means ordained by it4 ,a man had no more right1 in carrying out the designs of the ,almighty1 to have two or more wives living at the same time1 than a woman had to have two or more husbands living at the same time4 ,wherever the ,bible speaks of the duty of husbands to wives1 or of wives to husbands1 the singular form is invariably used1 as husband and wife4 ,for instance1 when ,god brought the woman he had made to ,adam1 he 7,adam7 says3 ,therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother1 and shall cleave to his wife--not wives--and they shall be one flesh4 ,and again1 ,they twain shall be one flesh4 ,what ,god has directly commanded1 and what he merely suffers men to do without imposing insuperable restraints upon them1 are two very different things4 ,it is asserted that the ,mosaic ,law makes a very great and decidedly partial distinction between men-servants and maid-servants1 greatly to the disadvantage of the latter1 particularly in their release from servitude4 ,these same texts--some of them1 at least--have been quoted in defense of ,african slavery4 ,the term1 selling a ,jewish servant1 in the ,scripture1 is simply the same as binding out a child under ,english law4 ,a ,jewish father could only sell1 or in other words bind out1 his daughter for six years1 and that before she was of a suitable age to be married4,j ,at the expiration of six years her apprenticeship ceased1 and the maid-servant was free1 unless she voluntarily perpetuated her own servitude4 ,there were two classes of servants among the ,jews4 ,the first1 those who were taken from among themselves2 the second1 those obtained of the strange nations by which they were surrounded1 or who were taken captive in battle4 ,this second class of servants were called bondmen and bondwomen4 ,the former class were denominated servants4 ,the practice authorized by law1 regarding those who were the lineal descendants of ,abraham1 placed men and women in the very same relation to the master1 who was bound to reward them alike when the period of service should terminate4 ,this is evident from ,deuteronomy xv1 #ab-ag3 ,and if thy brother1 a ,hebrew man1 or a ,hebrew woman1 be sold unto thee1 and serve thee six years2 then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee4 ,and when thou sendest him out free from thee1 thou shalt not let him go away empty3 thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock1 and out of thy winepress3 of that wherewith the ,lord thy ,god hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him4 444 ,and it shall be1 if he say unto thee1 ,i will not go away from thee2 because he loveth thee and thine house1 because he is well with thee2 then thou shalt take an awl1 and thrust it through his ear into the door1 and he shall be thy servant forever4 ,and also unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise4 ,those who declare that the law of ,moses makes a distinction in the matter of release from servitude1 between men-servants and maid-servants1 to the disadvantage of the latter1 in confirmation of their assertion quote ,exodus xxi1 #g2 but if they read also1 in connection with it1 the eighth1 ninth1 tenth1 and eleventh verses of the same chapter1 a careful consideration of the entire passage will1 we think1 clearly show that the reference therein contained is not to the ordinary maid-servant1 but to one whose master had betrothed her to himself1 or to his son4 ,in the case of betrothal to himself1 if the girl failed to please her master1 he was not to return her to her former position of a servant1 but to let her be redeemed4 ,he must not sell her1 or otherwise dispose of her services during the unexpired period of her servitude1 because he had dealt deceitfully with her4 ,in case of betrothal to his son1 as in the other1 she was not to be reduced to her former rank as a menial1 but to be treated in every respect as a daughter4 ,even when the affection of the man to whom she was betrothed waned1 he was to yield to her all the rights and privileges which belonged to her as his wife2 and1 if any of these were withheld1 she was at liberty to go forth a free woman4 ,the circumstance of ,jacob serving ,laban fourteen years for ,rachel1 is by some deemed a parallel case with the prevailing custom of purchasing wives among the people of the ,east2 but the cases are not at all similar4 ,jacob and ,rachel had met at the well where she usually watered her father's flock4 ,he had introduced himself to the maiden1 and won her regard1 before he proposed to her father for her1 having spent a whole month in the house of ,laban prior to his doing so4 ,there is no reason whatever to doubt that he had ,rachel's full consent to the arrangement4 ,it was not ,jacob's fault that1 through the stratagem of ,laban1 he became the husband of ,leah4 ,the plurality of wives in this instance was not so much the choice of ,jacob as the fault of the wily1 semi-idolatrous ,laban4 ,shechem offered dowry to ,jacob and his sons if they would consent to his taking ,dinah to wife2 but it is evident he did so in order to conciliate the outraged brothers of the girl whom he had so basely humbled1 and whom he really desired to retain4 ,it is very clear1 from the testimony of sacred history1 that women1 in the families of the patriarchs1 and in the ,hebrew nation generally1 for several generations after the delivery of the ,mosaic ,law1 occupied a position very much superior to those of the neighboring nations4 ,a woman taken captive in war1 whom a ,jew chose to marry1 could not be sold by her husband1 should he afterward take a dislike to her so great that he might put her away4 ,even though a heathen1 she was permitted to go out free4 ,boaz is said to have bought ,ruth when he purchased the possession of ,naomi2 and this circumstance is referred to by those who would bring the ,bible into contempt1 to prove that ,ruth was bought according to ,jewish law1 as though she were a chattel4 ,the facts1 as given in the sacred narrative1 do not1 however1 warrant any such interpretation4 ,elimelech1 with his wife and two sons1 ,mahlon and ,chilion1 left ,bethlehem-,judah in consequence of a severe famine1 and removed to ,moab4 ,at the time of their emigration1 they were obliged to leave all their possessions1 not portable1 behind them2 and were in consequence in straitened circumstances4 ,while in ,moab1 both his sons married ,moabitish women2 and1 in process of time1 ,elimelech and his sons all three died1 leaving their respective widows destitute4 ,under these circumstances1 the famine being now over in ,judah1 ,naomi determined to return thither1 and advised her daughters-in-law to return each to the house of her father4 ,after some persuasion1 the widow of ,chilion did so2 but ,ruth1 ,mahlon's widow1 expressed her determination to cling to the fortunes of her mother-in-law in the following touching strain3 ,entreat me not to leave thee1 or to return from following after thee2 for whither thou goest ,i will go1 and where thou lodgest ,i will lodge2 thy people shall be my people1 and thy ,god my ,god2 where thou diest will ,i die1 and there will ,i be buried4 ,naomi1 having such proof of her attachment to her1 expostulated with her no further2 and1 disconsolate and weary1 the poor women made their way to ,naomi's old home4 ,during the absence of the family1 the parcel of land which had been possessed by ,elimelech had passed into the hands of strangers4 ,naomi naturally desired that it might be redeemed1 as both herself and ,ruth would be greatly benefited if it were4 ,boaz1 though not the nearest kinsman1 on being made acquainted with the circumstances of the case by ,ruth1 generously took up the cause2 and the nearest of kin having relinquished his claim1 he redeemed the property with it2 and1 with ,ruth's own free consent1 took her to be his wife4 ,her individual concurrence is apparent throughout the whole transaction4 ,no one had any right to sell at all1 or otherwise to dispose of her1 except by her own wish4 ,the rape of the ,benjamites is sometimes referred to in terms expressive of the desire to cast opprobium upon the teachings of the ,bible4 ,unfortunate as was the condition of the ,benjamites on this occasion1 they had no more sanction for what they did from the law of ,moses1 than had ,ahab for destroying the prophets of the ,lord4 ,neither was the order of the ,jewish elders for the massacre of men and elderly women1 and the saving of the four hundred young women to make up the deficiency of wives still existing in this tribe1 in any sense chargeable to the ,divine law4 ,we might with as much propriety hold the ,gospel responsible for the ,massacre of ,st4 ,bartholomew1 as to hold the law of ,moses responsible for the acts of the ,israelites4 ,the ,mosaic precepts concerning adultery and divorce might at first sight appear to give more latitude to men than to women1 and therefore to be partial2 but when we accept the interpretation given by our ,lord1 the apparent partiality vanishes4 ,the ,savior's testimony on the subject is very explicit4 ,matthew xix1 #c-aj1 we read3 ,the ,pharisees also came to him1 tempting him1 and saying unto him1 ,is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause8 ,and he answered and said unto them1 ,have ye not read1 that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female1 and said1 ,for this cause shall a man leave father and mother1 and shall cleave to his wife3 and they twain shall be one flesh8 ,wherefore they are no more twain1 but one flesh4 ,what therefore ,god hath joined together1 let not man put asunder4 ,they say unto him1 ,why did ,moses then command to give a writing of divorcement1 and to put her away8 ,he saith unto them1 ,moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives3 but from the beginning it was not so4 ,and ,i say unto you1 ,whosoever shall put away his wife1 except it be for fornication1 and shall marry another1 committeth adultery3 and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery4 ,that in this matter of divorce ,christ recognized the right of women to be equal to that of men1 is apparent from ,mark x1 #b-ab1 the eleventh and twelfth verses of which we here quote3 ,and he saith unto them1 ,whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another1 committeth adultery against her4 ,and if a woman shall put away her husband1 and be married to another1 she committeth adultery4 ,it is manifest that the design of ,god was1 that there should be an equal fidelity on the part of both man and wife4 ,but1 as ages rolled on1 the depraved appetites of sinful mankind desired a different ordering of the affairs of life4 ,in the ,jewish ,commonwealth1 the rabbis became less and less favorable to the just rights of women1 especially after their people began to intermix more freely with their idolatrous neighbors2 their precepts were assimilated more fully to those of the heathen2 and for doctrines1 the commandments of men were taught instead of the pure law of ,god4 ,history proves that woman sometimes took a very prominent part in the public affairs of the ,jewish nation4 ,but1 while not attempting to disprove the statements which are therein recorded1 there are many who make light of any mention of the public labors of these women4 ,sometimes1 indeed1 the talents and usefulness of these women1 and of the earnest women of our own day1 are admitted after a fashion2 but it is done in such a way as1 in reality1 to belittle the sex as much as possible4 ,they are considered as occupying the same relation to men that the moon does to the sun1 and all that is desired of them is to reflect a borrowed light4 ,if she be unable to reflect a light when there is none to borrow1 what then8 ,even in religious matters1 she is judged to be incapable of taking any public part1 though she may be ever so well informed and pious1 and those of the opposite sex in her vicinity ever so deplorably ignorant and wicked4 ,a few distinguished writers will1 however1 allow her--as a favor1 it may be supposed--to go out in public to collect money for charitable or ,church purposes4 ,what a wonder the funds so collected are not defiled by passing through female fingers6 ,some of the religious denominations who gladly accept of the fruit of women's labor1 either in collecting from others or in giving themselves1 would yet not suffer a woman to pray or speak in public1 though ,god has endowed her with more than ordinary talent4 ,she may not even give advice as to how the money she has collected or given is to be expended4 ,in the choir1 women may sing of salvation2 but it is fearful presumption for her to speak of it in the body of the ,church1 or let her voice be heard there imploring salvation for herself or others4 ,this might defile the sanctuary or tempt her to usurp authority over the man4 ,occasionally there is to be found a denomination which will allow a woman to pray in public1 or to relate her ,christian experience2 but even in some of these the practice does not receive a very large amount of encouragement1 and her right to exhort or teach publicly is seriously questioned1 most frequently denied4 ,what was ,scripture usage8 ,from ,exodus xv1 #bj1 we learn that ,miriam was a prophetess1 and1 in the verse following1 it appears that not only she1 but the women of her company1 took a prominent part in the celebration of ,israel's triumphant passage of the ,red ,sea4 ,not only was ,miriam a prophetess1 but a joint leader with ,moses and ,aaron of that great host which went up to possess the promised land1 as is seen by reference to ,micah vi1 #d3 ,for ,i brought thee up out of the land of ,egypt1 and redeemed thee out of the land of servants1 and ,i sent before thee ,moses1 ,aaron1 and ,miriam4 ,thus did ,god1 in the very beginning of the ,jewish ,church and nation1 associate a woman with men1 giving her an equally responsible position with her brothers4 ,moses was the lawgiver1 ,aaron the priest1 and ,miriam the seer4 ,this threefold office was fulfilled in ,christ2 and therefore ,miriam1 as well as ,moses and ,aaron1 was a type of the ,messiah4 ,if the ,almighty had not designed women to occupy prominent positions1 both civilly and ecclesiastically1 he certainly would not have qualified them to fill such places with honor2 and history proves that he did both qualify and employ them4 ,deborah was both a prophetess and a judge1 and at one time was the chief ruler in ,israel1 even leading on the hosts of the living ,god2 for timorous ,barak would not go without her4 ,huldah1 wife of ,shallum1 a prophetess who flourished in the reign of ,josiah1 was consulted by him on matters of vital importance to his kingdom1 although both ,jeremiah and ,zephaniah were then alive4 ,josiah evidently considered her fully equal to either of them1 or he would not have consulted her1 or at her dictation set about reforming the abuses which were prevalent at the time4 ,he could not have set to work more earnestly in this good cause if ,jeremiah had spoken to him4 ,there have been learned men--and there are those still--who think it exceedingly strange that ,josiah should have condescended to send the messengers to ,huldah to inquire of the ,lord1 when he might have consulted either ,jeremiah or one of the brother prophets4 ,is it not equally strange that the ,lord should have answered him by her mouth8 or rather should not his having done so1 forever silence such questioning8 ,other women have been emphatically the called1 according to ,god's purpose1 to combat evil in countries even where women were treated with greater indignities than in ,israel4 ,we do not make any distinction between prophets and prophetesses4 ,men and women were alike called to the prophetic office1 as ,god pleased1 and kings and princes acknowledged their authority4 ,many women became noted for their active service rendered to the ,jewish ,church and nation4 ,women have proved themselves to be skillful diplomatists1 and to be possessed of an equal amount of courage and perseverance with men2 but these capabilities have not always been employed aright4 ,there have been distinguished statesmen who have been frightfully wicked men2 and1 unhappily1 there have been clever women who have been fully their equals in wickedness4 ,in nothing is the mental equality of women with men more clearly indicated than in the manner in which both pursue a career of sin4 ,jezebel appears to have been a stronger-minded person than ,ahab1 and to have excelled him in subtlety and wickedness4 ,she was as active as he in pushing the persecution against the people of ,god2 indeed1 more active and determined than her weak and wicked husband4 ,at the time the life of ,elijah was threatened1 she would seem not only to have been the more determined of the two1 but to have exercised greater authority over the realm4 ,athaliah1 the daughter of ,jezebel1 was no whit behind her mother in atrocious wickedness4 ,indeed1 where women are brought up in wickedness1 they differ nothing in the depth of their depravity from men educated in like manner4 ,the more frequently the ,hebrews relapsed into idolatry1 the less inclined were they to allow women their legitimate privileges4 ,the administrators of the laws constantly curtailed female liberty1 tenaciously exacting from them the service and obedience of slaves4 ,a woman1 even among the ,jews1 must have had no small amount of both courage and wisdom1 to have surmounted the difficulties which hedged up the path to fame and honor1 and risen to the distinction which some of them reached4 ,the rabbins--not ,moses--taught that a woman should know nothing but the use of her distaff4 ,their idea of the education fitting for a woman was1 that she should understand merely how to manage the work of a house2 in other words1 know nothing but how to minister to the appetites or whims of her husband1 regarding him as her lord1 her irresponsible master4 ,rabbi ,eliezer said1 ,let the words of the law be burned rather than that they should be delivered to a woman4 ,why1 we wonder8 ,because they might1 if they read it1 learn what privileges it accorded them1 and perhaps claim them--a state of things to be prevented by any means1 no matter how unscrupulous4 ,notwithstanding the teachings of the rabbins1 however1 and dark as was the day just prior to the coming of the ,messiah1 we find a woman who was prophesying in the temple even then4 ,the prediction of ,anna the prophetess is mentioned in the ,new ,testament without a word of censure on the unwomanliness of her conduct1 or her profanation of the temple by it4 ,modern writers would perhaps have been wiser1 and treated her with what they considered deserved contempt4 ,,footnotes3 ,footnote ,f3 ,gen4 i1 #bf1 #bg1 #bh4 ,footnote ,g3 ,gen4 ii1 #ah1 #bj1 #ba1 #bb4 ,footnote ,h3 ,for the original meaning of the word woman see ,dr4 ,clarke on ,genesis ii1 #bc4 ,footnote ,i3 ,gen4 vi1 #f4 ,footnote ,j3 ,clarke on ,exodus xxi1 #g4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,new ,testament ,teachings4 ,in this enlightened age1 the sentiment of the ,rabbi ,eliezer1 that the law should be burned rather than delivered to women1 would be execrated by the right-minded of every ,christian country4 ,but was such a sentiment any farther from right1 either in theory or practice1 than are those held and openly avowed by some of the advocates of the theory of the inferiority of women2 who1 while asserting that these inferior creatures are1 by the constitution of their minds1 incapable of comprehending the meaning of a law1 yet hold them equally accountable with men--who are supposed to understand all about it--for any violation of that law8 ,if1 indeed1 there is any difference made in the punishment of delinquents1 the greater severity is most frequently meted out to the woman4 ,those who insist on the absolute1 unqualified subjection of women to the opposite sex1 and place them in a subordinate place in the ,christian ,church1 persistently quote the writings of ,st4 ,paul as authority for the position which they take4 ,we apprehend that the great apostle to the ,gentiles is as wrongfully misapprehended and misrepresented by certain classes of believers now1 as he was by the ,jews at the memorable time when he was brought before ,felix4 ,paul1 therefore1 must answer for himself in the things whereof he is accused4 ,in ,i ,cor4 xi1 #c-e1 he says to the ,church at ,corinth3 ,but ,i would have you know that the head of every man is ,christ2 and the head of the woman is the man2 and the head of ,christ is ,god4 ,every man praying or prophesying1 having his head covered1 dishonoreth his head4 ,but every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered1 dishonoreth her head4 ,here is a positive direction given to a woman1 as to the manner of her procedure when she either prayed or prophesied in public1 and not a prohibition of either act1 as we might expect from the rendering given by many divines4 ,christ is the head of the man1 because he is the first-born from the dead--the ,redeemer of mankind--and because he was before all things1 and by him all things consist4 ,having made provision for the life of the world1 he is therefore entitled to the love1 devotion1 and fidelity of man4 ,christ is also mentioned under the figure of the vine1 of which his people are the branches4 ,man is the head of the woman1 because he was before her2 and because1 being physically stronger1 he has been constituted her protector4 ,a man1 therefore1 is to love his wife ever as himself1 with an unselfish intensity1 only to be compared with the love which ,christ bears to his ,church2 and the wife is bound by the same sacred law to be1 in heart and practice1 undeviating in her love and fidelity to her husband4 ,and the head of ,christ is ,god4 ,is ,christ therefore not equal with ,god8 ,is there superiority and inferiority between the ,father and the ,son8 ,if because the apostle declares that the man is the head of the woman1 the proposition is to be taken for granted that1 in consequence1 she is not his equal but an inferior1 we may1 with equal propriety and fairness1 quote the same text to prove1 and prove as conclusively1 that the ,son is not equal with1 but is inferior to1 the ,father4 ,god may be understood to be the head of ,christ in regard to his manhood1 and that only4 ,the ,scriptures amply testify that he is not only co-eternal with the ,father1 but coequal with him as well4 ,there is neither inferiority nor superiority in the ,divine nature between the ,father and the ,son2 and so also1 since man and woman are derived from one nature1 being both human1 there is neither superiority nor inferiority between them4 ,they are coequal4 ,is there1 then1 no distinction made between the sexes in the text8 ,certainly there is4 ,men were directed to remove their caps or turbans when they prayed or prophesied in public1 while women1 on the contrary1 were to remain with their heads covered2 that is1 to keep veiled when they prayed or prophesied in public4 ,the latter1 it is evident1 was simply a prudential or local arrangement4 ,throughout the ,east1 and more especially in heathen countries1 it was the custom for women to be veiled when they made their appearance in public2 but immodest women not unfrequently violated the usage1 appearing in public unveiled4 ,in the state of society then in ,corinth1 for a ,christian woman to have appeared in public1 or to have taken any prominent part in an assembly with her head uncovered1 would have placed her in a false position before unbelievers1 both ,jews and ,gentiles4 ,that their liberty under the ,gospel1 then1 might not be made occasion of offense by gainsayers1 against the cause of ,christ1 that their good should not be evil spoken of by the profane multitude1 the apostle counseled them to submit to the usages and restraints which the customs of the times and place imposed on women1 wherever the usages or restraints so imposed were not in themselves sinful4 ,in the same spirit he returned ,onesimus to his master2 not that he thereby gave his sanction to slavery1 but in this1 as other directions regarding civil affairs1 advising submission to the existing state of things1 that the ,gospel be not blamed4 ,the effecting of civil or political reforms1 however much they might be needed1 was not the immediate object of ,paul's preaching or writing4 ,his grand1 all-absorbing business was to proclaim the ,gospel in all its fullness1 trusting to its benign influence to right every wrong4 ,there is no doubt ,paul clearly understood and did not intend to controvert the declaration of the prophet ,joel 7ii1 #bh71 which was quoted by ,peter as being one evidence of the ushering in of the ,christian dispensation 7,acts ii1 #ag1 #ah73 ,and it shall come to pass in the last days1 saith ,god1 ,i will pour out my spirit upon all flesh3 and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy1 and your young men shall see visions1 and your old men shall dream dreams4 ,and on my servants and on my handmaidens ,i will pour out in those days of my spirit1 and they shall prophesy4 ,the last days evidently means the ,gospel dispensation2 and this text alone1 twice given by inspiration1 even if there were no other1 would establish the right of women to all the immunities and ordinances of the ,christian ,church4 ,i ,cor4 xiv1 #cd1 #ce1 is always presented by the opponents of women's privileges as positive proof that women should not take a public part in religious worship3 ,let your women keep silence in the churches1 for it is not permitted unto them to speak2 but they are commanded to be under obedience1 as also saith the law4 ,and if they will learn any thing1 let them ask their husbands at home1 for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the ,church4 ,in the passage first quoted in this chapter1 ,paul gives explicit directions for the manner in which women should be arrayed while speaking in the ,church4 ,since1 then1 there can be no contradiction in the ,word of ,god1 and we have positive proof that women did speak in public assemblies by permission of the apostles1 nothing remains but to reconcile the two texts so apparently contradictory1 by ascertaining to what kind of a public assembly the apostle had reference in the text last quoted4 ,by reference to the verses preceding this text in the fourteenth chapter of ,first ,corinthians1 it will be seen that the apostle is pointing out the impropriety and unprofitableness of speaking in unknown tongues2 and of the contention and disorder that then existed at ,corinth4 ,false teachers had caused dissension and tumults in the ,church2 and1 besides1 the whole system of ,christianity was violently assailed by both the ,jews and the pagans4 ,the disciples at ,corinth were in the midst of a great controversy4 ,according to ,eastern ideas1 it was an outrage upon propriety and decency1 not only for a woman to take part by publicly asking questions1 or teaching in any such disorderly assembly1 but even for her to be present therein4 ,to avoid the very appearance of evil1 they were to absent themselves from these contentious meetings because it was a shame for a woman to speak or contend in such riotous assemblies4 ,it is more than probable that ,christian women had done so prior to this2 and therefore ,paul warns them against such improprieties2 not1 however1 forbidding them to pray or prophesy in the ,church1 providing they covered their heads4 ,the ,gospel proclaims an equal freedom to all2 ,paul earnestly asserting 7,gal4 in1 #bh71 that there is neither ,jew nor ,greek1 there is neither bond nor free1 there is neither male nor female2 for ye are all one in ,christ ,jesus4 ,nevertheless1 lest the cause of ,god should be hindered by women asserting their ,christian liberty1 by speech or action1 he desired them to comply with the common usages of the society in which they lived1 where those usages were not in themselves immoral or contrary to the ,word of ,god4 ,kindred to ,i ,cor4 xiv1 #cd1 #ce1 and referring to the same thing1 is ,i ,tim4 ii1 #aa1 #ab3 ,let the women learn in silence with all subjection4 ,but ,i suffer not a woman to teach1 nor usurp authority over the man1 but to be in silence4 ,for a woman to attempt any thing either in public or private that man claimed as his peculiar function1 was strictly prohibited by ,roman law2 and ,christian women1 as well as men1 were to be submissive to the powers that be4 ,those who contend1 from their rendering of these texts1 that women are prohibited by them from taking part in the public worship of ,god1 to be consistent1 should also insist that they must not enter the house of ,god at all2 because they are as strictly charged by ,paul to remain at home and learn in silence from their husbands1 as to refrain from speaking4 ,now1 if women are to be silent in the ,church2 that is1 if they are neither to pray1 speak1 nor sing in public--for singing is certainly one method of conveying instruction to those who hear1 and is therefore teaching them how to ascribe praise to ,god--if they are1 upon ,scriptural authority1 to know nothing but what they may learn from their husbands at home1--then our whole system of civilized education with regard to women is out of place2 we had better borrow a leaf from the ,turks or ,chinese4 ,girls here are sent to school1 and encouraged to exert their mental energies to the utmost in acquiring knowledge4 ,both mothers and daughters are taken to church1 and if they have tuneful voices they are expected to sing2 all of which is manifestly improper and unchristian1 if women are to receive all religious instruction from their husbands at home only1 and in silence4 ,the taking of women to church1 or indeed out of the house1 therefore1 is exposing them to the temptation of hearing and receiving instruction from unauthorized lips2 for--fearfully depraved though it may be in the sight of some--women are quite as prone as men to listen to what is told them and to remember what they hear1 and--worse still--to reason out difficult problems for themselves4 ,and what is to be done for widows1 or poor women who have never been blessed with husbands8 ,are they to go down to death in heathenish darkness1 because the genial light of a husband's countenance has ceased to shine upon them1 or1 perhaps1 has never done so8 ,must unmarried women forever continue in ignorance of the glorious ,gospel of ,christ1 because they have no husbands to teach them8 ,as girls1 according to such a rendering1 they ought not to have learned any thing2 for a father's teaching--if it were proper for him to give it--and a husband's might differ widely4 ,besides1 what is to be done for those women who are blessed with husbands incapable of teaching them2 or1 as is notoriously so frequently the case1 who choose rather to spend their time in places of disreputable character than at their homes with their families6 ,such a rendering of these texts as is frequently given1 and the homilies derived therefrom1 are an outrage upon common sense4 ,they are at variance with the direct teachings of ,st4 ,paul1 and contrary to what the ,scriptures prove to have been his practice4 ,surely1 none will dare to accuse the apostle of inconsistency2 and yet we have his own testimony that ,phoebe was a servant of the ,church at ,cenchrea2 that is1 she was a deaconess1 having a charge at ,cenchrea4 ,priscilla1 quite as much as ,aquila1 was ,paul's helper in ,christ ,jesus1 acknowledged by him as such4 ,priscilla was associated with ,aquila in expounding the way of ,god more perfectly to ,apollos4 7,acts xvii1 #fb47 ,strange that the great ,apollos should receive religious instruction from a woman2 stranger still1 if it were contrary to the will of ,god1 that she was permitted to give it6 ,why was she not severely rebuked for her presumption1 and put in her place1 and taught to keep silence1 as becometh a woman8 ,on the contrary1 creditable mention is made of the fact that she did instruct him1 and that through that instruction he was made useful to the world2 and all this upon the authority of inspiration1 without one word of censure as to her unwomanliness4 ,over and over again1 ,paul names her in his salutations4 ,in ,philippians iv1 #c1 he entreats help for certain women1 counting them as fellow-laborers4 ,help1 says he1 those women which labored with me in the ,gospel4 ,honorable mention1 too1 is made by name of ,tryphena1 ,tryphosa1 and of the beloved ,persis1 who labored much in the ,lord4 ,philip had four daughters which did prophesy 7,acts xxi1 #ai72 and we nowhere hear of their being forbidden to do so4 ,if ,paul1 influenced as he was by the ,holy ,spirit1 had designed to prevent women from attending religious meetings1 or taking a public part therein1 when there would he have allowed all this laboring and prophesying and instructing to go on8 ,instead of stopping it1 however1 he at different times commends ,phoebe and her sister-laborers to the kind regards of other ,churches4 ,let the utterances of ,paul be properly and fairly interpreted1 and it will be manifest that men and women are one in ,christ ,jesus4 ,decidedly1 it is wrong for a woman to usurp authority over the man2 and just as decidedly wrong is it for a man to usurp authority over the woman4 ,according to history1 the office of deaconess continued until between the eleventh and twelfth centuries1 when1 the midnight of the ,dark-,ages having come1 it was abolished in both the ,greek and ,latin ,churches4 ,which sex usurped authority in that case8 ,the next point coming under consideration is ,paul's direction to the ,ephesian ,church3 ,wives1 submit yourselves unto your own husbands1 as unto the ,lord4 ,for the husband is the head of the wife1 even as ,christ is the head of the ,church3 and he is the ,savior of the body4 ,therefore as the ,church is subject unto ,christ1 so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing4 7,eph4 v1 #bb-bd47 ,from the verses preceding this quotation1 and those following1 it is evident the apostle had reference to the marriage covenant1 and not to the inferiority of woman or superiority of man4 ,fidelity of wives to their husbands was the thing being enjoined2 hence the comparison between the marriage state and the ,church of ,christ4 ,as the ,church was to be pure from idolatry1 acknowledging but one ,god1 even the ,father1 and ,jesus ,christ his ,son1 so the wife was to be pure1 submitting herself only to her husband4 ,it is not surprising that1 in planting the ,christian ,church1 such directions should be given to its members1 gathered in as they were from a dark1 immoral pagan world1 where the marriage tie was so lightly regarded4 ,the husband should be to his wife the earthly munition of rocks4 ,it is in this sense that the man is the head of the woman and the ,savior of her body4 ,the apostle continues3 ,so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies4 ,let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself2 and the wife see that she reverence her husband4 ,not worship him2 but treat him with marked and becoming respect1 making his interest her own1 loving him above every earthly object1 and seeking his happiness in every possible manner4 ,it is in this mutual sense that a wife is to be subject to her husband in every thing4 ,even the greatest sticklers for the absolute subjection of women explain the latter clause of the text by adding the word lawful4 ,if a woman's husband is to be her irresponsible lord1 to whom she is to go for instruction1 who is the qualified judge of what is lawful8 ,but the reasoning of the entire question as given in the chapter1 portions of which have been quoted1 does not bear out the assertion that the wife is mentally inferior to her husband1 or that he has any right to treat her as such4 ,she is neither his servant nor his slave1 so far as ,god's law is concerned4 ,the wife has the same right to expect fidelity from her husband that he has to expect it from her4 ,the covenant of marriage is a mutual one1 equally binding on both4 ,the injunction to the ,ephesians concerning the relations in the married state is also given to the ,colossians1 very evidently relating to the same thing3 love and unwavering fidelity between man and wife4 ,peter also enjoins the subjection of wives in his ,first ,epistle1 third chapter1 first and second verses2 but he also explains that this subjection is chastity1 mild and gentle conversation1 that their husbands1 if not ,christians1 might be won over by them4 ,in this very injunction there is a supposition by the apostle that the husband and wife might be of different faith1 that she might have learned something not taught by him1 and have been in a position to instruct him2 and by her chastity1 her love and gentleness1 and her instructions--coupled with fear for his state out of ,christ--might succeed in winning him to the truth4 ,though ,christianity greatly purified the moral atmosphere of the world1 and caused those embracing it to renounce polygamy1 yet even those who had become ,christian clung to the false assumptions and arbitrary prerogatives claimed by men while yet in heathen darkness4 ,to reconcile women to the injustice done them1 or to overawe them into submission1 it was sought to make them believe that the disabilities of their condition were by ,divine appointment1 though this doctrine the apostles took pains to correct4 ,a lamentable amount of infidelity has been engendered by the manner in which the ,scriptures have been distorted to make them seem to sanction almost every social and civil wrong4 ,they have been quoted as authority for the absolute subjection of woman2 and1 with equal fairness1 for servile submission to despotic monarchs1 for the use of intoxicating drinks1 for the burning of heretics1 and for the justification of slavery4 ,within a very few years past1 these very ,epistles have been brought forward to prove the sum of all villainies a ,god-given boon to man1 the slave included--,colossians iii1 #bb1 being deemed unanswerable4 ,those who advocated the cause of human freedom1 who desired the privilege of worshiping ,god according to the dictates of their own consciences1 who strove to drive intemperance from the land1 or who pleaded for the liberty of the slave1 were alike denounced as advocating what was contrary to the revealed will of ,god2 and in like manner1 now1 are those denounced who advocate the perfect equality of woman with man4 ,with regard to political and religious freedom1 the cause of temperance1 and the slavery question1 time has proved that the ,lord of ,hosts1 so far from being against1 was on the side of1 those who advocated these great reforms1 and led them on to victory2 and there is no reason to doubt that this last reform will1 by the same hand1 be led to similar triumph4 ,it is continually objected1 that infidels1 immoral men1 and women of ill-repute1 array themselves upon the side of equal rights to women3 so do infidels1 libertines1 and women lost to shame1 array themselves against it2 therefore1 the one counterbalances the other4 ,but suppose this were not so1 to what would the objection amount8 ,the cause of human freedom has more than once been advocated by rank infidels2 but did ,god therefore curse a cause good in itself1 because wicked men and women for once saw clearly1 and said they thought that cause right and reasonable8 ,history answers1 ,no4 ,the children of this generation were simply wiser than many of the children of light4 ,the same may be said of each of the other reforms4 ,the abolition of slavery had its infidel advocates2 so had the temperance movement1 etc42 and these advocates have to a certain extent damaged their respective causes by their advocacy of them2 yet the tide of human progress has been onward4 ,a claim which is based upon justice may be injured by an extravagant1 irreverent1 or profane advocacy2 but it is still a just claim1 and as such1 without respect to its advocates1 entitled to recognition4 ,polygamy1 slavery1 drunkenness1 and the doctrine of the inferiority of woman to man1 are all alike the offspring of sin--all alike relics of barbarism--alike the enemies of ,god and human freedom4 ,long-established prejudices and old usages1 no matter how false and oppressive1 are1 like the everlasting hills1 hard to be removed4 ,but1 as the mountains themselves have been overcome by skill and hard work1 and the valleys are being filled by persevering toil2 as the crooked is being made straight and the rough places plain1 so that the people of this mighty continent may travel with ease in palace-cars from sea to sea2 so must the strong barriers of prejudice1 ignorance1 misrepresentation1 and indifference1 be removed by the force of truth and sound reason1 and women be admitted to their legitimate position in society1 with equal prerogatives accorded to them1 that they may thereby more perfectly exert their natural influence in improving the world4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,woman ,before the ,law4 ,the fact that men and women are held amenable to the same ,divine law1 and held equally accountable for any infraction of it1 and that human law1 with regard to criminal actions1 is based upon the same principle1 clearly proves that ,god has created men and women1 as a race1 with equal mental and moral capacity1 and that1 so far as it suited them to do so1 men have acknowledged the equality in framing the laws1 especially those relating to the punishment for crimes committed4 ,it was only where masculine arrogance and selfishness were concerned1 that the privileges of equality were denied to women2 and they are still denied for the same reason4 ,such is man's consistency4 ,if women1 because of their sex--indeed1 in consequence of it--are inferior to men in mental and moral capacity1 then it is unjust to judge them by the same law2 for where little is given little should be required4 ,imbecile men are not judged by the same code as men of sound mind4 ,if men and women are mentally and morally equal--and we hold they are--then they are justly held to be equally accountable by the laws1 provided they have been equally represented in the making of those laws2 and if held equally accountable with men to the laws1 they ought1 in common justice1 to be entitled to the enjoyment of equal immunities with men1 and an equal voice in the making of the laws that are to govern them4 ,to urge that1 because the house is the legitimate place for a woman1 she is therefore inferior to man1 and in consequence ought not to enjoy the same rights1 is no more logical than to contend that1 because the farm is the legitimate place for the farmer1 he is therefore inferior to the lawyer1 who is somewhat better skilled in legal lore1 and that consequently the farmer is not entitled to equal political and religious rights and privileges with the lawyer2 or that1 because neither of these classes understands the minutiae of housekeeping1 therefore they are inferior to women1 and in consequence not entitled to equal rights and privileges with them4 ,good housekeeping is quite as essential to the world's good1 and to the healthful development of humanity1 as good farming or the proper construing of well-made laws1 neither of which is to be undervalued4 ,where1 then1 is the inferiority8 ,it requires as much good judgment and tact to manage a house properly as it does to conduct a farm1 make out a legal form1 carry on an extensive commercial business1 or attend to a banking establishment as it ought to be attended to2 and quite as much wisdom and prudence are needed to rear up successfully and govern a family with discretion1 as is needed in the government of a province or state4 ,indeed more practical good sense is shown in the government of the majority of those homes where the wife and mother is allowed to govern without interference1 than is usually exhibited in the exclusively masculine government of states and empires4 ,it is the mind that makes the man1 sings one of ,britain's most honored poets2 the mind1 not the social position he occupies4 ,and so with woman2 it is the mind1 and not her local habitation or employment1 that entitles her to consideration--that entitles her to equality1 to justice4 ,with equal advantages1 women are no whit behind men in any thing except physical strength4 ,are men deprived of civil rights because some of them are puny8 ,it is an established fact that1 where girls have had the same advantages1 and often when they have had not nearly such good ones1 they have maintained equally honorable positions in their classes1 frequently outstripping their masculine competitors in the literary contest4 ,should any doubt that this can be done1 all that is necessary1 to prove the truth or falsity of the assertion1 is to select any given number of boys and girls of average intellect1 of the same or nearly the same ages1 and afford precisely the same advantages to them all1 for a given length of time1 and then subject boys and girls to a like critical examination4 ,even with the disadvantages under which they labor in our ordinary and even higher schools1 girls have surmounted the difficulties of their position1 and without favor--indeed1 in spite of ridicule1 partiality1 and opposition--have come out first in their examinations4 ,send such a class of young women as this to a university that will honestly admit them to all its advantages1 and allow them to compete with the most studious young men admitted to the same university2 let both enjoy precisely similar facilities throughout the entire course2 and see if there will not be as many brilliant scholars who will graduate with honors among the women as among the men4 ,it is said there are more talented men1 more men eminent in science or in history1 than there are women4 ,certainly4 ,the advantage has all been on the side of the man1 the disadvantage on the side of the woman2 besides which1 the doctrine that it is unwomanly to emerge from the retirement befitting her sex into public notice has been preached so persistently1 that many women truly great have shrunk from the ribald criticism--to use no stronger term--with which insolent men assailed them4 ,consequently1 learned women have frequently given their works to the world anonymously1 or allowed them to be attributed to their male relatives4 ,an instance in point is ,miss ,herschel4 ,it is well known1 not only that she gave her brother valuable assistance in his astronomical pursuits1 but that some of the discoveries attributed to him were actually made by her2 not because he wished to defraud her of the honor of her achievement1 but because she shrank from public notice4 ,but history has given us the record of learned women enough to show that1 with any thing like fair play1 there would have been more4 ,as it is1 the list of them is longer--very much longer--than those given to decry their ability are willing to admit1 or are perhaps aware of4 ,the names of women are found who have been famous for the founding of empires1 the carrying on successfully of civil governments1 and the leading on to glorious victory of armies which1 under the generalship of men1 had suffered defeat after defeat1 till they were not only disheartened1 but almost disorganized2 and yet a woman reorganized these shattered bands and roused them once more to determined action4 ,they have been found1 in times of trouble1 giving to statesmen sound counsel1 which1 followed1 has led to beneficial results2 and1 alas6 they have1 equally with men1 been found capable of base intrigue4 ,cleopatra was fully on a par with ,marc ,antony1 ,madame de ,pompadour with ,richelieu or ,mazarin4 ,women noted for piety and for patriotism are not found lacking on this list4 ,retired lives as they have led1 compared with men1 history1 both sacred and profane1 abounds with them4 ,they shine out conspicuously1 bright lights in a very dark world4 ,miriam stands side by side with ,moses1 ,deborah a little in advance of ,barak4 ,they contribute their jewels to adorn the tabernacle or to save the ,state2 and1 in time of need1 they cheerfully endure every privation1 that the commonwealth may prosper4 ,they were found last lingerers about the cross1 and the first to visit the sepulcher of ,christ2 and they were the first commissioned by him to proclaim his resurrection4 ,in philanthropic enterprise1 ,mrs4 ,fry is the peer of ,howard4 ,who1 among men1 have been found to excel the world-honored ,florence ,nightingale in intelligent arrangements and administrative talent1 as displayed in her management of the important department to which she devoted herself1 and where her courage1 promptitude1 and sound judgment were as conspicuous as her sweet1 womanly compassion8 ,similar qualities distinguish in a marked degree both ,miss ,rye and ,miss ,mc,pherson1 and also the power of influencing and controlling juveniles unaccustomed to moral restraints4 ,these1 though only a few of the many noble women whose business talents have been used to bless the needy and suffering1 may suffice to prove that women have not only the heart to devise philanthropic undertakings1 but the ability to carry them out successfully4 ,mothers of great mental power rear sons whose names never die4 ,the mother of the ,wesleys1 and the mother of ,washington1 are named as reverently as are these illustrious men themselves4 ,in fine1 how few great men there are who do not1 when they speak upon the subject1 attribute their greatness or success to their mothers6 ,since1 then1 women have in a measure shown the capabilities of which they are possessed1 it remains to be ascertained what rights and privileges are accorded them1 and to be shown whether these are in any proportion to what they are entitled to2 and1 as the women of ,europe and ,america enjoy more liberty than those of the other portions of the globe1 it is their condition that will be inquired into4 ,whatever may be amiss in ,christianized and civilized lands1 the state of woman is incomparably worse where the light of the ,gospel does not shine4 ,christianity and its attendant civilization have done much for the amelioration of the condition of woman4 ,except in ,turkey and in ,utah1 the idea that a man is to have more than one wife at the same time is not tolerated4 ,in referring to the continents of ,europe and ,america1 it will be understood that ,turkey in the one1 ,utah in the other1 are always excepted4 ,in neither ,europe nor ,america are women subject to the surveillance of the ,east2 they are not bought and sold in the markets4 ,they are1 if they do not marry before coming of age1 mistresses of their own personal actions4 ,the halls of science1 literature1 and the arts1 have been partially opened to them4 ,the doors have been set ajar1 and they allowed to peep in4 ,they may now attend the house of ,god without being railed in behind a lattice2 and they may1 without censure1 move about the streets without veils1 if it is not the fashion1 or it does not please them to wear them4 ,they are accorded a measure of liberty in forming their own religious opinions2 that is1 the law does not prevent them from doing so4 ,they may1 if they can1 acquire property in their own names1 or they may inherit it4 ,in such cases they1 perhaps1 if unmarried1 may be allowed to manage such property4 ,once married1 it is managed1 or mismanaged1 as the case may be1 by the husband1 except in very special cases4 ,they are not compelled by law to marry unless they choose1 and are supposed to have a choice with regard to those they do marry1 though outside pressure is very frequently brought to bear with regard to both4 ,and1 finally1 they are allowed a share of authority in the joint government of their respective families4 ,this is about the sum total of the privileges accorded to them4 ,in the population of both continents1 men and women are about equally divided4 ,it is not estimated that there are any more idiots or imbeciles among women than there are among men4 ,here1 then1 one-half of this mighty population are prohibited by law from having any voice in the making of the laws by which they are governed1 or the carrying of them out after they are made4 ,where is justice in this case8 ,one slight exception may be made here3 in some of the ,western ,states women are allowed to vote and to hold some few positions of profit and trust in the ,state4 ,it is only a trifling advantage1 but still it is an advantage1 and is one step gained in the right direction4 ,the law allows the mother's holiest feelings to be outraged with impunity4 ,it does not recognize her right to the custody of her own children1 except at the husband's pleasure4 ,she may be intelligent and educated1 virtuous and pious4 ,yet1 if he so wills1 he may remove her children from her care1 deprive her of their society1 and even of the comfort of occasionally seeing them2 and he may place them under the tutelage of the ignorant and vicious2 while the deeply wronged mother is powerless1 according to law1 to help either herself or her children4 ,it is counted among one of woman's privileges that she may hold property in her own right4 ,upon what tenure is she allowed to hold it8 ,if the property be acquired or inherited1 without entail of any sort2 if it be real estate1 it is hers in fee-simple till she marries4 ,after that event--unless she has guarded her rights by a legal pre-nuptial contract1 properly signed and attested to by him who is to be her husband--she may not dispose of any part of it without his express sanction4 ,he may not legally sell it away from her1 it is true2 but by law he is her master1 and may manage it according to his supreme pleasure while he lives4 ,even a will made by her does not take effect1 except her husband pleases1 till his death4 ,if the property be in ready money or in funds--except it be guarded in the contract--the husband becomes possessed of it at once1 and may appropriate and apply it to any purpose he pleases1 without consulting the wishes of his wife4 ,she has no redress4 ,he may1 despite her remonstrances1 take this her substance and her money1 and spend it in foolish speculation2 or1 worse still1 in gambling1 drunkenness1 and debauchery4 ,he may maltreat her and insult her by the presence in her own house of his mistress4 ,if1 no longer able to endure his brutality1 she is obliged to leave him1 he may1 unless the law grant a divorce and alimony1 keep possession of her houses and lands1 while she must leave home and children behind1 and go out upon the world penniless4 ,she can not force him to return one dollar of the wealth that was her own2 and after the separation1 unless legal papers warranting it have been executed1 he can follow her and collect her scanty earnings4 ,thousands upon the back of thousands of times has all this occurred4 ,does not civilized law give a woman a lien upon her husband's property8 and does not this counterbalance his lien upon hers8 ,about as equally as are all other privileges balanced between the sexes2 no more4 ,she has no legal voice whatever in the management of her husband's estate4 ,his real estate is the only thing upon which she has any claim1 and this is only a life interest--after his death--of the one-third of the estate2 and of this she may only draw the interest upon the valuation4 ,she may refuse to bar her dower,k in a sale of land1 but if the bargain goes on1 her refusal does not invalidate the title2 all she can do is1 in the event of her husband's death1 to claim her interest on her thirds4 ,this is all she can claim4 ,the furniture of her home1 the very beds which she may have brought to the house1 are included in the inventory of her husband's effects2 and1 unless she agrees to accept them as part of her thirds1 she may be left without1 one on which to rest her weary limbs2 and that1 too1 though the property may have been purchased with money brought by her into the matrimonial firm2 or though she may have been the working-bee who in reality acquired it4 ,this is not an overdrawn picture4 ,it is the law in civilized countries2 and men are found every day who avail themselves of its conditions4 ,that all men are not mean enough to take advantage of such laws1 is no excuse for their existence4 ,it is barbarous that1 by laws in the enacting of which women have had no voice1 they are left to the mercy of unscrupulous men1 without the possibility of better men coming to their help1 except by repealing the iniquitous statutes4 ,it is quite true that all women are not made to feel the full force of this bitter oppression1 because of the kindness of their husbands1 or the prudent forethought of their fathers in providing for unlooked-for emergencies which might occasion poverty or distress2 but the laws1 and the makers of them1 deserve little credit for any comfort or degree of independence enjoyed by women4 ,more sorrowful than it is1 infinitely more sorrowful1 would woman's condition be1 if true ,christianity had not made many men more just than the laws require them to be4 ,many of the slaves had kind masters2 but was slavery any the less an iniquitous outrage upon humanity1 a curse upon the land1 a blot that could only be wiped away by a bloody war8 ,the present social condition of women is merely one system of domestic slavery1 which is hourly calling out to ,god for redress2 and1 though he tarry long1 yet his afflicted children's cry is never lifted up in vain4 ,society is even yet so constituted1 and the minds of those who are administrators of the law so blinded1 by the prejudices which long usage has established1 that even the very few laws which are on record for her so-called protection1 are rendered of little avail4 ,the sufferings of women and children from the effects of the liquor-traffic1 is perfectly frightful2 and what help is there for it8 ,lately1 in ,canada1 the wife may1 after she is reduced to poverty1 forbid the dram-seller to sell her husband any more liquor4 ,if he pays attention to the prohibition1 well and good2 if not1 when in a drunken fit the husband has well-nigh killed her1 she may have him bound over to keep the peace--if she can find a magistrate who will do it--and she may complain of the man who sold him the liquor4 ,perhaps he will be fined a dollar1 perhaps not4 ,more likely the latter1 with a not very gentle hint that she has stepped out of her sphere by presuming to meddle in such matters4 ,if women had a voice in the making of the laws1 how long would the dram-shop and low groggery send out their liquid poison to pollute civilized lands8 ,but all women are not on the side of right4 ,neither are the very large majority of men4 ,many women are drunkards themselves1 and worse4 ,true1 alas6 too true4 ,sin has corrupted human nature1 and men and women have sunk to fearful depths of degradation4 ,statistics go to show1 however1 that fallen women happily bear only a very small proportion to those upon whose moral character there is no stain4 ,the virtuous and good are in the large majority4 ,men are not allowed by law to murder their wives4 ,indeed1 the law forbids them to beat them2 but for this trifle1 husbands frequently escape with an admonition4 ,yet1 though the letter of the law is explicit1 they must stop short of killing their victims4 ,there is a case on record1 within a few years back and in a ,british province1 where a man beat his wife to death4 ,he was found guilty of the crime4 ,the jury--composed of men1 of course--brought in a verdict of manslaughter1 and he was sentenced to three months in the common jail4 ,the plea in his behalf was that she was a drunkard4 ,the poor fellow had only gone a little too far2 the court must be merciful4 ,at this same assize1 there was a man indicted for theft4 ,he had made good his entrance into a jeweler's shop1 and stolen therefrom a watch4 ,the theft was proved1 and the culprit sent to the penitentiary for three years4 ,query3 ,which was the greater crime1 killing a woman or stealing a watch8 ,the law professes to punish seduction and rape2 but when either or both are proved1 what are the sentences8 ,in nine cases out of ten1 scarcely so severe as for damaging an animal belonging to a neighbor4 ,occasionally1 when the cases have been atrociously aggravating1 a man has been hung for poisoning his wife1 or one has been sent to the penitentiary for rape2 but the instances are more frequent in which the criminal escapes punishment4 ,it is contended that1 usually1 the women who are murdered1 or otherwise maltreated1 are ill-tempered1 drunken creatures1 and therefore not worthy the protection of the law4 ,would these same parties contend that because a man was ill-tempered1 drunken1 or dissolute1 therefore his wife was scarcely to be punished for foully murdering him8 ,not at all4 ,the universal testimony would be that she was a shockingly wicked wretch4 ,women1 as well as men1 have to contend with infirmities of temper2 and they quite as well succeed in controlling or keeping them in check4 ,there are both men and women1 unfortunately1 who let their evil passions run riot till they are torments to all who have any thing to do with them4 ,some women1 naturally gentle and kind1 have been so ill-treated1 so shamefully tyrannized over1 that in process of time the milk of human kindness in their breasts has turned to gall2 and the gall is then bitter enough4 ,would not men1 in similar circumstances1 be just as bitter8 ,there is a certain class of women1 however1 who as a rule are likely to become fretful and ill-tempered as they grow in years3 girls who are allowed to grow up with uninformed judgments1 who are taught that the chief end and aim of woman is to captivate and please the opposite sex1 who are taught to think a pretty face and delicate figure of more importance than good sense or a thorough education4 ,and yet it is a fact worthy of notice1 that those who most eloquently assert their great superiority over the entire sex1 are the very men most easily led--ay1 and duped--by dressy1 frivolous1 brainless women4 ,it would be a misfortune1 scarcely to be endured1 for such men to have wives who know too much4 ,that there should be a head to every family1 is self-evident4 ,a man and his wife1 according to ,scripture1 should be one2 and the corporate head is best qualified to govern a family1 or manage an estate in which both have a common interest1 and therefore ought to have an equal voice4 ,what one lacks1 the other may have4 ,the man may be overconfident1 the woman too cautious2 by counseling together1 a proper and safe medium is arrived at4 ,one-half of the property in the matrimonial firm should always be regarded as belonging to the wife4 ,and if a man and his wife fail to agree as to the advantage1 or even safety1 of a proposed scheme1 and he is still determined to act upon his own judgment1 contrary to that of his wife1 he should never1 in such case1 risk more than one-half of the property4 ,what right has a man1 except that might makes right1 to hazard all he has in wild speculations1 or by indorsing for some friend or boon companion1 despite his wife's expostulations1 or without her knowledge8 ,yet it is done every day1 and all lost2 and if women who see their children and themselves thus reduced to poverty1 complain1 they are stigmatized as fretful1 unwomanly grumblers4 ,their husbands1 says the world1 had a right to do as they pleased with the property in their possession4 ,what if the wife had earned or inherited half1 or even the whole1 of it6 what should women know about business8 ,in indorsing1 especially1 a man should be restrained by law1 under pains and penalties1 from indorsing to amounts exceeding one-half of his property2 and no indorsement in excess of that amount should be allowed to constitute a legal claim4 ,but is it really right to indorse for any one1 under any circumstances8 ,why should a third party encumber his estate1 and run the risk of ruining himself and his family1 to secure the payment of a debt in which he has no personal interest1 simply to make a capitalist secure in the investing of his funds1 or in the profitable disposal of his property on credit8 ,if the lender can not trust the party who deals directly with him1 let there be no credit4 ,it is manifestly a departure from the line of duty for a man to jeopard the means of maintenance for his family1 without any prospect of advantage to himself or them4 ,it is as much a great moral wrong for a man to rob his wife and children as it is to rob strangers1 although commercial usage and the laws of mankind may declare the reverse4 ,he that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it3 and he that hateth suretyship is sure4 7,proverbs xi1 #ae47 ,it may be said that to refuse to indorse would retard trade4 ,let it be retarded1 then2 for why should the capitalist have two chances to the trader's one8 ,if the man trusted is unsuccessful1 why1 to enrich the capitalist who loans his money for his own gain1 should an innocent family be impoverished1 who reaped no benefit1 and were expected to reap no benefit1 from the transaction8 ,how many families have thus been brought to ruin1 the day of ,judgment alone will reveal4 ,in many countries the law of primogeniture prevails1 though1 happily1 in the ,united ,states and ,canada it has been abolished4 ,whether the interests of the mothers and younger members of families ever were in any degree the better provided for by every thing being placed at the absolute disposal of the eldest son1 is a doubtful question4 ,it may have been that1 in the old barbaric times1 when women and children were a prey to every bold marauder who chose to prey upon them1 that the law was intended for their protection1 the eldest son or brother being the person most likely to be able to protect them2 and the property1 not being subdivided and scattered1 was more easily defended2 and it might have been expected that natural affection would cause the heir to deal justly with his mother and the other children4 ,but with the passing away of these days of barbarous forays1 passed away the need of any such arrangement2 if indeed any good ever was accomplished by it4 ,certainly1 much mischief has been wrought and foul injustice sanctioned by it1 for many centuries4 ,an arrangement so well calculated to foster selfishness and arrogance1 so long established1 produced its legitimate fruit4 ,since at his father's death every thing1 or nearly so1 would come under his control1 the eldest son became the one important member of his family4 ,as his mother could have but her interest on the third of the value of the estate1 unless specially provided for by marriage settlement1 she necessarily became dependent upon him who inherited the estate2 and therefore the lad1 even while a lad1 was constantly deferred to1 until he deemed himself superior to the rest of his family4 ,the elder members of a family might have been girls1 and1 there being no boys1 might have arrived at the conclusion that the property of their father might be theirs2 but a boy born late in the life of their father would sweep away the delusion1 and leave them to poverty4 ,eldest sons have been known to send their brothers and sisters out into the world penniless1 and sell from over their mothers' heads the homes in which they had hoped to die1 obliging them to subsist or starve1 as they might1 upon their meagre thirds4 ,whether justice to mother or children was done or not1 depended entirely upon this one boy4 ,and this was the brightest side of primogeniture4 ,in cases of entailed property1 very often the entail specified that it was to go to the heir male for all time4 ,a father in this case1 dying without a son1 could do nothing besides willing to these girls such loose property as he might have acquired independently of his estate4 ,it might revert to his daughter's most bitter enemy2 it was not in his power to help it4 ,from the hour of a woman's birth to her death1 there is a continuous system of belittling her1 which1 if it does not succeed in destroying her self-respect1 thus teaching her that she may1 as her only means of retaliation1 allow herself in any little meanness which may occur to her1 is so galling to that self-respect1 that the wonder is that her very nature has not become revolutionized4 ,but women have so long been trained in this school1 that they have1 to a large extent1 adopted the language expressive of their own inferiority1 if not the sentiment itself4 ,emma and ,john1 as children1 play together2 ,emma aged five and ,john three years respectively4 ,their toys are suited to their sex--,emma's a doll1 ,john's a toy carriage and ponies4 ,for a time all goes on harmoniously2 they use each other's toys indiscriminately2 for as yet their minds have not been contaminated by outside influences4 ,by and by1 as will come in play1 both children wish entire possession of the same toy4 ,there is a contest1 and ,john appeals to mother3 ,emma has my carriage1 and won't give it up4 ,for shame6 says mother1 ,emma1 give ,john his toy directly4 ,don't you know that a carriage with ponies is a toy for little gentlemen8 ,besides1 if you are good1 when you both grow up perhaps he will give you a ride with real carriage and live ponies4 ,awed by the command1 and charmed by the distant prospect of the actual ride1 the little girl--as indeed she ought--gives up the toy1 and peace is restored for the time4 ,but presently a shrill cry is heard3 ,johnnie's rubbing all the paint off my dolly's cheeks4 ,he won't give her to me4 ,o1 he has broken her arm4 ,the mother's reply to this cry is stern and sharp4 ,don't be so cross with your little brother4 ,then to ,john4 ,o1 ,john1 you ought not to have broken sister's pretty dolly2 it wasn't half so nice as your own little carriage and ponies4 ,why didn't you play with them8 ,boys should be gentlemen4 ,emma is only a little girl2 with a tone emphatic of inferiority upon the word girl4 ,little boys should never stoop to play with girl's toys4 ,later on1 where a girl's enjoyment is in a measure provided for in connection with her brother1 he is made almost invariably the purse-bearer4 ,what she has is of his generosity4 ,girls must be yielding1 submissive1 and dependent1 as becomes their sex4 ,boys may be overbearing or rough2 it is a sign of a manly spirit to be so4 ,thus arrogance and injustice is fostered in the boy1 and a sense of wrong begotten in the girl2 the one is degraded in her own eyes1 and in the eyes of her brother2 the other is elevated above his just level in his own eyes and his sister's2 and heart-burning and jealousies engendered that often last through life4 ,a girl may hardly choose her own husband4 ,her father1 brother1 or some friend will introduce some eligible party4 ,she is an undutiful girl if--when he honors her by asking her hand--she do not thankfully consent4 ,to the credit of humanity be it said1 that girls have more liberty of choice in this respect than they had formerly4 ,there is still room for improvement4 ,the sooner match-making and match-makers die out1 the better for the world4 ,if man or woman make a mistake in marrying unfortunately1 and in consequence suffer unhappiness1 let those more fortunately situated1 pity and be kind to the sufferer2 but let none incur the responsibility of having made such a match4 ,,footnotes3 ,footnote ,k3 ,by recent legislation in ,ontario1 she is deprived of her right of dower in wild lands4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,woman and ,legislation4 ,what rights1 it may be asked1 ought women to have accorded to them which they do not now enjoy according to law8 ,from what rights does custom debar them8 ,we claim that women1 being held equally responsible to the law with men1 are as well entitled to have a voice in making that law4 ,it is a fundamental principle of all governments1 not despotic1 that taxation without representation is a gross infringement upon the civil rights of the subject or citizen4 ,when1 in spite of the disadvantages under which women labor1 they have1 by unflagging industry and prudent management1 acquired real estate1 their property is taxed according to the same rule by which the property of men is taxed2 and still the elective franchise is denied them4 ,men in legislating for men know their wants and understand their particular needs1 because they have experience of them2 but in legislating for women they look at things from their own stand-point2 and because of its being impossible for them to experience the various annoyances and humiliations to which women are subjected1 they do not realize the injustice toward women of the existing state of things1 or the nature and extent of the changes which justice to them requires4 ,to secure any thing like impartial justice in civil affairs for women1 they should have an equal voice in making the laws4 ,it is contended that1 if women were entitled to the franchise1 it would make no difference with a party vote1 since as many women would vote on one ticket as on the other4 ,what of it8 ,the franchise has been extended from time to time for centuries to various classes of men1 and these classes did not1 as a class1 confine themselves to one particular ticket or party4 ,was it any the less the unalienable right of these men to enjoy their liberty to vote as they saw fit1 or as they deemed for the best interests of the country8 ,certainly not4 ,neither is it just that women should be denied the right to vote because it would make no perceptible difference to a party ticket4 ,if women had a right to vote1 say some1 it would occasion family contention4 ,why should it8 ,if a woman thinks as her husband1 she will vote as he does2 if not1 none but an unreasonable and overbearing man would insist that his wife must think as he does1 and vote in accordance with his views1 whether they agree with her own or not4 ,it would be quite as just and as reasonable to urge that1 because the peace of families is sometimes disturbed by fathers and sons voting for opposite parties1 therefore1 the sons should not be allowed to exercise the franchise during the life-time of their fathers4 ,there are differences of opinion concerning politics in families now2 there always have been1 and always will be1 unless some process can be devised whereby women will be deprived of the power of thought4 ,are these existing differences less to be deprecated than those likely to result from extending the franchise to women8 ,how can it be supposed that the peace of families is secured by men only having the liberty to give practical expression to their views1 by recording votes which may tell for the good or ill of the country1 while women have not8 though very frequently a woman has the outrage put upon her of knowing that her husband is recording a vote upon her property1 not his1 for a party to which she is conscientiously opposed4 ,and this in a civilized1 not a barbarous1 land6 ,where is either the justice or the moral honesty of such a course of procedure8 ,surely1 if a woman did vote for a candidate or for a measure to which her husband is opposed1 it is no worse1 and ought to produce no more disturbance in the family1 than for him to vote for a candidate or measure to which she is opposed1 especially where the property qualification is in her own right1 or where--as is very frequently the case--she has worked equally hard in earning it2 nor would disturbance be produced by it at any time1 were men as much disposed to be just as women are to forgive injury4 ,then1 there are many intelligent1 industrious1 and enterprising women who never marry2 and many more who do1 are left widows early in life1 and remain so to its end4 ,these women contribute quite as much to the public good as do unmarried men in similar circumstances4 ,why1 then1 should the one enjoy the privilege of the ballot-box or the polls1 and it be denied to the other8 ,there is no just reason whatever4 ,nothing but usage makes such an injustice tolerated2 nothing but the love of arbitrary power causes it to be advocated4 ,the assertion that the majority of women care nothing about politics or the exercise of any right not now enjoyed by them1 is about as true as the asseverations of those who opposed the passage of the late ,reform ,bill in ,england1 that the majority of the middle and poorer classes were satisfied with the privileges enjoyed1 and would scarcely--the poorer classes especially--be able to vote intelligently if the privilege were allowed4 ,it was roundly asserted1 too1 that all this reform agitation was the work of demagogues and infidels4 ,time has proved that the common people of ,england were able to record intelligent votes1 and that they did prize the privileges which were so reluctantly granted2 neither is infidelity any more rampant since liberty has been given to the people to express their opinions than it was before4 ,indeed1 it has less material upon which to feed and grow than it then had4 ,it is asserted by reverend divines that1 to accord women equal rights and privileges with men1 is to countenance infidelity4 ,such assertions have yet to be proved to be truthful4 ,logically1 the position is untenable4 ,there are many thousands more infidels among men than among women4 ,how1 then1 can these divines make it appear that giving to women equal civil and political privileges with men would countenance infidelity1 or tend to its increase8 ,women being so much more generally religiously disposed than men1 the influence of the former1 if allowed its due weight in public affairs1 would be much more likely to neutralize the influence of the infidel men now exercising the rights and privileges from which women are debarred1 and would thus contribute to the development of a higher moral and religious tone in community4 ,apply these men's theory to themselves1 and they would quickly observe its absurdity1 as well as its shameful injustice4 ,it is said1 too1 that women are amply represented by their husbands1 brothers1 or fathers2 which is not true1 since wives do not always think as their husbands do2 daughters do not always see matters from the same stand-point that their fathers do1 any more than sons2 and sisters do not agree in opinion with brothers1 any more than brothers agree with brothers4 ,it is a well-known fact that1 in all countries1 fathers and sons have entertained different views1 both political and religious1 and have given public expression of them2 so1 also1 brothers have arrayed themselves against brothers in civil and ecclesiastical contests4 ,it is absurd1 therefore1 to say that one member of a family--even though he be the head--of necessity represents the views of the entire family4 ,but1 supposing it were true that the thing could be done1 it would be just as reasonable for women to represent their fathers1 husbands1 sons1 and brothers at the polls as to be represented there by them4 ,it is urged that many women are frivolous1 that they seem scarcely to have a serious thought1 that the energies of their minds--if they have any--are bent upon the acquirement of a thorough knowledge of the latest foreign fashion1 heedless whether they ruin father or husband or not4 ,so there are--those especially who are taught to think it very unfeminine to be strong-minded enough to be independent1 who deem it a fearful thing to bend mind or body to work for their own living1 asserting1 with an unwitting sarcasm1 that papa or husband is the responsible head of the house1 and that it is his business to supply their wants4 ,there are frivolous young men1 too1 in this world of ours1 whose whole minds seem bent on the exquisite parting of their back hair1 the peculiar shape of their collar and shade of gloves or neck-tie1 and the exact height of the heel of their ,french boots2 men who run up bills and ruin fathers and wives without any apparent compunctions of conscience1 and who feel no shame that their wives or daughters support them while they squander both time and money4 ,yet these men1 frivolous as it is possible to be1 are not denied equal privileges with the rest of their sex1 nor is their frivolity pleaded as a reason why sensible men should not be allowed the franchise4 ,why1 then1 should the frivolity of some women be urged against the whole sex8 ,rather1 educate them4 ,let them realize that they are equally with man responsible to ,god for the powers of mind given them4 ,and let them know1 too1 that they shall have equal opportunities for the development and exercise of those powers2 that with equality in responsibility there is equality in privilege2 and the next half-century will number fewer frivolous women--by many hundreds4 ,the dread is entertained by some that1 if granted the elective franchise1 women would be mixed up in election rows and drunken squabbles1 as men are now4 ,such an event does not necessarily follow2 neither is it at all probable4 ,men of good principle and well-balanced judgment do not make either fools or beasts of themselves now1 badly as elections are managed2 nor would sensible1 right-minded women degrade themselves by unseemly conduct while exercising their right to vote4 ,no law has ever yet existed which entirely prevented evil-minded men and evil-minded women from making public exhibition of their degradation2 and1 as society is now constructed1 where wicked men congregate1 some wicked women will be found4 ,elevate women to perfect equality with man1 and fewer wicked ones will prey upon society4 ,the great objection1 the one which rises above all others1 with regard to women taking an active part in civil and ecclesiastical matters1 is1 that they would thereby neglect their houses and families4 ,this objection has some weight2 it is not altogether so unreasonable as most of the others raised4 ,but even here the event dreaded does not necessarily follow1 any more than because men are allowed to vote therefore their business and families must suffer in consequence4 ,prudent men1 when they accept offices of public trust1 so order their business arrangements that they shall be properly attended to without allowing the one to interfere with the other4 ,so also would prudent women4 ,it might with as much propriety be argued that a farmer must not be permitted to accept any public office1 not even that of juryman1 because the acceptance of it might call him from home1 either in ,springtime or harvest2 nor a doctor to become a candidate for public honors1 lest some one might be sick while he was away1--as to argue that a woman must not be permitted to take an active part in public affairs because the house is to be attended to1 and the comfort and well-being of her husband and children provided for4 ,are the recognized duties and ordinary occupations of women necessarily so all-engrossing as to be inconsistent with any other demand upon their time or thoughts2 or of so much graver importance than the duties which men owe to their business and families1 as to require her constant presence and the entire devotion of all her energies2 while men1 who have families and large business transactions on their hands1 are justified in devoting a large portion of their time and attention to other objects1 whether literature1 science1 or politics8 ,there is no more honorable position on earth than that of a wife1 possessing the undivided affection of a good husband1 surrounded by an orderly and interesting family of children4 ,neither is there a more honorable position among men than that of a husband1 possessing the undivided affection of a good wife1 who sympathizes with him in his every care1 surrounded by a family of well-behaved1 intelligent children4 ,a well-regulated household is a picture upon which the good of either sex love to look4 ,the responsibility of regulating and ordering a household properly1 devolves equally upon both the husband and wife4 ,it can not be a well-regulated house if either fails to share the responsibility equally4 ,is the careful wife and mother1 then1 to be cut off from the rights of citizenship because she is a wife and mother8 ,there is no valid reason why an intelligent woman should not be permitted to carry the weight of her judicious influence beyond the charmed circle of her home1 any more than that she should not be permitted to exercise it there4 ,even in the limited sphere now assigned to women1 many of them have proved that they could be faithful to the interests of their husbands and children1 and yet accomplish much for the benefit of the world besides4 ,admitting1 however--and we do admit it1 heartily--that women are endowed with peculiar talents for the management of children1 and men are better fitted than women for training horses or managing swine1--which occupation requires the greater mental culture8 ,which is likely to do the most for the benefit of mankind8 ,the proper care for her children1 and attention to them1 does not necessarily prevent a woman from attending to matters of public utility outside of her house4 ,and then there are the unmarried women1 who were referred to previously1 that have not these household claims resting upon them4 ,the objection concerning the neglect of households does not touch their cases at all2 for they have neither children nor husbands to be neglected4 ,that unmarried women1 who step out from the private sanctity of their homes1 often accomplish much good by entering on the so much censured public career1 the lives of ,florence ,nightingale1 ,miss ,mc,pherson1 and ,miss ,dix1 if there were no others1 amply prove4 ,it is argued by some that1 if women would exercise the privilege of the franchise1 she must be prepared to take the field as a soldier1 or enter the navy1 as circumstances might require1 in time of war4 ,history informs us that women have given valuable assistance in time of war1 even taking the field and fighting nobly for their country when their valor was needed2 and1 in our own day1 there is on record an instance of a woman commanding a vessel during a long voyage over exceedingly dangerous seas1 and bringing it successfully into the desired port4 ,but apart from this1 the fact is1 the argument is simply used as a bugbear to frighten the timid and deter them from claiming their just position1 both social and civil4 ,by law1 certain classes of men are exempt from war1 except in extreme cases1 so that by no means all who vote1 now1 are expected to fight4 ,then1 women render an equivalent to the ,state1 and risk their lives in doing it1 quite as much as soldiers or sailors2 not1 however1 in destroying human life1 but in perpetuating it4 ,as recruiting agents1 therefore1 and the first drill-masters or instructors of the members of future battalions1 they serve the ,government as effectually as any standing army4 ,it does not follow1 then1 that as a consequence of being permitted to vote1 or being admitted to other privileges1 women must load the cannon or wield the sword4 ,we wonder if the originator of such an attempt at intimidation ever heard of ,joan of ,arc or ,margaret of ,anjou4 ,it is claimed that women are unfit for public life because--another unproved assertion--they are incapable of reasoning logically or speaking fluently4 ,women have had but little opportunity afforded them for public speaking2 yet1 even with the slight advantages which they have possessed1 they have proved themselves quite as capable of arriving at a high standard of reasoning or oratory as the majority of the opposite sex4 ,anna ,dickinson will draw a full house in any city in the ,united ,states2 and disinterested listeners 7men7 have pronounced her lectures unsurpassed1 in close reasoning and power of fervid eloquence1 by any male lecturer in the ,union4 ,but1 say some1 all women are not equally gifted2 there are few endowed with the talents or voice of ,miss ,dickinson4 ,just so2 and but few men are endowed with the talents of ,theodore ,cuyler1 or gifted with the versatile wit of ,j4,b4 ,gough2 yet other men speak in public1 and in their humbler sphere render the ,state good service4 ,the various ,churches have not done what they might in drawing out this talent in women1 and using it for the good of the world4 ,indeed1 while quoting and straining the writings of the apostles to suit their own narrow views1 those who have given tone to the various branches of the ,christian ,church1 and virtually fixed the position of women therein1 have wandered far1 very far1 from the practice of the ,pauline days with regard to the employment of women in the public workings of the ,church1 as is shown by a comparison of the present working of the several ,christian ,churches with the sacred records1 as given in ,acts and the ,epistles themselves4 ,the ,society of ,friends1 upon examination1 becoming convinced of the falsity of the reasoning1 assumed to be predicated upon the ,word of ,god1 that there was inferiority between the sexes1 and not believing that the assumption was borne out by a careful perusal of the ,scriptures1 granted perfect equality to men and women in the exercise of religious services4 ,having been the foremost religious body of modern times in granting liberty of speech to ,christian women1 they have been more highly honored than most other denominations in the number of gifted speakers among their women4 ,in the early days of ,methodism1 too1 women were allowed to exercise the talent for public speaking1 with which ,god had endowed them2 and ,dinah ,evans and ,mrs4 ,fletcher--the one in the humbler walks of life1 the other a lady of position1 education1 and refinement--stand forth conspicuously upon the pages of history1 giving evidence that the ministry of ,christian women was honored by ,god in leading the wicked to forsake their unrighteous ways4 ,as ,methodism became older1 like the primitive ,church1 it departed from the first usage1 and as a consequence1 like it1 it lost for the time a powerful agency for doing good4 ,latterly1 however1 women1 especially in the ,united ,states1 are breaking through the fetters--ecclesiastical as well as civil--which have so long bound them4 ,in a measure1 at least1 their day of civil and religious slavery is drawing to a close4 ,they now very frequently preside and speak at public religious meetings1 and are admitted by candid1 well-informed men to be quite as competent to discharge the duties of a presiding officer1 or to present the ideas they wish to convey in a clear and logical manner1 as any of the learned clergymen or clear-headed laymen in the same meeting4 ,some of the most eloquent public advocates of the missionary enterprise in the ,united ,states are earnest ,christian women4 ,in the halcyon days of ,queen ,victoria1 before the sad bereavement came upon her which has darkened her latter years and caused her to retire as much as possible from public view--at the time when she read her own speeches from the throne--she was pronounced1 by competent critics1 to be unsurpassed1 as a reader1 by any elocutionist in ,europe4 ,a thoroughly liberal education1 and the practice of conversing with persons of intelligence1 renders material assistance to both men and women1 by enabling them to express their thoughts in the clearest and most forcible language possible2 and the same thing may be remarked of declamation4 ,in social circles1 where men and women of average mental culture meet together1 there is no perceptible difference between the conversational powers of the sexes4 ,let the facilities for the education of men and women once be made equal throughout the civilized world1 and the hackneyed cry of her mental inferiority will be heard of no more1 excepting when mentioned among the other exploded theories of the ,dark ,ages and of barbaric times4 ,the cramping of the mental powers of women1 or the attempting to cramp them1 lest they might claim equal advantages with the other half of the race1 will be classed--and justly so--with the cramping of women's feet by the ,chinese1 lest they might claim and exercise the liberty of walking the streets at pleasure1 as their husbands do4 ,a woman will be no more expected to give credence to every thing her husband believes1 no matter how absurd the belief may be1 at his dictation1 because he is her husband1 or to yield implicit obedience to his commands1 no matter how tyrannical1 than she will be to follow him to the funeral pyre4 ,already ladies1 by dint of untiring industry and perseverance1 have mounted to honorable positions1 and have acquired meritorious fame as artists1 both in painting and in sculpture4 ,who1 in our times1 stands higher on the list of artists than ,rosa ,bonheur or ,miss ,hosmer8 ,in the study of medicine1 women have been met by the most scandalous opposition and insult by those conservators of good morals1 male medical students4 ,yet1 believing that women were as capable of acquiring skill in the healing art as men1 and that1 where the peculiar diseases of women were concerned1 they were better adapted to it1 and that there was less impropriety in their attending their own sex than in men doing so1 they persevered1 and have won for themselves honorable distinction4 ,that women have1 for years1 distinguished themselves in connection with medical science1 may be seen from the following interesting historical facts presented by ,caroline ,h4 ,ball3 ,madame ,francoise1 the midwife of ,catharine de ,medici1 lectured ably to students of both sexes4 ,james ,guillemeau was a ,french surgeon of great eminence1 who died in #ahac2 but the obstetrical observations which gave value to his books were contributed by ,madame ,veronne4 ,it was to the ,countess of ,cinchon1 and the influence which she used at every court in ,europe1 and finally at the ,court of ,rome1 that the world owed the use of ,peruvian bark1 and consequently of quinine4 ,its early name1 ,jesuit's ,bark1 showed one step of her process4 7,see ,anastasis ,corticis ,peruviani1 ,seu ,china ,defensis47 ,madame ,breton patented a system of artificial nourishment for infants1 in use in ,france as late as #ahcj4 ,at the age of twenty-four1 in the year #agcf1 ,elizabeth ,blackwell1 of ,london1 published a work on ,medical ,botany4 ,it was in three volumes1 folio1 well illustrated1 and was the first of its kind in any country4 ,madame ,ducoudray1 born in ,paris1 #agab1 was the first lecturer who used a manikin1 which she herself invented and perfected4 ,physicians persist in ignoring this fact1 although it was publicly approved by the ,french ,academy of ,surgeons1 ,december #a1 #ageh4 ,morandi1 born in ,bologna in #agaf1 and ,beheron1 born at ,paris in #agcj1 invented and perfected the use of wax preparations to represent diseases4 ,beheron's collection was purchased by ,catharine ,,ii1 of ,russia1 and went to ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,hunter acknowledged his obligations to her4 ,morandi's collection1 at ,bologna1 was visited and purchased by ,joseph ,,ii4 ,she was ,professor of ,anatomy at the university4 ,lady ,mary ,wortley ,montague introduced inoculation into ,europe2 and the intelligent observation of a farmer's wife led ,dr4 ,jenner to his experiments with vaccine matter4 ,the services of regularly qualified lady physicians are now eagerly sought1 not only in the ,united ,states1 where they in later times first proved their capability1 but also in foreign countries4 ,medical universities1 the sage faculties of which once frowned with scorn upon women who would be guilty of the indelicacy of pushing themselves into the medical profession1 now gladly open their doors to them2 the more candid of the professors admitting that the indelicacy1 not to say indecency1 is upon the side of men who would push themselves into the sick-chamber of a woman1 and make inquiries of her concerning symptoms peculiar to her sex1 when there are women who are competent to attend to her case4 ,little by little the mists of superstition and error1 incident to barbaric times1 are being dispelled by the genial light of a brighter day4 ,even now1 genteel ignorance is not esteemed the acme of feminine perfection1 except by those theorists who would degrade woman mentally1 that they themselves may thus acquire so much a higher elevation--at least in their own imaginations--as to stand to them in ,god's stead1 or1 at the very least1 to be a semi-deity whose superior wisdom is to be worshiped4 ,the facilities for acquiring a good common education1 of late years afforded to the masses1 in which there was not so wide a distinction made between the sexes as formerly1 have accomplished much in removing old-time prejudices2 as the searching examinations of these public schools have fairly tested the capabilities of both boys and girls1 and have established the fact that1 with equal opportunities1 the girls were fully equal to the boys in mental ability and attainments4 ,grudgingly1 girls have been allowed to enter the grammar and higher schools2 and here1 too1 by their proficiency1 they have proved their right to enter4 ,there was a great outcry raised when the first genuine university which admitted women1 allowed them to pursue precisely the same studies as young men4 ,it was predicted that almost unheard-of evils would ensue4 ,woman1 if they succeeded1 would be unfitted for her sphere1 and become unwilling to soothe1 with tender hand1 the suffering and the distressed1 etc4 ,the wail was terrific4 ,the experiment1 however1 succeeded4 ,women not only commenced a real collegiate course1 but pursued it to the end1 graduating with honors2 and1 despite prophecy1 college-bred women made faithful wives1 judicious mothers1 and good housekeepers4 ,a cruel war ravaged the fair fields of a portion of the ,united ,states1 bringing with it its attendant train of misery4 ,what was the employment of ladies who had graduated in universities in this crisis of their country8 ,had their knowledge of ,latin and ,greek made them either inefficient or hard8 ,the weary1 wounded soldier in the hospitals would testify that the kind hand of an educated and refined woman bathed his feverish temples1 while her gentle voice breathed into his ear the glad tidings of a peace to be attained by repentance and faith in our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,delicacies were needed for the invalid soldiers1 and were not to be bought for money2 the educated woman1 side by side with her uneducated sister1 bared her white arms above the elbow1 and molded delicate pastry1 and sealed and pickled and preserved as diligently and as deftly as if she had never demonstrated a problem in ,euclid or heard of ,sophocles4 ,in what way had women become unfitted for their sphere by a liberal education8 ,in no way whatever4 ,if some highly educated women are inefficient housekeepers1 and slatternly in their persons1 so also are many who neither know how to read nor write2 just as there are many impracticable1 inefficient1 and slovenly men who are highly educated1 and ignorant men who are also incompetent and inefficient4 ,education has nothing to do with making either men or women inefficient2 the inefficient would be inefficient to the end of time1 though their minds were never troubled with literature4 ,no fearful calamity having ensued as a consequence of the admission of ladies to one university1 others also began slowly1 and with great caution1 to open their doors to them2 and now their admission on the same footing as their brothers to the same universities1 and their capability to complete the same curriculum is no longer an experiment1 but an established fact4 ,even in conservative1 staid old ,england1 ladies are admitted to the examinations at ,cambridge4 ,but all are by no means open4 ,no3 there are those1 and some of them men of sense in other respects1 who can not come down from the lofty pedestal on which they have placed themselves1 and are not willing to allow their sisters or daughters to mount1 lest they should reach their side4 ,these sneer and frown1 and prophesy evil just as vehemently as did narrow-minded men of the same class fifty or twenty years ago2 and their influence will1 for a time1 keep some of the colleges closed to women4 ,but this is a matter of little consequence now4 ,there are universities now open to them of as high a literary grade as those which are closed against them2 and consequently they may drink at will at the fountain of knowledge1 despite the sneers and frowns of those who would prevent it if they could1 but happily can not altogether4 ,though there is still much fierce opposition to the movement for granting them equal civil and ecclesiastical rights and privileges1 and for allowing them to compete fairly with men in business transactions or in the learned professions2 and though it may be expected that this opposition will be continued for some time to come1--yet women have cause for thankful rejoicing1 and may take courage4 ,the long night of their bitter servitude is nearly over1 the dawn of better days is beginning to tinge the horizon2 and hope may now be entertained that erelong they shall occupy the position to which they are entitled1 as man's compeer--the position of equality with him in all the relations of life--and enjoy the full rights and privileges of civilized and ,christianized citizenship4 ,the morning is breaking4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,famous ,women of ,antiquity4 ,it has been so often asserted that women are incompetent to form any thing like correct opinions on civil or political questions1 or to govern with discretion1 even when by chance the reins are committed to their control for a brief season2 and that they have always been found so2 and1 also1 that they are naturally incapable of a sufficiently great degree of mental effort to entitle them to celebrity1--that the statement has come to be regarded as a fact by the masses1 who have lacked either the ability or the desire to investigate the matter4 ,with the majority of men1 as such assertions fostered their love of power1 and the idea of their own self-consequence1 it was natural for them to accept them without question1 as undoubted truth4 ,with women1 until within the present century1 the facilities for acquiring an education have been so meagre that1 except where they were possessed of both a large fortune and an unlimited amount of perseverance1 they had slight opportunities for acquiring accurate information on that or any other subject4 ,what their fathers1 husbands1 or brothers told them1 they might believe if they chose2 for the rest1 to the very large majority of women1 history was a sealed book2 so that1 for want of correct information1 they were not in a position to contradict any assertion1 however extravagant1 untruthful1 or absurd it might be4 ,in the foregoing pages of this treatise1 it has been maintained that the statements concerning the alleged mental inferiority of women are untruthful2 and that history1 both ancient and modern1 proves them to be so4 ,in order1 therefore1 to establish this proposition more fully1 the following sketches have been added1 giving an account of a few women eminent for the founding of colonies1 for piety1 for patriotism1 and for attainments in science1 literature1 and arts2 and some1 alas6 for wickedness4 ,,elisa1 ,,or ,,dido1 ,,founder ,,of ,,carthage4 ,carthage1 one of the most noted nations of antiquity1 was founded by a woman1 and flourished under her rule4 ,a ,tyrian princess1 ,dido--or ,elisa1 as she is indiscriminately named in history--was in jeopardy from the tyranny and oppression of an unnatural brother1 who1 not content with what he had inherited from his father1 had cast covetous eyes upon the immense possessions of his sister's husband1 whose death he compassed4 ,all the powers of mind which had hitherto lain dormant within her1 being roused by the horrid act of her brother1 ,dido at once set about rescuing her treasure from his grasp1 and her retainers from his unbridled fury4 ,not choosing to seek protection from any of the princes of the surrounding countries1 and knowing herself to be unsafe while in the vicinity of her brother1 she1 as speedily as possible1 and with the utmost secresy1 gathered what she was possessed of together1 and1 with her followers1 embarked in search of some country where she might live free from tyranny and oppression4 ,undaunted by the dangers1 real and imaginary1 which beset the paths of the early navigators of the ,mediterranean1 the little band of adventurers pursued their course1 steering westward1 ever westward2 away past ,egypt1 and past ,libya1 until they came in sight of a peninsula on the northern coast of ,africa hitherto unknown to history1 but ever afterward to be famous as the landing-place of the heroic woman4 ,at a point only a short distance from the site of the present city of ,tunis1 ,dido1 with her followers1 established herself2 not taking possession of the territory on which she set her foot1 as became the fashion some time later1 but purchasing it from the natives at a given price4 ,according to the usage of the times1 she at once set about founding a city2 and one hundred years before the founding of ,rome--its after rival and destroyer--the work of building ,carthage1 or the ,new ,city1 as ,dido named it1 began4 ,the city being advantageously situated for commerce1 and the rule of ,dido more mild than that of ,pygmalion1 her brother1 hundreds of the ,tyrians flocked to her standard4 ,these men of ,tyre brought with them their old home-love of commercial enterprise and maritime adventure2 and1 in a marvelously short time1 ,carthage took high rank among the nations of the world2 and it was conceded1 by one of the most renowned philosophers of ,greece1 that it enjoyed one of the most perfect governments of antiquity4 ,it is told of ,dido1 that she was not only capable and brave1 but also--like many of the opposite sex--somewhat sharp in a bargain2 and that she tricked the ,africans into giving her more territory than they designed doing4 ,the story is--though it is not generally believed--that having bargained with the natives for as much land as an ox-hide would encompass1 she cut it up into the smallest possible strips1 and by this means made it capable of surrounding a large extent of ground2 and1 as a bargain is a bargain1 she gained possession of the inclosure by agreeing to pay an annual tribute for it4 ,but whether or not this rather improbable story be true1 avarice and tyranny on the part of a brother seems to have roused the dormant power in ,dido's nature2 and the indomitable perseverance1 fortitude1 and faculty for government displayed by the outraged woman1 were the forces which brought about the founding of a powerful nation4 ,king ,pygmalion is only remembered because he was the brother of the illustrious ,queen ,dido4 ,,cleopatra4 ,the character of ,cleopatra forms a striking contrast to that of ,dido1 in many particulars3 the one the first princess and founder of a nation destined to live in history ages after it had ceased to exist2 the other the last princess of a land equally famed in story1 whose kingdom was to suffer extinction1 in a great measure in consequence of her vices--not because she was too weak to sway the scepter1 but because she was too wicked to rule justly4 ,the last representative of the dynasty of the ,ptolemies1 she seemed to possess an undue share of the evil propensities of an evil race2 and1 with this1 the gift of rare beauty1 added to very winning manners and remarkable powers of fascination4 ,in her constitution was blended a dangerous combination of varied charms and varied vices4 ,the learning of the ,egyptian schools she had mastered2 there were none of the then modern accomplishments of which she had not made herself mistress2 wealth and regal honors were hers2 and yet what a sad picture she presents6 ,evil passions were allowed to rankle in her breast unchecked1 till she became one of the vilest creatures1 in a country become the vilest and basest of nations4 ,the powers of mind with which she was endowed1 used for the benefit of her country1 might have been the means of its salvation2 but instead of appealing to the patriotism of her people--if1 indeed1 they then possessed any--she chose rather to court the favor of the rising ,roman general1 and gain by flattery and crime what might have been denied to virtue4 ,though her kingdom was in danger1 and her own position and the inheritance of her children were at stake1 she reveled in sinful pleasure with the enemy4 ,by the power of her charms1 she effected a compromise with the first ,caesar1 which left her in possession of ,egypt2 but not on honorable terms4 ,how could terms1 dictated on the one side and agreed to on the other by base passion1 be aught but shameful and humiliating8 ,caesar in the west1 and the ,roman legions far away1 ,cleopatra paid no more regard to the treaty between them than if it had never been made4 ,such a violation of contract the ,romans never forgave2 and ,mark ,antony1 who had striven to rise to the supreme power after the assassination of ,julius ,caesar1 as soon as he had leisure from his other ambitious schemes1 bent his steps toward ,egypt1 to punish the faithless queen4 ,again she had recourse to her personal charms4 ,the stern but vicious general1 though in name a conqueror1 became an easy victim of her wiles2 and was himself in fact the conquered one4 ,if ,cleopatra had been ,mark ,antony's most bitter foe1 she could not more surely have lured him on to utter1 hopeless ruin4 ,at last1 the crisis came4 ,augustus ,caesar had arrived upon the shores of ,egypt to avenge his sister's wrongs4 ,mark ,antony's fate was sealed4 ,once more the wretched woman tried her powers of fascination2 but youth and sprightliness were gone4 ,she failed to captivate ,augustus by her winning manners1 or move him by a display of her distress4 ,her power1 she realized at last1 was gone2 but grace his triumph in ,rome she was determined she would not4 ,as a crowned queen she had lived2 as one she would die4 ,the deadly asp1 it is said1 became the executioner of her wicked will2 and when the victor came to stay the act which would rob him of a part of his revenge1 he found the work accomplished4 ,cleopatra would try her wiles no more4 ,here was a woman who1 by her adroitness and tact and a passionate will1 wielded an almost incredible power over some of the greatest men of that age2 whom she brought under her influence1 and for years led them whither she would1 according to the whim which possessed her4 ,which was the weaker mentally1 ,mark ,antony or ,cleopatra8 ,it is for the historical student to determine for himself4 ,in licentiousness1 they certainly were on a par4 ,,lucretia4 ,contrast the depravity of the wretched ,cleopatra with the virtue of ,lucretia1 wife of ,collatinus1 a distinguished ,roman4 ,beautiful and1 for the time in which she lived1 highly accomplished1 she was the idol of her husband4 ,loving and faithful to him1 and attentive to the ordering of her household1 she was pronounced a model ,roman dame4 ,virtue was pre-eminently a characteristic of the ,roman matron4 ,a heartless libertine1 annoyed that ,lucretia should stand so high1 and fired by wine and evil passion1 determined to accomplish her downfall2 and1 while she was helplessly in his power1 effected his vile purpose4 ,the outraged woman waited till her husband and father could be summoned2 and1 having told her dreadful tale1 and entreated them to avenge her dishonor1 she plunged a dagger to her heart4 ,a heathen1 she knew not there was sin in suicide1 and preferred death to a tarnished reputation4 ,,portia4 ,like ,lucretia1 ,portia was a ,roman matron of noble lineage1 and still nobler powers of mind4 ,the daughter of ,cato and wife of ,brutus1 it was her ambition to prove herself worthy of such a sire and such a husband2 and1 after the pagan fashion of the time1 she subjected herself to an exceedingly painful physical ordeal1 in order to test her powers of endurance4 ,having established the fact beyond a doubt that she was fully equal to her husband in fortitude and strength of character1 she became his confidant and counselor1 sharing his trials and misfortunes as readily as she had shared his prosperity4 ,the ambition of ,brutus1 together with the jealous rivalries of the time1 effected his ruin2 and1 finding his case hopelessly desperate1 he caused himself to be mortally wounded1 and expired shortly after4 ,portia had been so fondly attached to her husband that her friends feared she would determine not to survive him1 and in consequence took measures to prevent her from taking her own life2 but she foiled all their prudent forethought by swallowing a handful of live coals4 ,faithful to her husband to the last1 according to her idea of fidelity1 one can but lament that she had not the knowledge of a purer faith than that of paganism4 ,she was worthy of a better fate and brighter age4 ,,zenobia4 ,lucretia and ,portia adorned private life1 and--except in the manner of their respective deaths--were model matrons1 the equals of their husbands in integrity and understanding4 ,zenobia takes a somewhat higher rank2 though no more virtuous--that being impossible--she was called to exercise her talents in a different sphere4 ,though born in ,asia1 she claimed descent from the ,macedonian kings of ,egypt4 ,in her youth1 notwithstanding the restraints put upon her sex1 she acquired a liberal education1 and made herself mistress of the ,latin1 ,greek1 ,egyptian1 and ,syriac literature4 ,she took an active part in the promotion of learning1 and even compiled an epitome of ,oriental history for her own use4 ,palmyra1 the gem of the desert1 was favored in possessing such a princess4 ,as beautiful as she was accomplished1 she might in these respects be compared to her famous ancestress1 ,cleopatra2 but here the resemblance ended4 ,she was as famous for her virtues as was ,cleopatra for her vices4 ,arrived at maturity1 she united her destiny with that of ,odenathus1 a man who had risen from an obscure position to the highest rank in the land4 ,an intrepid general1 he had not only subdued the neighboring tribes of the desert1 but had1 in a measure1 humbled the haughty ,persian king1 and avenged the cruelty practiced upon the unfortunate ,valerian1 which the dissensions among the ,romans prevented them from doing themselves1 and had made himself master of the dominion of the ,east4 ,in ,zenobia he found a true helpmeet4 ,she inured herself to hardships in order that she might accompany her husband in his hazardous undertakings1 and assist him by her counsels or cheer him by her presence4 ,to her prudence and fortitude ,odenathus owed much of his success1 both as a general and a monarch2 so that in a few years1 from the small possessions adjoining ,palmyra1 he had extended his territory from the ,euphrates to the frontiers of ,bithynia4 ,during the intervals between the wars in which he engaged from time to time1 he spent much of his leisure in hunting or other wild sports2 and in these active amusements his wife also accompanied him4 ,she even marched1 when the occasion required it1 at the head of their troops4 ,for years every thing went prosperously2 then ,odenathus was snatched away by death1 and the entire responsibility of the ,government devolved upon ,zenobia alone4 ,the ,romans1 now grown stronger than they had been for some time after the defeat of ,valerian1 disputed the right of the widow of ,odenathus to assume the reins of government1 and sent out generals to compel her to submit to the dictum of the ,senate4 ,one of these she met1 and obliged to retreat with the loss of his army1 his mortification at defeat being increased by the fact that he had been beaten by a woman4 ,by judicious tact1 she attached both her subjects and her soldiers to her cause1 and enlarged the borders of her dominion very considerably4 ,even ,egypt yielded to her prowess1 and haughty ,persia solicited an alliance with her4 ,she was1 in fact1 as powerful as any of the ,eastern potentates1 if not the most powerful4 ,no petty passion or malice was allowed to mark her conduct in the treatment of her subjects4 ,the good of her country was her principal object in government1 and for the good of the ,state she would forgive1 or at least not punish1 a personal injury4 ,and1 though surrounding herself with all the splendors of royalty1 she yet managed the financial affairs of her realm with economy4 ,but the prosperity of her kingdom1 and her own success as a sovereign1 only increased the envy and resentment of the ,romans4 ,aurelian had gained the supreme power in ,rome1 and1 once established in his authority1 he determined to make good the old boast--once so true--that ,rome was mistress of the world4 ,zenobia was a powerful rival1 and her he determined to humble4 ,finding her kingdom menaced by so powerful a foe1 she set herself to defend it1 and met the approaching enemy a hundred miles from her capital4 ,here the tide of fortune turned against the hitherto prosperous queen4 ,in two successive battles she suffered defeat1 and then she shut herself up in ,palmyra1 hoping to starve ,aurelian into leaving her in peace2 but his star was yet in the ascendant1 the last obstacle was overcome1 and ,palmyra fell4 ,zenobia1 with some of her attendants1 fled2 but was overtaken and brought back a prisoner1 destined to grace the triumph of her conqueror4 ,she who had for more than five years ruled a powerful nation so nobly and so well1 was henceforth to be subjected to the indignities of a captive4 ,with ,zenobia1 fell the dominion of the ,east1 and its once beautiful capital dwindled into insignificance4 ,,hypatia4 ,rather more than a century had passed since the subjugation of ,zenobia and her ,empire by pagan ,rome1 when ,hypatia1 the philosopher of ,alexandria1 attracted the attention of the then civilized world by her marvelous talents and varied accomplishments4 ,the daughter of ,theon1 the celebrated mathematician of ,alexandria1 she possessed unusual facilities--for a woman--for acquiring knowledge2 and especially for becoming acquainted with the abstruse sciences4 ,of these facilities she availed herself with commendable earnestness2 and at an early age she had made herself mistress of both ,geometry and ,astronomy1 as far as either science was then understood or taught in any of the schools4 ,as is the case with less profound natures1 the mind grew on what it fed upon2 reasoning1 and the elucidation of knotty mathematical problems1 became her delight2 and1 by general consent1 she ranked as one of the first philosophers of her time1 if not indeed the very first4 ,it has often been asserted that the possession of great mental power unfits the woman possessing it for the common amenities of life4 ,that it does not necessarily do any thing of the kind1 is sufficiently evidenced in the life of ,hypatia4 ,though elevated to the very pinnacle of fame1 in consequence of her mental attainments1 she was nevertheless gentle and courteous in her manners1 toward those by whom she was surrounded4 ,she was very beautiful1 yet without vanity2 indeed1 true strength of mind precludes the idea of vanity1 for few but the mentally weak are vain2 and she was as chaste as she was mentally strong and physically beautiful4 ,convinced of her superior merits1 the authorities of the ,school of ,philosophy in which ,plotinus and his successors had expounded their theories1 importuned her to become preceptress therein2 and1 overcoming her natural diffidence1 she consented4 ,thenceforth1 instead of the frivolous adornments1 considered too foolish to be worn by men1 but quite fitting and becoming for women1 she was arrayed in the cloak of the philosopher1 and took her proper position as head of the most noted school in a city distinguished as the chief seat of learning of that age4 ,as a public speaker--for her lectures were not altogether confined to her school--she was fluent4 ,her elocution may be said to have been faultless1 and her manner of address pleasing2 and these1 combined with the very remarkable amount of information which she was capable of conveying in her lectures1 drew crowds of warm admirers and enthusiastically devoted students to listen to her4 ,was it possible that one so gifted1 so beautiful and pure1 could arouse malicious envy1 or make an enemy by the exercise of talents ,god had given her8 ,ah1 yes6 ,she knew more than ,cyril--a professedly ,christian bishop1 who then filled the patriarchal chair4 ,thenceforth she was marked as his prey4 ,allied to the ,state1 the ,church had lost its purity1 and become the bitterest of persecutors2 and ,cyril was one of the bitterest of these4 ,the ,jews had enjoyed a degree of liberty in ,alexandria1 which latterly had been denied them elsewhere2 and this the haughty spirit of the arrogant bishop could not brook2 and1 assuming that his power as an ecclesiastic was in consequence superior to the civil authority1 he1 after treating the ,jews with most outrageous cruelty1 banished them from the city4 ,the ,jews had been allowed to inhabit ,alexandria from the time of its foundation1 and had materially contributed to its prosperity2 therefore1 the civil authorities were not willing to see them suffer such indignities without raising their voice against the oppressive act4 ,orestes1 ,prefect of the city1 appealed to the emperor on their behalf4 ,he1 trammeled with his ,church connections1 and yet not wishing to break with the prefect1 declined to interfere in the matter1 thus leaving them to settle the dispute by themselves2 and soon the ecclesiastics and the citizens joined issue4 ,orestes1 being attacked by a party of monks as he was peaceably pursuing his way through the streets in his carriage1 was succored by the citizens1 who came to his relief2 and in the affray a monk was taken prisoner1 whom the justly exasperated ,orestes ordered to be executed4 ,the sentence was carried into effect1 and ,cyril caused the name of the would-be murderer to be enrolled among the martyrs4 ,hypatia was neither ,jew nor ,christian2 but her love of truth and justice caused her to espouse the side of the persecuted victims of ecclesiastical tyranny4 ,she had previously been the object of ,cyril's bitter hatred1 because her mental attainments were superior to his own4 ,now1 that hatred was intensified to the highest degree of malignity4 ,she had openly and boldly censured the conduct of the bishop1 and was deemed the friend of ,orestes2 therefore she must die4 ,having committed no crime1 she could not be brought before the civil tribunal for condemnation2 therefore1 as her death had been determined upon1 murder was the next resort4 ,she was surrounded and seized by a mob in the interest of ,cyril1 as she was one day returning from her school1 and hurried into the ,caesarian church1 where she was brutally murdered1 every barbarity being practiced upon her which monks were capable of inventing1 even to tearing her limb from limb1 and afterward burning her2 and ,cyril1 if indeed he did not sanction the murder by his actual presence while it was being committed1 sanctioned the horrid deed by his protection of the perpetrators when the infuriated populace would have avenged her death4 ,thus tragic was the end of one of the most highly gifted women the world has ever produced4 ,she flourished in the reign of the ,emperor ,theodosius ,,ii1 in the early part of the fifth century4 ,the record of the ,famous ,women of ,antiquity might be lengthened out indefinitely3 ,cornelia1 the mother of the ,gracchi1 so famous in ,roman history2 ,octavia1 the deeply injured wife of ,mark ,antony2 ,eudosia1 the wife of ,theodosius1 with her equally famous sister-in-law1 ,pulcheria2 the ,aspasia of ,pericles1 who is represented by some writers as having composed many of the orations given to the world as those of her husband2 the ,aspasia of ,cyrus1 so famous for her gentle modesty and wise counsels2 and ,marianne1 the last and most unfortunate princess of the illustrious line of the ,maccabees1 and wife of the monster1 ,herod the ,great4 ,each of these1 to do justice to their merits1 or to the transactions which rendered them famous1 would require a biography4 ,the mere mention of their names must suffice just here4 ,who has not read or heard of ,sappho1 the ,greek poetess1 concerning whose life and moral character there has been so much controversy--one class of writers condemning in unstinted measure1 as all and utterly vile2 the other class applauding her as being possessed of every virtue8 ,says one of the latter3 ,in ,sappho1 a warm and profound sensibility1 virgin purity1 feminine softness1 and delicacy of sentiment and feeling1 were combined with the native probity and simplicity of the ,eolian character2 and1 although endued with a fine perception of the beautiful and brilliant1 she preferred genuine conscious rectitude to every other source of human enjoyment4 ,it is probable a medium between these two extremes would give the true character of this remarkable woman4 ,many scores of names1 besides those given1 might be added to the list of eminent women2 but the examples cited suffice to prove the assertion made--so far as the women of antiquity are concerned--that they were capable of an equal amount of mental effort with the men with whom they were contemporary2 and that1 where they arose to the supreme power1 they governed as wisely and as well as the kings of the same period4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,eminent ,women of ,modern ,times4 ,it now remains to be seen whether the women of modern times have been worthy of note1 or what they have in any way accomplished4 ,,countess ,,of ,,montfort4 ,in the troublous times about the middle of the fourteenth century1 when every petty prince in ,europe was trying to overreach his immediate neighbor and grasp his lands1 and when ties of blood seemed only to intensify feuds1 there arose two claimants for the principality of ,brittany4 ,the ,count of ,montfort1 half-brother of the last duke1 and ,charles of ,blois1 were the rivals2 and each prosecuted his claim with vigor4 ,the army of ,charles laid siege to ,nantz1 in which ,montfort happened to be1 and from which he found it impossible to escape4 ,here was a dilemma4 ,the partisans of ,montfort were without an efficient leader2 and his chances of gaining what he claimed were exceedingly doubtful4 ,in this crisis of his affairs1 however1 an unexpected diversion was made1 which changed the current of fortune4 ,his wife1 ,jane of ,flanders1 now ,countess of ,montfort1 had hitherto limited her administrative abilities to the careful management of her domestic concerns2 and1 it is to be supposed1 was not deemed capable of a thought beyond4 ,the tidings of the virtual captivity of her husband roused in her a determination to defend what she considered to be his rights1 since he was unable to defend them himself4 ,she was at the time residing at ,rennes1 the inhabitants of which she caused to be assembled1 and made known the disaster which had befallen their sovereign4 ,her infant son she presented before them as the last of an illustrious line1 which must become extinct unless his father's fortunes were retrieved2 and she besought them to prove now1 by actions1 the attachment they had formerly professed for the count4 ,nor was her address in vain4 ,the citizens1 inspired by courage and eloquence1 vowed they would fight under her standard alone1 and live or die with her4 ,the garrisons throughout ,brittany followed the example of ,rennes1 and she found herself at the head of a respectable army2 but1 fearing that she was not sufficiently strong to cope with ,charles1 who was backed by the strength of ,france1 she applied to ,edward ,,iii1 of ,england1 for help4 ,then1 having put the affairs of the province in the best possible position1 she established herself at ,hennebonne1 where she awaited the issue of events2 having first sent her son to ,england1 that he might be out of danger4 ,in the mean time1 ,charles of ,blois was not inactive4 ,hennebonne was1 of itself1 too important a fortress to be overlooked2 and1 besides that1 the heroic countess was there4 ,if he could take the city and make prisoner its defender1 his cause would be gained4 ,with both the count and his wife in his power1 he would be sure of the succession4 ,accordingly1 before the supplies which ,edward was sending could reach ,hennebonne1 he laid siege to it2 but did not find its capture so easy a matter as he had expected4 ,the besieged made frequent sallies1 in which the enemy lost both men and reputation1 though they were not compelled to raise the siege4 ,on one of these occasions the return of the countess was intercepted1 and she found it impossible to regain the fortress4 ,nothing daunted she commanded her men to disperse themselves over the country1 while she made her own escape to ,brest4 ,as soon as was possible1 she collected another and larger force1 and1 forcing her way through the enemy's camp1 made good her entrance into the city1 to the great joy of her almost discouraged partisans4 ,subsequently1 the re-enforcements expected from ,edward not having yet arrived1 it was thought the garrison would be obliged to capitulate1 and negotiations were actually commenced4 ,the countess1 deeply mortified at the turn her affairs were taking1 had mounted a high turret1 and there remained1 looking sadly out over the sea in the direction whence the long-expected1 but now despaired of1 supplies should have come4 ,perhaps there was still a slight hope in her heart that1 even yet1 the desired aid might be afforded4 ,if so1 that hope was destined to be realized4 ,as she kept her position1 gazing sorrowfully over the wide expanse of waters1 she descried dark objects on the very verge of the horizon4 ,the despairing look gave place to one of eager1 hopeful watching4 ,the objects increased in size as she strained the eye to determine what they really were4 ,a favorable breeze was wafting them nearer1 and presently they took a tangible form4 ,sails6 sails6 cried the delighted countess4 ,behold the succors--the ,english succors4 ,no capitulation6 ,the opportune arrival of the re-enforcements sent by ,edward had saved the garrison4 ,charles was obliged to raise the siege4 ,he had neither taken the city nor captured the countess4 ,edward's six thousand gallant troops did the cause of the countess and her still besieged husband good service4 ,they had not appeared upon the field at an earlier period in the struggle in consequence of contrary winds4 ,but the delay itself had accomplished very much in bringing out the strong points in the character of the countess4 ,she had proved to the world that she could not only collect an army1 but do even more--efficiently command it4 ,subsequently1 the cause of ,charles of ,blois seemed to gain fresh strength1 and his party greatly outnumbered that of ,montfort1 whose friends decreased as those of ,charles increased4 ,edward again sent re-enforcements4 ,the ,english fleet1 having with them the countess1 were met on the passage to ,brittany by the enemy1 and an action ensued1 in which the countess behaved with the utmost courage1 charging the foe as valorously as any other officer among them4 ,a storm put an end to the bloody conflict1 and the fleet1 without further adventure1 reached the shores of ,brittany4 ,thenceforth the dispute of the succession became inextricably mixed up in the quarrel between ,england and ,france1 becoming indeed a part of it2 and we trace the career of the heroic ,countess of ,montfort no further4 ,,anne ,,askew4 ,in the preceding sketch1 it has been shown what a woman could--did1 in fact--do and dare1 as an ardent patriot and loving wife4 ,the fortitude of ,anne ,askew was of a different stamp4 ,she proved what she could endure for conscience' sake4 ,the ,reformation produced many women such as she2 but her simple story must suffice1 here1 for all4 ,she was a young lady of high family1 and exercised a remarkable influence1 for one so young1 over the ladies at the ,court of ,henry ,,viii2 and even stood in the relation of a friend to the queen--no great passport to the favor of the monster ,henry4 ,being possessed of considerable mental ability1 she gave much of her attention to the study of the theological questions which were disturbing the peace of ,europe at the time2 and being also of an independent turn1 and withal deeply pious1 she dared to question ,henry's dogma concerning the real presence of the body of ,christ in the ,sacrament4 ,henry was furious that a woman should dare to hold any tenet other than he allowed1 or dispute one which he had decreed must be believed4 ,the infamous ,bonner was commissioned to confer with her respecting her religious views2 and1 finding her firm in her determination not to yield to either his dictates or those of the king1 he pronounced her a heretic4 ,his conduct in representing her as such was the more reprehensible1 as1 while refusing to give entire credence to the doctrine they wished to impose upon her1 she told the bishop and wrote to the king that1 ,as to the ,lord's-supper1 she believed as much as ,christ himself had said of it1 444 and as much as the ,catholic ,church required4 ,but the king1 though professing to be a reformer1 would brook nothing which did not accord precisely with his own dogmatic utterances4 ,her presuming to write to him1 when she did not submit to his dictation1 he chose to construe as a fresh insult to himself4 ,her youth 7she was but seventeen71 her beauty1 and her innocence were no protection4 ,the rack1 and then the stake1 were all that remained1 unless she could be prevailed on to recant4 ,this she gently but firmly refused to do4 ,the king was determined to root out the heresy--if it existed there--from the court2 and those who knew him1 knew that there was no cruelty of which he would not be guilty to accomplish his end4 ,wriothesley1 the chancellor1 waited on the unfortunate ,miss ,askew to examine her concerning the religious sentiments of the other ladies of the court2 but1 though bold in professing her own religious views1 she was just as firm in refusing to implicate any of her former associates4 ,threatenings and promises were alike found useless4 ,then she was subjected to the most excruciating torture2 but1 though every limb was dislocated1 the noble girl remained true to her friends and to her ,god4 ,so enraged was the chancellor at her fortitude1 that when the lieutenant of the tower refused to obey his order to screw the rack still more tightly1 he seized the instrument himself1 and wrenched it so violently as almost to tear the body asunder4 ,but her constancy was unshaken4 ,torture having failed1 the poor1 mangled body was thrust into a chair1 and carried to the stake4 ,a ,catholic priest and two other persons were conducted with her to execution1 all condemned in like manner for the violation of the king's mandates4 ,bound to their respective stakes1 these victims of intolerant bigotry and unlimited tyranny awaited with patience the kindling of the fagots which were piled around4 ,but they were to be still further tempted ere they were released from suffering4 ,while they were thus publicly exposed in the most painful of positions1 suffering all the physical agony it was possible to endure and live1 a message was sent to them that1 if they would even at that late period recant1 their lives would be spared4 ,but they refused to purchase life at such a price1 and calmly met their doom1 ,miss ,askew with as much fortitude as either of the others4 ,thus1 amid smoke and flame1 the pure spirit of ,anne ,askew was wafted1 by attendant angels1 to the paradise of ,god1 whom she was not ashamed to honor before men4 ,in all the struggle of the ,reformation1 what man exhibited more courage or greater strength of character or fortitude than this beautiful girl of but seventeen ,summers8 ,in what respect did she exhibit inferiority to those men associated with her in the trying year 7#aedf7 in which she earned her crown of martyrdom8 ,there were many martyrs1 but not one more steadfast4 ,,esther ,,inglis4 ,the reign of ,elizabeth has been styled the ,augustine age of ,england4 ,under this queen's sanction1 literature flourished more than ever before in that kingdom2 and as a consequence her people became less barbarous1 and men learned to look with less admiration upon the sword1 and more respect on books4 ,the influence of the encouragement given to men of letters by ,elizabeth tells for good upon our literature1 even after this lapse of time4 ,among the personages eminent in this reign was ,esther ,inglis1 who was exceedingly zealous1 and industrious withal1 in translating and transcribing the ,scriptures into various languages1 particularly ,french and ,latin4 ,copies of these she presented to persons of distinction1 one of which--a copy of the ,psalms1 and a rare specimen of calligraphy--she presented to the queen1 who graciously accepted it1 and subsequently had it deposited in the library of ,christ's ,church1 ,oxford4 ,she was pronounced by the most exacting critics to be the most accurate chirographist that had been known up to that period2 nor has her peer been found since4 ,she excelled even the celebrated ,ascham and ,davies1 both in the number and variety of styles4 ,her copy of the ,book of ,proverbs is perhaps her most elaborate work of art1 and is a marvel for the ingenious combination of writing1 of which there are forty specimens1 and fine pen-and-ink drawings4 ,every chapter1 which is embellished both at the beginning and end with beautiful decorations1 is written in a different hand1 and there are variations of hand in some of the chapters4 ,the book is entitled ,les ,proverbes de ,solomon1 escrites in diverses sortes des lettres1 par ,esther ,anglois1 ,francoise3 ,a ,lislebourge en ,escosse1 #aeii1 and is dedicated to the ,earl of ,essex4 ,it is further ornamented by an exquisitely neat representation of the arms of the unfortunate nobleman1 with all their quarterings1 and by a pen-and-ink likeness of herself4 ,several others of her works are carefully preserved in both ,england and ,scotland2 and some1 as late #agaa1 were in the possession of her own descendants4 ,at the age of forty1 she married a ,scottish gentleman1 named ,kello1 or1 as we would spell it in these modern times1 ,kelly4 ,the issue of this marriage was one son1 named ,samuel2 and it was her grandson1 ,samuel ,kelly1 who was in possession of various portions of her works in the last century4 ,,lady ,,pakington4 ,this celebrated lady1 who flourished in the latter part of the seventeenth century1 was the daughter of ,lord ,coventry1 ,keeper of the ,great ,seal1 and the wife of ,sir ,john ,pakington4 ,she was justly considered one of the celebrities of her day1 and her society sought by the learned divines with whom she was contemporary4 ,she was the well-known author of several works of merit1 and the reputed author of others4 ,ballard1 who has given the world so many sketches of worthy and eminent women1 with several other writers of note1 claims that it was she who wrote the treatise entitled ,the ,whole ,duty of ,man2 and his reasoning is so much to the point1 though quaint1 that we simply append what he says of her1 with his apt quotations from her writings1 as a sufficiently clear delineation of the character and talents of this worthy woman4 ,he writes3 ,yet hardly my pen will be thought capable of adding to the reputation her own has procured to her1 if it shall appear that she was the author of a work which is not more an honor to the writer than a universal benefit to mankind4 ,the work ,i mean is ',the ,whole ,duty of ,man2' her title to which has been so well ascertained1 that the general concealment it has lain under will only reflect a luster upon all her other excellencies by showing that she had no honor in view but that of her ,creator1 which1 ,i suppose1 she might think best promoted by this concealment4 7,the claims of other authors are not difficult to be disposed of47 ,if ,i were a ,roman ,catholic1 ,i would summon tradition as an evidence for me on this occasion1 which has constantly attributed this performance to a lady4 ,and a late celebrated writer observes1 that 'there are many probable arguments in ,the ,whole ,duty of ,man1 to back a current report that it was written by a lady1' ,and any one who reads ',the ,lady's ,calling1' may observe a great number of passages which clearly indicate a female hand4 ,that vulgar prejudice of the supposed incapacity of the female sex is what these memoirs in general may possibly remove2 and as ,i have had frequent occasion to take notice of it1 ,i should not now enter again upon that subject1 had not this been made use of as an argument to invalidate ,lady ,pakington's title to those performances4 ,it may not be amiss1 therefore1 to transcribe two or three passages from the treatise ,i have just now mentioned4 ',but1 waiving these reflections1 ,i shall fix only on the personal accomplishments of the sex1 and peculiarly that which is the most principal endowment of the rational nature--,i mean the understanding--where it will be a little hard to pronounce that they are naturally inferior to men1 when it is considered how much of intrinsic weight is put in the balance to turn it to the men's side4 ,men have their parts cultivated and improved by education2 refined and subtilized by learning and arts2 are like a piece of common which1 by industry and husbandry1 becomes a different thing from the rest1 though the natural turf owned no such inequality4 ,we may1 therefore1 conclude that whatever vicious impotence women are under1 it is acquired1 not natural2 nor derived from any illiberality of ,god's1 but from the ill-managery of his bounty4 ,let them not charge ,god foolishly1 or think that by making them women1 he necessitated them to be proud or wanton1 vain or peevish2 since it is manifest he made them to better purpose2 was not partial to the other sex2 but that having1 as the prophet speaks1 abundance of spirit1 he equally dispensed it1 and gave the feeblest woman as large and capacious a soul as that of the greatest hero4 ,nay1 give me leave to say further1 that as to an eternal well-being1 he seems to have placed them in more advantageous circumstances than he has done men4 ,he has implanted in them some native propensions which do much facilitate the operations of grace upon them1' ,and having made good this assertion1 she interrogates thus3 ',how many women do we read of in the ,gospel who1 in all the duties of assiduous attendance on ,christ1 liberalities of love and respect1 nay1 even in zeal and courage1 surpassed even the apostles themselves8 ,we find his cross surrounded1 his passion celebrated1 by the avowed tears and lamentations of devout women1 when the most sanguine of his disciples had denied1 yea1 foresworn2 and all had forsaken him4 ,nay1 even death itself could not extinguish their love4 ,we find the devout ,maries designing a laborious1 chargeable1 and perhaps hazardous respect1 to his corpse2 and accordingly it is a memorable attestation ,christ gives to their piety by making them the first witnesses of his resurrection1 the prime evangelists to proclaim those glad tidings1 and1 as a learned man speaks1 apostles to the apostles4' ,there are many works of this lady besides ',the ,whole ,duty of ,man1' enumerated in her biographies4 ,,mrs4 ,,mary ,,washington4 ,the material at hand is too meagre to admit of giving such a sketch of this lady as would afford any adequate idea of her character2 and yet it is due to her memory1 and to her nation1 that there should be some tribute to her worth4 ,the mother of ,general ,washington is as much the mother of the ,great ,republic as was ,mrs4 ,susannah ,wesley the mother of ,methodism2 for ,washington owed the distinction to which he rose1 and the high niche he occupies in the history of the world's heroes1 to the early and careful training of his mother4 ,left a widow in a comparatively new and wild country1 when her son ,george was but ten years old1 she fully realized the very great responsibility resting upon her as sole remaining guardian of her children1 and set herself to watch the bent of their inclinations1 and to direct their energies into a proper channel4 ,respecting the influence she exerted upon them1 her daughter-in-law1 the wife of the ,president1 many years afterward remarked3 ,you speak of the greatness of my husband4 ,his dear mother ever looked well to the ways of her household4 ,she taught him to be industrious by her example4 ,by her mild but firm management of her boy1 she established a hold upon his affections1 which strengthened instead of decreasing with years2 and when1 in the later part of his life1 honors and distinctions were heaped upon him1 he considered them rather as tributes to the worth of his mother than to his own4 ,as was natural to so adventurous a spirit1 ,george early manifested a predilection for the sea1 and his elder brother encouraged him in thinking he might attain distinction as a gallant mariner4 ,a midshipman's berth was procured for him1 at the age of fifteen1 on board of one of his majesty's ships1 then off the coast of ,virginia2 and it seemed as if the ardent desire of his boyhood was about to be realized4 ,but when all was ready1 his mother gave expression to her disapproval of the expedition4 ,though sorely disappointed1 he at once acquiesced1 and yielded to the representations made by her4 ,nor did she expect him to give a ready acquiescence to her views without giving him valid reasons4 ,she deemed him quite too young to be removed from the salutary restraints of home1 and from the influences of its dearer ties4 ,years after1 the colonists of ,virginia and the ,north-west blessed the day upon which ,mrs4 ,washington refused her consent to her son's entering the navy1 and thus kept him to do them invaluable service in driving back from their territories the hostile ,indians1 or more hostile ,french4 ,though a genuine ,f4,f4,v41 she was never arrogant in her demeanor4 ,in her intercourse with those by whom she was surrounded1 or with whom she came in contact1 she was simple and unaffected1 the model of a true lady and a ,christian4 ,even in old age1 she still watched carefully over the interests of her son4 ,during the ,winter of #aggg-aggh1 when the ,american soldiers were in such extremity at ,valley ,forge1 she1 as well as the wife of ,washington1 spent her time in preparing comfortable clothing for them4 ,her spinning-wheel and knitting-needles were rarely idle in those times of trial4 ,a woman of proper discernment and good judgment1 it is scarcely necessary to say that she disapproved of extravagance of every kind2 and when the necessities of her country demanded the sacrifice of every thing not an absolute necessity1 she was found foremost in setting an example of plainness of dress4 ,lafayette1 with his aids-de-camp1 paid her a visit of congratulation on the occasion of ,washington's successful passage of the ,delaware1 and found her dressed for their reception in a plain printed gown1 with her knitting--probably a stocking for some needy soldier--lying on a table near her4 ,did the noble ,frenchman and his companions deem their reception to have been less cordial than they would have thought it had she arrayed herself in costly satin and lace1 and received them in idle state8 ,lafayette's own testimony of his appreciation of her remarkable worth answers for itself4 ,at a good old age she died1 and her country still reveres her memory4 ,,mrs4 ,,wesley4 ,taylor1 the historian1 gives ,mrs4 ,wesley quite a prominent position in his account of the work accomplished by her sons1 and gives the following reason for doing so3 ,the mother of the ,wesleys was the mother of ,methodism4 ,one who was so intimately connected with the leaders of the ,reformation of the eighteenth century deserves a prominent position among the eminent women of modern history4 ,mrs4 ,wesley was distinguished1 from childhood1 for rare mental ability2 and1 even at so early an age as thirteen1 had made theology a favorite study4 ,arrived at mature years1 she made practical use of the knowledge so carefully acquired in youth1 and manifested unusual judgment and skill in the early training and general management of her very large family4 ,she did not confine herself to the management of her domestic concerns alone1 as many good mothers would have done1 though she carefully superintended them1 but also overlooked the studies of her children2 and it was really her thorough training1 and her subsequent counsels to ,john and ,charles while at ,oxford1 which produced in them the bent of mind that finally resulted in the great ,methodist movement4 ,accustomed all her life to read with care the productions of the most eminent writers of her own and preceding times1 and to reflect upon what she read1 she was able to arrive at correct conclusions concerning questions of importance1 whether they related to private matters or to the public well-being4 ,she had no more dread of ,mrs4 ,grundy than her sons had4 ,once she knew she was right1 ,society might either blame or praise1 as it saw fit2 she remained firm in the carrying out of the measure--true to her principles4 ,when her sons1 ,john and ,charles1 collected the common and poorer people about them1 and began preaching to them in the open fields1 there was a fearful outcry4 ,old-time customs had been innovated4 ,clergymen of the ,church of ,england had departed from accustomed usage1 and from field or horseblock had proclaimed a full and free salvation through ,christ to the very vilest of the land1 if they would but comply with the conditions laid down by him4 ,the ,profession were aggrieved at such irregular proceedings4 ,society was scandalized that outcasts were bidden to the same feast upon the same conditions with those reputed decent4 ,even ,samuel ,wesley felt called upon to rebuke his brothers sharply for the reproach he considered they had brought upon the ,church by their intemperate zeal1 ,but where was their mother meanwhile--she whose counsels experience had proved it best to follow8 ,examining the ,scriptures1 and the history of the primitive ,church1 to see wherein her sons had gone astray1 that she might be in a position to convince them of their error1 if she found them to be in it4 ,careful study1 however1 convinced her that they were only practicing the course followed by ,christ and his apostles2 and her determination was taken4 ,she would not only encourage them by her letters1 but sustain them and sanction their course by her presence4 ,accordingly1 she went with her son ,john to ,kensington ,common1 and stood by him while he preached to a congregation of about twenty thousand people4 ,it was ,mrs4 ,wesley who counseled ,john to ponder well what he did before he forbade laymen to address congregations2 and her arguments on this point were so conclusive that they led him to alter his mind and make use of them as an agency for good in the ,church1 though previously he had considered such a proceeding a dangerous innovation4 ,during the life-time of her husband1 it was her custom1 in his absence1 to allow those who chose to come to assemble in a room of the old rectory at ,epworth1 on ,sunday1 and either read them a sermon herself or have one of the elder children do it4 ,frequently1 the office of reader devolved upon her daughter ,emily4 ,no matter into what department of her life you inquire1 she is still found the same active1 energetic1 and strong-minded woman4 ,nothing weak or puerile is found in her character4 ,from girlhood to maturity1 from maturity to gray hairs1 she pursues the same steady1 uniform course4 ,her life is consistent with the principles which she had laid down for her own self-government1 and which she believed were deduced from the ,word of ,god4 ,at seventy-two years of age1 she closed a long career of usefulness1 dying1 as the ,christian might be expected to die1 in the triumphs of faith4 ,five of her daughters1 and her son ,john1 were permitted to stand at her bedside and witness her peaceful end1 and to comply with a request made shortly before she died1 that1 as soon as the last struggle was ended1 they should unite in singing a psalm of praise for her release4 ,very appropriate were the lines of her son ,charles on this occasion3 ,in sure and steadfast hope to rise1 ,and claim her mansion in the skies1 ,a ,christian here her flesh laid down-- ,the cross exchanging for a crown4 ,,mrs4 ,,fletcher4 ,miss ,mary ,bosanquet1 afterward ,mrs4 ,fletcher1 may also be numbered among the great women of the eighteenth century4 ,while yet unmarried1 she identified herself with the ,methodists2 and as a consequence was subjected to bitter persecution1 even to being excluded from her father's house1 and forbidden to have any intercourse with the younger members of the family4 ,circumstances led her to believe that it was her duty to exercise the talents given to her1 in addressing public audiences1 and she accordingly began speaking to such congregations as she chanced to have4 ,such a departure from established usage brought down upon her a storm of invective and abuse4 ,her family and friends felt aggrieved that she should have allowed her enthusiasm--as they termed it--to lead her into what they deemed such an indecorous proceeding2 and for a time she found it exceedingly difficult to stem the tide of opposition raised against her4 ,but her natural good sense and independence of character were greatly in her favor4 ,ultimately1 without her having yielded to the pressure brought to bear upon her1 she overcame all opposition1 and her family became reconciled to her4 ,she preached in various parts of ,england with acceptance1 as she had opportunity1 from shortly after her conversion till her marriage2 and then1 as it would have been a violation of a canon of the ,church of ,england--of which ,mr4 ,fletcher was a minister--for a woman to occupy the pulpit of the church at ,madeley1 her husband had a large building erected1 in close proximity to the rectory1 for her especial use4 ,here1 for the few years that he was spared to his wife1 it was ,mr4 ,fletcher's pleasure--though he had few equals in erudition--to listen to the gentle teachings of this amiable woman4 ,her eloquence was so very remarkable1 that more than twenty years of public speaking had not in the least diminished the interest with which she was listened to4 ,crowds attended on her ministry1 not from idle curiosity1 but for edification4 ,so beneficial had ,mrs4 ,fletcher's ministrations at ,madeley been found to be1 that on the death of her husband1 and the appointment of a successor1 the new rector1 not wishing to retard the progress of true ,christianity in his parish1 requested her to continue to use the building erected for her convenience just as she had formerly done4 ,mrs4 ,fletcher accepted the invitation so cordially given1 and for many years was an efficient co-laborer with the rector4 ,nor did the public career of ,mrs4 ,fletcher mar her efficiency in the management of her domestic concerns4 ,both at ,laytonstone and at ,madeley1 she attended carefully to her household1 overseeing every thing connected with what is technically termed the women's department1 with particular scrupulousness4 ,at last her long and active life was nearing its close4 ,for thirty years she had mourned the loss of her venerated husband1 of whom1 in her seventy-sixth year1 she thus makes mention in her journal3 ,august #ac1 #ahae4--,thirty years1 this day1 ,i drank the bitter cup and closed the eyes of my beloved husband1 and now ,i am myself in a dying state4 ,then1 in view of her own approaching end1 she continues3 ,lord1 prepare me4 ,i feel death very near4 ,my soul doth wait and long to the bosom of my ,god4 ,a little earlier in this year she had written3 ,o1 ,i long that the year fifteen #ahae may be the best year of my life4 ,with the great apostle she could say1 ,having a desire to depart1 and be with ,christ4 ,and now she was realizing the fulfillment of that longing desire4 ,her labors were about ended4 ,soon she was to enter into the ,christian's promised rest4 ,on the #ith of ,december1 #ahae1 she closed her eyes to sublunary objects to open them in the paradise above4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,dodson1 who attended her funeral1 said of her3 ,her congregations were fully as large1 after thirty years' labors1 as when she first opened her commission among them4 ,where is the clergyman of whom more can be said8 ,,miss ,,crosby4 ,while ,miss ,bosanquet was still living at ,laytonstone1 she had associated with her two other ladies equally eminent for their earnest piety1 and for the diligence with which they prosecuted every good work4 ,it was their delight1 among other things1 to assist ,miss ,bosanquet in dispensing her munificent charities1 which were so managed as to be given without ostentation4 ,these two intimate friends of ,miss ,bosanquet were ,miss ,crosby and ,miss ,tripp4 ,from the very commencement of a regularly organized movement among the ,methodists1 class and band meetings had been found very useful as a means of instructing the people who had united with these societies1 and1 in the capacity of class-leaders and band-leaders1 these three ladies were perhaps unsurpassed in ,england4 ,by what some would perhaps call a mere accidental circumstance1 ,miss ,crosby found herself1 upon an occasion1 in a position where she must speak to a congregation or send them home disappointed1 and be guilty of what she deemed an omission of a duty clearly pointed out to her by ,providence4 ,she had given no intimation of any intention1 on her part1 of doing more than she usually did at this place--simply leading her ordinary class--and had designed doing nothing more1 when1 on her arrival there1 she found nearly two hundred persons present anxious for instruction4 ,to lead the class in the customary manner was impossible4 ,she1 therefore1 after conducting the preliminary services1 delivered a general address1 dwelling particularly on the necessity of repentance1 and presenting ,christ as a compassionate ,redeemer4 ,this extempore address was attended with such beneficial results1 that her friends insisted upon her exercising her very evident talent in this direction1 and1 though averse to any thing like forwardness1 she did not feel that she was justified in refusing to comply with the wishes of those on whose judgment she relied4 ,wherever she went1 success attended her efforts1 and she traveled extensively throughout the kingdom1 speaking sometimes to very large audiences4 ,dr4 ,stevens1 the celebrated ,american ,methodist historian1 thus sums up the work of a single year4 ,in that time1 says he1 she traveled nine hundred and sixty miles to hold two hundred and twenty public meetings1 and about six hundred select meetings1 besides writing one hundred and sixteen letters1 many of them long ones1 and holding many conversations in private with individuals who wished to consult her on religious subjects4 ,in this latter department of the ,christian ministry she particularly excelled4 ,like her friend1 ,mrs4 ,fletcher1 she lived to a very old age2 and at seventy-five1 or nearly that1 calmly composed herself for death1 by a vigorous effort of the will closing her own eyes and mouth4 ,her demise occurred ,october #bd1 #ahjd4 ,,ann ,,hasseltine4 ,the first wife of the ,rev4 ,adoniram ,judson was a brilliant exemplification of the truth of the position we have advanced--namely1 that a woman may be endowed with intellectual powers of a high order2 that she may assiduously cultivate those powers and employ them in advancing objects that commend themselves to her judgment outside of her own family circle2 that she may become an active and efficient participator in affairs of a public nature1 requiring of her wisdom1 eloquence1 and courage2 and all this without her deteriorating in the slightest degree in any of the valuable qualities or attractive graces that characterize a truly womanly woman4 ,mrs4 ,judson's history1 as connected with the ,burmese ,mission1 which her husband and herself were instruments in the hand of ,god in establishing1 is too well known to require extended notice here4 ,a few points1 however1 may be glanced at4 ,throughout the difficulties which beset them during the first year after their arrival at ,calcutta1 when there seemed to be no open door through which they might enter upon their destined work1 and all their hopes of usefulness seemed doomed to disappointment1 ,mrs4 ,judson was as little disposed to succumb to these adverse circumstances as her husband4 ,the ,british ,east ,india ,company did not favor ,christian missions1 and were at that time 7#ahab7 particularly unfriendly to ,american missionaries4 ,they had spent but a few days in the congenial society of the venerable ,dr4 ,carey's hospitable home1 when they were ordered1 by the ,government1 to leave the country and return to ,america4 ,hoping to be allowed to prosecute their work in some country not under the ,company's jurisdiction1 they solicited and obtained permission to go to the ,isle of ,france4 ,but before ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,judson were able to secure a passage there1 they received a new order from the ,government commanding them to embark on a vessel bound for ,england4 ,just then they heard of a vessel about to sail for the ,isle of ,france1 and applied for a passport to go on her1 but were refused4 ,the captain1 however1 though knowing of the refusal1 allowed them to embark4 ,the vessel was overtaken by a ,government dispatch1 forbidding the pilot to conduct it further seaward1 because there were persons on board who had been ordered to ,england4 ,they were obliged to land2 but finally the captain was induced to disregard orders so far as to allow ,mrs4 ,judson to return to the vessel1 and to convey her and their baggage to a point opposite a tavern1 a number of miles down the river1 ,mr4 ,judson being left to make his way as best he could4 ,let us imagine that refined and tenderly reared lady1 landing from the pilot's boat1 which he had kindly sent to take her ashore1 alone1 a stranger in a foreign land1 uncertain of the character of the place in which she was obliged to seek shelter1 and not knowing what might occur to prevent her husband rejoining her4 ,instead of weakly yielding to despondency1 she promptly engaged a boat to go out after the vessel1 to bring their effects ashore4 ,then1 though impenetrable darkness so shrouded their future that she could not see how the next step was to be taken1 she looked for light upon their pathway1 and deliverance from their perplexities1 to ,him whom they served1 and calmly trusted the issue to ,him4 ,before night1 ,mr4 ,judson arrived at the place where his wife waited1 in safety1 as did also their baggage4 ,for three days they could see no way out of their difficulty4 ,then they received1 from an unknown friend1 the necessary pass4 ,hastening down the river at a point seventy miles distant1 they found the vessel they had left1 were received on board1 and allowed to continue their voyage4 ,when they dropped anchor at the ,isle of ,france1 the dangers of the voyage1 and the trials that had preceded it over1 they were looking forward to a season of enjoyment in the society of their associate missionaries1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,newell1 who had accompanied them on the voyage from ,america1 and had preceded them from ,calcutta to the ,isle of ,france4 ,but disappointment deeper1 sadder than any that had gone before1 awaited them4 ,mrs4 ,judson says3 ,have at last arrived in port2 but ,o1 what news--what distressing news6 ,harriet 7,mrs4 ,newell7 is dead4 ,harriet1 my dear friend1 my earliest associate in the mission1 is no more4 ,o death1 could not this wide world afford thee victims enough1 but thou must enter the family of a solitary few1 whose comfort and happiness depended so much on the society of each other8 ,could not this infant mission be shielded from thy shafts8 ,but be still1 my heart1 and know that ,god has done it4 ,just and true are thy ways1 ,o thou ,king of saints6 ,to her sorrow for her friend and her anxiety at the uncertainties of their situation1 was added1 while on the island1 a severe attack of illness4 ,but when a field supposed to be accessible to missionaries was determined upon1 though only partially recovered1 she cheerfully prepared to brave new dangers and the repetition of former trials4 ,they sailed for ,madras2 and1 on their arrival there1 found but one ship in the harbor ready for sea1 and that not bound for their desired port1 but for ,burma4 ,they had intended going to ,burma when they first arrived in ,india1 but had been dissuaded from so doing by the representations of their friends that the country was altogether inaccessible to missionaries4 ,they dared not remain long in ,madras1 lest the officials of the ,east ,india ,company should send them back to ,america4 ,thus1 every other way being closed up against them1 they were obliged to turn their faces toward that country in which they became so eminently useful4 ,the voyage was one of discomfort and peril4 ,when they arrived at ,rangoon1 then the capital of ,burma1 ,mrs4 ,judson was so weak that she had to be carried in an arm-chair from the landing4 ,thankful to have at last found a resting-place1 they as quickly as possible established themselves in the house they were to occupy4 ,as soon as ,mrs4 ,judson's health was sufficiently restored1 they gave their attention to the study of the ,burmese language4 ,it is worthy of remark1 that although ,mrs4 ,judson charged herself with the entire management of family affairs1 in order that ,mr4 ,judson might not be interrupted in prosecuting the study of the language1 yet she made more rapid progress in acquiring it than he did4 ,subsequently1 she studied the ,siamese language also1 and translated a ,catechism and one of the ,gospels into that tongue4 ,as soon as she was able to make herself understood1 she diligently endeavored to impart the knowledge of the truth1 as it is in ,jesus1 to those who would listen to her instructions4 ,though they were attentive and inquisitive1 it was long before fruit appeared2 but undiscouraged1 she1 with prayer and faith1 continued to sow beside all waters4 ,mrs4 ,judson was surprised at the native intelligence and reflecting minds possessed by some of the ,burmese women4 ,the case of a woman named ,may-,meulah is given as an instance of this3 ,previous to the arrival of the missionaries in her country1 her active mind was led to inquire the origin of all things4 ,who created all that her eyes beheld8 she inquired of all she met1 and visited priests and teachers in vain2 and such was her anxiety1 that her friends feared for her reason4 ,she resolved to learn to read1 that she might consult the sacred books4 ,her husband1 willing to gratify her curiosity1 taught her to read1 himself4 ,in their sacred literature she found nothing satisfactory4 ,for ten years she prosecuted her inquiries1 when ,god in his providence brought to her notice a tract written by ,mr4 ,judson in the ,burmese language1 which so far solved her difficulties1 that she was led to seek out its author4 ,from him she learned the truths of the ,gospel1 and1 by the ,holy ,spirit1 those truths were made the means of her conversion4 ,mrs4 ,judson's politic mind seeing the probable importance to the mission of making friends in high places1 she procured an introduction to the wife of the viceroy1 and1 while visiting her1 met the viceroy also4 ,after giving an interesting account of the visit1 she adds3 ,my object in visiting her was1 that if we should get into any difficulty with the ,burmans1 ,i could have access to her1 when perhaps it would not be possible for ,mr4 ,judson to have an audience with the viceroy4 ,thus studying1 teaching1 and planning2 laboring with her hands1 and enduring pain1 sickness1 and sorrow2 unsolaced by ,christian society1 except her husband's1--three anxious years passed4 ,in their course1 her first-born had come to warm her heart with a new love1 and1 for a few brief months1 to delight them with the unfolding of his baby graces4 ,then death entered1 and bore away their darling1 and left hearts and home more lonely than before4 ,the arrival of additional missionaries from ,america--,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hough--in the ,autumn of #ahaf1 for a time greatly cheered and encouraged them4 ,but fresh trials were in store for them4 ,mr4 ,judson had embarked for the province of ,arracan2 and when they were daily looking for his return1 a vessel arrived from the port to which he had sailed1 bringing the disheartening tidings that neither he nor the vessel in which he had sailed had been heard of there4 ,while1 tortured by suspense on ,mr4 ,judson's account1 new terrors alarmed the mission family4 ,mr4 ,hough was ordered to the court-house1 and detained there for days under a threat that if he did not tell all the truth in relation to the foreigners1 they would write with his heart's blood4 ,not understanding the language of his accusers1 he was unable to plead his own cause1 and he had no male friend to do it for him4 ,had ,mrs4 ,judson1 in this extremity1 allowed herself to be absorbed in her own sorrow1 or yielded to timidity1 ,mr4 ,hough would probably have suffered a long and rigorous confinement1 if indeed he had escaped with his life4 ,but undaunted by the odium1 or even danger1 that might accrue to herself1 she1 in violation of court etiquette1 presented herself at the palace with a petition in ,mr4 ,hough's behalf4 ,the viceroy1 without manifesting any displeasure at the breach of etiquette1 ordered ,mr4 ,hough to be set at liberty4 ,six months of painful suspense passed1 and yet no tidings of ,mr4 ,judson4 ,that dreadful scourge1 the cholera1 was raging1 and they were alarmed by rumors of war4 ,mr4 ,hough resolved to remove his family to ,bengal1 and urged ,mrs4 ,judson to accompany them4 ,she says3 ,i have ever felt resolved not to make any movement till ,i hear from ,mr4 ,judson4 ,within a few days1 however1 some circumstances have occurred which have induced me to make preparations for a voyage4 ,there is but one remaining ship in the river2 and if an embargo is laid on ,english ships1 it will be impossible for ,mr4 ,judson--if he is yet alive--to return to this place4 ,therefore she yielded to the solicitations of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,hough1 and embarked with them4 ,but1 reviewing all the conditions of the case as the vessel slowly made its way down the river1 it became clear to her mind that whatever were the dangers of her position at ,rangoon1 yet there was her post of duty4 ,once convinced of what was duty1 this heroic woman was not to be deterred from it by dangers1 however formidable4 ,her resolution was taken2 and1 having prevailed upon the captain to send a boat up the river with her1 she returned alone to the mission-house4 ,the wisdom of her decision was proved in a short time by the safe return of ,mr4 ,judson4 ,later1 when failing health necessitated a change of climate1 ,mrs4 ,judson showed herself as well adapted to moving gracefully in cultivated and refined society as she was to contending with adversity and danger in a heathen land4 ,her eloquent appeals1 both in ,england and ,america1 in behalf of the perishing millions of the ,east1 and her history of the ,burmese ,mission1 prepared during her visit to the ,united ,states1 stirred up missionary zeal in the heart of ,protestant ,christendom1 and gave an impetus to the cause of missions that has gone on accelerating to the present time4 ,in the mean time1 other missionaries had arrived in ,burma1 among whom was ,dr4 ,price1 the fame of whose skill in medicine reached the ears of the king2 and ,dr4 ,price was ordered to ,ava1 then the capital4 ,dr4 ,price obeyed the summons2 and ,mr4 ,judson1 anxious to make another effort to procure toleration for the ,christians1 accompanied him4 ,the king received them kindly1 determined to retain ,dr4 ,price at ,ava1 and urgently insisted upon ,mr4 ,judson's remaining also4 ,rejoiced to find the king so favorably disposed toward the ,christians1 ,mr4 ,judson resolved to accept the invitation1 but represented that he must return to ,rangoon for his wife4 ,a few days after ,mrs4 ,judson arrived from ,america1 they therefore left ,rangoon1 and commenced a mission at ,ava2 which soon became to them the theater of such martyr-like sufferings and exalted heroism as to do justice to which would require a volume4 ,erelong1 the war so long feared between the ,british and the ,burmese actually broke out4 ,the ,englishmen at ,ava were all seized and imprisoned1 and with them ,mr4 ,judson and ,dr4 ,price4 ,in vain the missionaries protested that they were not ,englishmen4 ,identical with the latter in language1 religion1 manners1 dress1 etc41 and receiving their funds through an ,english house1 the ,burmese could not1 or would not1 understand that they belonged to another nation4 ,mrs4 ,judson was not allowed to leave her own house till the third day2 a guard having been placed around it1 and no one allowed to enter or leave it but at the penalty of life4 ,she obtained egress at last1 by causing the governor to be informed that she wished to visit him with a present4 ,the guard were then ordered to allow her to pass4 ,her plea for their release was without effect2 but she was directed to an officer with whom she might arrange with regard to making them more comfortable4 ,by paying a considerable sum of money to this man1 she obtained a promise that their sufferings should be mitigated4 ,the ,governor gave her an order for her admittance to the prison1 but she was not allowed to enter4 ,she saw ,mr4 ,judson at the door1 whither he crawled to speak with her4 ,but even this sad communing was cut short by a rude order to ,mrs4 ,judson to depart1 or they would pull her out4 ,she was1 however1 allowed to supply the prisoners with food1 and mats to lie upon4 ,this was the beginning of a long series of such visits to the prison--of efforts for the comfort of the prisoners1 and appeals in their behalf to jailers1 petty officers1 magistrates1 governors1 or members of the royal family4 ,she was subjected to all manner of extortion and annoyance1 being repeatedly brought before the authorities on the most absurd charges4 ,the fear that her husband would be put to death so haunted her1 that she was willing to meet the most exorbitant demands1 hoping thereby to conciliate his persecutors4 ,after she had succeeded in effecting some slight improvement in their condition1 all was reversed by a disastrous battle2 the success of the ,british being visited upon the prisoners1 by the withdrawal of all the little comforts ,mrs4 ,judson had at so much cost and trouble obtained for them4 ,when they were dragged from one city to another1 she followed1 renewing the same wearing round of toiling1 pleading1 paying1 to procure some alleviation of their misery4 ,the estimation in which she was held by those acquainted with the facts1 may be seen by the following1 written by one of ,mr4 ,judson's fellow-prisoners3 ,mrs4 ,judson was the author of those eloquent and forcible appeals to the ,government which prepared them by degrees for submission to terms of peace1 never expected by any who knew the haughtiness and inflexible pride of the ,burmese ,court4 ,and while on this subject1 the overflowings of grateful feelings1 on behalf of myself and fellow-prisoners1 compel me to add a tribute of public thanks to that amiable and humane female1 who1 though living at a distance of two miles from our prison1 without any means of conveyance1 and very feeble in health1 forgot her own comfort and infirmity1 and almost every day visited us1 sought out and administered to our wants1 and contributed in every way to alleviate our misery4 ,when we were all left by the ,government destitute of food1 she1 with unwearied perseverance1 by some means or other1 obtained for us a constant supply4 444 ,when the unfeeling avarice of our keepers confined us inside1 or made our feet fast in the stocks1 she1 like a ministering angel1 never ceased her applications to the ,government until she was authorized to communicate to us the grateful news of our enlargement1 or of a respite from our galling oppressions4 ,besides all this1 it was unquestionably owing in a chief degree to the repeated eloquence and forcible appeals of ,mrs4 ,judson1 that the untutored ,burman was finally made willing to secure the welfare of his country by a sincere peace4 ,the war being over1 ,mr4 ,judson determined to remove into one of the provinces ceded to the ,british2 and the new town of ,amherst was selected as their place of residence4 ,the natives converted to ,christianity through the instrumentality of the missionaries1 had been dispersed during the war2 and many of them now gathered to ,amherst1 to enjoy again the instructions of their beloved teachers4 ,their prospects now seemed highly encouraging2 and ,mr4 ,judson departed on a journey by which he hoped to advance the interests of the mission1 leaving ,mrs4 ,judson engaged with her characteristic energy in carrying forward arrangements to facilitate their work4 ,but never more were that clear head1 ready hand1 and sympathetic heart to aid or encourage him in his labors1 or succor him in the hour of calamity4 ,her work was done4 ,a fever seized her1 and her constitution1 undermined by the exhausting sufferings1 mental and physical1 through which she had passed during the war1 was not able to withstand the violence of the disease4 ,there1 without husband or kindred to receive her frail infant from her paralyzing arms1 or to speak words of love or comfort in her dying ears1 she battled with the last enemy1 and terminated her singularly eventful and useful life4 ,in #ahdh1 more than twenty years after her death1 a writer in the ,calcutta ,review thus speaks of her3 ,of ,mrs4 ,judson1 little is known in the noisy world4 ,few1 comparatively1 are acquainted with her name--few with her actions2 but if any woman1 since the first arrival of the white strangers on the shores of ,india1 has1 on that great theater of war stretching between the mouth of the ,irrawaddy and the borders of ,hindoo ,koosh1 rightly earned for herself the title of a heroine1 ,mrs4 ,judson has1 by her doings and sufferings1 fairly earned the distinction--a distinction1 be it said1 which her true woman's nature would have very little appreciated4 ,still1 it is right that she should be honored by the world4 ,her sufferings were far more unendurable1 her heroism far more noble1 than any which in more recent times have been so much pitied and so much applauded4444 ,she was the real heroine4 ,the annals in the ,east present us with no parallel4 ,,sarah ,,hall ,,boardman ,,judson4 ,who so worthily followed in the footsteps of the first ,mrs4 ,judson1 arrived in ,india with her first husband1 the ,rev4 ,george ,d4 ,boardman1 while ,mr4 ,judson and his fellow-sufferers were still prisoners in ,ava4 ,they remained in ,calcutta till the close of the war1 and some time after1 preparing themselves by the study of the ,burmese language1 etc41 for their subsequent career of usefulness in ,burma4 ,after they had joined the other missionaries at ,amherst1 ,maulmain was determined upon as the scene of their future labors1 and thither they repaired4 ,the dangers that encompassed their new residence were such as in the presence of which even stout hearts might have been excused for quailing4 ,the mission-house was a slight structure of bamboos1 constituting scarcely any obstruction to assailants disposed to effect an entrance1 and in such close proximity to the jungle that the slumbers of the missionaries were frequently disturbed by the howling of the wild beasts1 whose lairs had so recently given place to human habitations4 ,maulmain was then a new city that had suddenly sprung into existence within the territory ceded to the ,british4 ,they had been settled in their new abode but a few weeks1 when it was entered in the night by robbers1 who overhauled all their effects1 and carried away most of their valuables while they slept4 ,mrs4 ,boardman1 speaking of the event1 says3 ,after the first amazement had a little subsided1 ,i raised my eyes to the curtains surrounding our bed1 and1 to my indescribable emotion1 saw two large holes cut1 the one at the head and the other at the foot of the place where my dear husband had been sleeping4 ,from that moment ,i quite forgot the stolen goods1 and thought only of the treasure that was spared4 ,in imagination ,i saw the assassins1 with their horrid weapons1 standing by our bedside1 ready to do their worst had we been permitted to wake4 ,o1 how merciful was that watchful ,providence which prolonged those powerful slumbers of that night1 not allowing even the infant at my bosom to open its eyes at so critical a moment6 ,after the robbery1 a guard was sent from the ,english barracks to protect the missionaries in case of another visit from the marauders4 ,one of the guard narrowly escaped death from a wild beast1 which1 rushing out of the jungle1 leaped upon him while he was seated upon the veranda of the mission-house4 ,happily there was help at hand1 and the animal was frightened away before the man had sustained serious injury4 ,do we find ,mrs4 ,boardman1 while thus continually exposed to attacks of ravenous beasts and fierce banditti1 deploring her situation1 or expressing a desire to relinquish their work and return to the security and comfort of civilized life8 ,on the contrary1 she characterizes the months in which these events were transpiring as among the happiest of her life1 because she felt that they were in the path of duty4 ,afterward1 in order to the further extension of missionary operations in the country1 it was judged advisable for ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,boardman to leave the infant ,church and the schools they had so successfully established at ,maulmain1 to the care of the other missionaries1 and to proceed themselves to ,tavoy4 ,accordingly1 they sundered the ties that bound them to their first ,indian home1 and to the natives in whose conversion they had been instrumental1 and again devoted their energies to breaking up new ground4 ,at ,tavoy1 after overcoming various obstacles and discouragements1 they succeeded in establishing schools1 and were cheered by indications of prosperity and some conversions among the natives4 ,the conversion of a ,karen having attracted ,mr4 ,boardman's attention to that interesting tribe1 he1 though scarcely recovered from a dangerous illness1 made a tour among them with very gratifying results4 ,it required no small amount of courage and of exalted devotion to the cause in which they were engaged to make ,mrs4 ,boardman willing to be left1 with her two little ones1 among the natives in such a place1 and with no better protection from outside dangers than a bamboo hut1 her mind1 at the same time1 distressed by sad forebodings as to the probable consequence to her husband's feeble health of the exposures1 toils1 and dangers inseparable from his journey4 ,but she was equal to this and to sorer trials which yet awaited them at ,tavoy4 ,some of these were consequences of the rebellion of the ,tavoyans against the ,british4 ,it was fortunate for ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,boardman that they1 at that time1 resided in a place occupied by a ,british force2 small though the force was1 yet to its presence they were probably indebted for their exemption from aggravated sufferings1 if not from death itself4 ,from a letter of ,mr4 ,boardman's we take some extracts4 ,he says3 ,on ,lord's-day morning1 the #ith instant1 at four o'clock1 we were aroused from our quiet slumbers by the cry of ',teacher1 master1 ,tavoy rebels6' and ringing at all our doors and windows4 ,we were soon awake to our extreme danger1 as we heard not only a continual report of musketry within the town1 but the balls were frequently passing over our heads and through our house2 and1 in a few moments1 a large company of ,tavoyans collected near our gate1 and gave us reason to suspect they were consulting what to do with us4 ,we lifted our hearts to ,god for protection1 and ,mrs4 ,boardman and little ,george were hurried away through a back door to a retired building in the rear4 ,i lay down in the house 7to escape the bullets71 with a single ,burman boy to watch and communicate the first intelligence4 ,on the kind invitation of ,mrs4 ,burney1 the wife of the ,english resident1 who happened to be absent1 they sought shelter from the storm of bullets in the ,government-house4 ,mr4 ,boardman continues3 ,we had been at the ,government-house but a short time1 when it was agreed to evacuate the town and retire to the warf--a large wooden building of six rooms4 ,our greatest danger at this time arose from having1 in one of the rooms where many were to sleep1 and all of us were continually passing1 several hundred barrels of gunpowder1 to which1 if fire should be communicated accidentally by ourselves1 or mischievously by others1 we should all perish at once4 ,but1 through the kind care of our ,heavenly ,father1 we were preserved alive1 and nothing of importance occurred until the morning of ,thursday1 a little before daybreak1 when a party of five hundred advanced upon us from the town1 and set fire to several houses and vessels near the warf4 ,but ,god interposed in our behalf1 and sent a heavy shower of rain1 which extinguished the fire1 while the ,sepoys repelled the assailants4 ,mrs4 ,boardman's biographer says3 ,what could be more appalling to the stoutest heart than the situation of ,mrs4 ,boardman and her helpless family8 ,forced to flee from her frail hut1 by bullets actually whizzing through it1 and to pass through the town amid the yells of an infuriated rabble1 her path sometimes impeded by the dead bodies of men who had fallen in the conflict2 driven from the shelter of the ,government-house1 again to fly through the streets to the warf-house1 and there1 with three or four hundred fugitives crowded together1 to await death1 which threatened them in every form2 hearing over their heads the rush of cannon balls1 and seeing from burning buildings showers of sparks falling1 one of which1 if it reached the magazines under their roof1 was sufficient to tear the building from its foundations1 and whelm them all in one common ruin2 or1 if they escaped this danger1 to know that hundreds of merciless barbarians1 with knives and cutlasses1 might1 at any moment1 rush into the building and destroy them1--can the female heart1 we are ready to ask1 endure such fearful trial8 ,yes3 her mind was stayed by a 'courage not her own2' 444 its calmness was that of a child who1 in its utter helplessness1 clings to its father's arm4 ,her distress was aggravated by the alarming illness of her little boy1 caused by the foul air of the warf-house and the absence of accustomed comforts2 but1 by the blessing of ,god upon her watchful care1 it was spared to her4 ,with what transports of joy did that suffering company hail the sight of the thin blue smoke that heralded the arrival of a steamer from ,maulmain6 ,amid what distracting fears for her husband1 left in the revolted city1 her infant and herself1 did ,mrs4 ,boardman decide to go on board the steamer returning to ,maulmain6 ,and with what gratitude and joy did she1 after several days of painful suspense1 welcome to the same city her husband1 and hear the tidings of the triumph of ,british power and the restoration of tranquillity6 ,the rebellion being suppressed1 ,mr4 ,boardman set about repairing the mischief it had wrought4 ,their house had been cut to pieces1 and their books1 clothing1 furniture1 etc41 carried off1 mutilated1 or destroyed4 ,he gathered up such fragments as remained1 and made the best arrangements in his power for future comfort and usefulness4 ,illness and other causes detained ,mrs4 ,boardman for some time at ,maulmain2 but1 before ,winter1 she had returned1 and they were again engaged in their loved employ1 and were greatly strengthened and encouraged by seeing the good seed they had so faithfully sown amid opposition and discouragement1 bringing forth fruit in the conversion of the heathen4 ,but1 even while rejoicing in these triumphs of the truth1 ,mrs4 ,boardman could not conceal from herself the conviction that a greater sorrow than any she had yet known was coming upon her4 ,she had already twice experienced the agony that wrings the hearts of bereaved parents4 ,of their three children1 two had been taken from them by death1--their first-born1 a lovely and promising little girl of two years and eight months2 and1 afterward1 their second son1 a beautiful babe of eight months4 ,but all the suffering and sorrow that she had yet endured seemed as nothing in comparison with that which now threatened to overwhelm her4 ,her beloved husband1 who had been her comfort and solace under previous bereavements1 was now himself too evidently passing away4 ,ardently affectionate in her nature1 she suffered intense anguish of spirit2 but instead of giving way to rebellious repinings1 the poor bruised heart carried its sorrows to the ,great ,healer1 and in his strength she girded herself with fresh courage to do all that might yet be done4 ,when her dying husband could not be dissuaded from employing the last remnant of his ebbing life in another visit to his beloved ,karens1 we find her taking her place beside his portable couch1 that his sufferings might receive every possible alleviation2 that he might lack no tender attention that the most devoted love could give4 ,they arrived at their destination on the third day1 and found awaiting them nearly a hundred natives1 more than half of whom were applicants for baptism4 ,the place prepared for the accommodation of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,boardman and their little boy1 was a room five feet wide and ten feet long1 so low that ,mrs4 ,boardman could not stand upright in it1 and so insufficiently inclosed as not to shelter the sufferer from the cold and damp of the night air1 or the scorching rays of the sun by day4 ,those who have known what it is to watch beside dying loved ones1 witnessing suffering that they were powerless to relieve1 can imagine the anguish that ,mrs4 ,boardman endured in seeing her husband so near his end in that miserable place1 destitute of the little comforts so needful in sickness4 ,but with heroic determination she repressed her own sorrow1 lest it might incapacitate her for assisting him while rallying his expiring energies for one more effort in his ,master's cause4 ,the poor worn body1 though1 was found unequal to the task assigned it by the zealous spirit1 and he was forced to admit that his work was done4 ,mrs4 ,boardman1 speaking of their return journey1 in which they were accompanied by large numbers of the sorrowing native converts1 says3 ,but at four o'clock in the afternoon1 we were overtaken by a violent shower of rain1 accompanied by lightning and thunder4 ,there was no house in sight1 and we were obliged to remain in the open air1 exposed to the merciless storm4 ,we covered him with mats and blankets1 and held our umbrellas over him1 all to no purpose4 ,i was obliged to stand and see the storm beating upon him till his mattress and pillows were drenched with rain4 ,we hastened on1 and soon came to a ,tavoy house4 ,the inhabitants at first refused us admittance4444 ,after some persuasion1 they admitted us into the house1 or rather veranda2 for they would not allow us to sleep inside1 though ,i begged the privilege for my sick husband with tears4444 ,the rain still continued1 and his cot was wet1 so that he was obliged to lie on the bamboo floor4 ,having found a place where our little boy could sleep without danger of falling through openings in the floor1 ,i threw myself down1 without undressing1 beside my beloved husband4 ,thus they passed the last night of his life2 and1 before another night1 it was but a lifeless corpse that the attendants were bearing back to her now desolate home4 ,in her grief and loneliness1 her heart doubtless yearned for the soothing sympathy of her kindred and friends in her native land4 ,who would have censured her1 if in view of what had been achieved among the natives since their coming to ,tavoy1 and of all the trials and toils and dangers of her ,indian life1 it had seemed to her that her work was accomplished2 and that it would then be no desertion of duty for her1 with her little boy to educate1 to return to ,america8 ,if1 during the first sad days of her bereavement1 such thoughts flitted through her mind1 they did not long find lodgment there4 ,soon the native converts began to come to her1 as of old1 with their difficulties and perplexities1 and inquiries for instruction4 ,the duty of responding to these appeals forbade the indulgence of engrossing sorrow1 and caused her to realize that1 when work for the ,master was pressing on every hand1 and one of the laborers had fallen in the field1 his fellow-laborers1 instead of relaxing their efforts1 should feel it imperative on them1 if possible1 to redouble their diligence4 ,thenceforward her labors became more onerous than they had been during ,mr4 ,boardman's life2 and they continued so1 even after the arrival of the new missionaries1 ,mr4 ,mason and his wife1 who of necessity were chiefly occupied with the study of the language4 ,in one of her letters of this period she says3 ,every moment of my time is occupied1 from sunrise till ten in the evening4 ,it is late bed-time1 and ,i am surrounded by five ,karen women4444 ,the ,karens are beginning to come to us in companies2 and with them1 and our scholars in the town1 and the care of my darling boy1 you will scarce think ,i have much leisure for letter-writing4 ,later1 she writes3 ,the superintendence of the food and clothing of both the boarding-schools1 together with the care of five day-schools under native teachers1 devolves wholly on me4 ,she also made difficult journeys through the wild jungles to the ,karen villages1 to strengthen1 encourage1 and instruct the poor natives2 thus performing efficiently1 though informally1 the work of an evangelist4 ,after her marriage with ,dr4 ,judson1 and her consequent return to ,maulmain1 she was still busily engaged in conducting schools1 ,bible-class1 etc41 besides attending to her family4 ,she also learned the ,peguan language1 into which she translated the ,new ,testament1 a ,life of ,christ1 and several tracts4 ,in ,burmese she had previously become proficient1 and she translated ,bunyan's ,pilgrim's ,progress into that language4 ,a number of the hymns prepared for the use of the mission were also from her pen4 ,at ,maulmain she was exposed to fewer vicissitudes and dangers than at ,tavoy1 so that the intrepid aspect of her character became less conspicuous2 but her life was filled up with increased maternal responsibilities and domestic cares1 added to other arduous labors of the same class with those which she had previously discharged with so much sound judgment1 and in which she exhibited so happily the ability to influence and govern those under her control1 and at the same time to win their love and reverence for herself4 ,one of her biographers says of her3 ,sweetness and strength1 gentleness and firmness1 were in her character most happily blended4 ,her mind was both poetical and practical4 ,she had a refined taste1 and a love for the beautiful as well as the excellent4 ,in early life she wooed the ,muses with respectable success2 and though the stern labors of mature years left her little leisure for the indulgence of poetic fancies1 yet the last expression of her love committed to writing flowed from her pen in numbers of touching grace and tenderness4 ,her constitution having been broken down by her incessant toils1 a voyage to ,america was recommended in order to recuperate it4 ,on the voyage thither1 when between the ,isle of ,france and ,st4 ,helena1 she died1 and was buried on the latter island4 ,we have selected these two gifted ,christian women as representative missionary women1 who1 though brilliant examples1 did not excel many others in the host of devoted women who have gone out from ,great ,britain and ,america into the dark places of the earth1 on the same godlike errand4 ,we have already mentioned the honored names of several philanthropic ladies1 whose works praise them throughout ,europe and ,america4 ,the list might be extended indefinitely1 but we have space for but a few4 ,,the ,,misses ,,chandler4 ,the ,national ,hospital erected for the ,paralyzed and ,epileptic 7,england7 owes its origin to the humane efforts of two sisters1 ,joanna and ,louisa ,chandler4 ,these ladies1 finding that among all the charitable institutions existing in ,london there was not one into which a poor paralyzed man would be admitted1 conceived the idea of establishing a hospital for that particular class of sufferers4 ,though only in moderate circumstances1 they devoted two hundred pounds of their own means to the object4 ,for five years1 they received no assistance2 but their continued appeals at length attracted public attention4 ,various philanthropic gentlemen and ladies became interested in the enterprise4 ,the necessary funds were collected mainly by the exertions of ,miss ,j4 ,chandler and the ladies who had associated themselves with her1 and the hospital became an accomplished fact4 ,the same persevering energy1 directed by sound judgment and practical business talent1 was conspicuously displayed by ,miss ,adaline ,cooper1 in her efforts for the improvement of the condition and morals of the costermongers of ,tothill ,fields1 ,westminster4 ,among the degraded1 they as a class were regarded as the most degraded4 ,but1 strong in her faith in the power of kindness1 she went in among them1 and commenced day and night schools1 a ,sunday-school1 a mothers' meeting1 and a temperance society4 ,through these appliances she influenced the women and children1 but the men stood aloof4 ,the more desperate even threatened to drive her and her assistants away2 but she was not to be intimidated4 ,she erected a handsome building for a ,costermongers' ,club2 and constructed a dwelling-house large enough to accommodate fifty or sixty families4 ,the entire expenditure for these purposes amounted to nearly nine thousand pounds4 ,soon after the ,club was formed1 a large number of the members1 perceiving the benefit of abstinence1 signed the pledge4 ,she formed a ,bible-class for their improvement1 and established a penny-bank for the ,band of ,hope4 ,in reward of her labors1 she had the satisfaction of seeing a marked reformation in both their morals and circumstances4 ,very many of these poor people1 the very name of whose calling had been a synonym for dishonesty and kindred vices1 became sober1 industrious1 and honest men and women4 ,sketches innumerable of other women of very great merit1 particularly of those who have enriched our literature during the present century1 might be added1 did the limits of so small a volume permit2 which it does not4 ,it must suffice1 therefore1 to mention the names of a few of these1 while the names of many others equally meritorious must necessarily be omitted4 ,first1 we write ,mrs4 ,browning1 a name surrounded by a halo of glory from the scintillations of her own genius4 ,charlotte ,bront1 ,miss ,mulock1 ,mrs4 ,wood1 and ,mrs4 ,oliphant form a brilliant galaxy1 but scarcely outshine others in the same department4 ,mrs4 ,harriet ,beecher ,stowe has made her mark upon her age1 and is not likely to be forgotten while the ,war of ,secession is remembered4 ,the sweet strains of the sisters ,cary will linger long in the ears and hearts of the lovers of song4 ,the name of the gentle ,swede1 ,fredrika ,bremer1 will live as long as the language in which she writes shall be spoken or read2 while ,mary ,howitt1 her translator1 is1 through these beautiful translations1 and her own inimitably chaste and home-like stones1 endeared to both ,english and ,american hearts4 ,mrs4 ,willard will bear a favorable comparison with any other ,american historian1 let him be ever so famous4 ,mrs4 ,moodie and her gifted sisters1 ,mrs4 ,trail and ,miss ,strickland1 have acquired a world-wide reputation by their pens4 ,which of our living authors possesses a more terse or vigorous style than ,gail ,hamilton8 ,and where are more self-sacrificing spirits to be found than in those bands of lady missionaries1 worthy successors of ,harriet ,newell and ,ann ,hasseltine ,judson1 who every year leave our coasts to carry the ,gospel to heathen lands8 ,large numbers of clever women are attracting the attention of the thinking people of both ,england and ,america1 not only as public speakers and leaders of much-needed reforms1 but for the honorable position to which they have attained in literary and scientific circles and in the arts4 ,the scenes1 however1 in which they are the active participants are still transpiring2 and therefore these women1 some of them both honorable and great1 in the best and highest acceptation of the terms1 can not just at the present be classed among the women of history4 ,but though they are not far enough back in the past to be placed in this category1 they are furnishing the materials for both an instructive and an interesting one in the future2 and that future1 too1 not very far distant4 ,all honor to the brave1 the good1 and true among them4 ,,the ,,end