ably forgotten, when some back-even in their present state, are not so movement toward her hereditary self, far behind in respect of thoughtsome little feminine weakness, over- machinery as our methods of brain takes the harassed footsteps of her who measurement seem to indicate. Be is striving to drag her weakened limbs this as it may, however, no one has a out of the morasses of the past. right to prejudge the question of At such a lapse what smiles, what woman's future possibilities, and this head-shakings from the unconvinced, is unfortunately exactly what every what signs signs from fellow-strugglers! one does. Too many are inclined to How much nobler, how much more view the whole question from the perknightly would be the attitude of a man sonal stand-point; one can generally at this crisis, if, instead of standing discover what sort of women a man cynically on the watch for these little has associated with by his opinions on womanly failings, he would hold out a this movement. This is natural, but brotherly hand to the sister who, after it is not fair. It throws too heavy a all, is only inspired by aspirations burden on the shoulders of women who which in a man are held among the are only fighting their way to freedom, best and noblest of his nature the and who have upon them still the love of freedom and the desire of devel- impress of their former life, and of opment. For the honor of humanity the lives of their mothers for countless it can be said that there are a few generations. such men, and for their liberality of thought and generosity of sentiment women owe and feel toward them the deepest gratitude and reverence.

To satisfy their judges such women must show themselves absolutely consistent, absolutely fair, absolutely logical, or their cause, in their judges' With regard to that old and favorite estimation, suffers with themselves. argument: the smailer weight and size Are they fair and logical in attaching of the woman's brain, of course there it thus to a personality? It is in vain is the theory of evolution to account for women to plead that these qualities for it, but there is also this considera- are not considered imperative in man; tion, not generally allowed for. Cer- this only embitters their opponents tain parts of the brain, we are told, are and foredooms themselves as one-sided employed, not in thought, but in controversialists. Though lacking a directing the bodily machinery; that is man's infinite advantages of training, to say, the entire brain is not a think- health, absence of nervous susceptibility ing organ. Therefore, man's larger and keenness of feeling, a woman frame requires a larger brain; but the must out-Herod Herod in her logic extra size does not indicate extra think- and her "sweet reasonableness," keeping power in proportion. Moreover it ing herself unspotted from all false, appears that the weight of the brain doubtful or even untimely argument. varies enormously among intellectual If she speaks the truth too soon-the persons of the same sex, and Bebel truth that men themselves come to suggests that the mere cerebral mass acknowledge a little later-she damages and weight (after a certain point) may her cause in the present. Those who not be a measure of mental strength, might have been willing to listen to any more than bodily size is a measure mild half-claims and assertions are of bodily strength. The organization, frightened off by the bold and simple he thinks, is probably of more impor- whole. This may be good discipline, tance. Possibly, therefore, women, but it is very severe upon the new

pupil. She must be panoplied with But side by side with all this there strength and tact and gentleness; her exists at the present moment a deeplogic and her temper should be flawless; seated, wide-spreading dissent from the she must be prepared to listen with a old modes of feeling. Women are smile to the most tumble-down old written about, and thought about as arguments; she must hold back the they have never been written about bitter answer that rises to her lips at and thought about before; there are some suave taunt or insult offered to few thinkers who do not feel called her and to her sex, perhaps by some upon to take some view of the matter, foolish young man who knows nothing though it may be the strange unmodern of the hard places of her life, or the one of Lecky, who sees a solution for deep and stirring tragedies of woman- the necessity of so many women to hood.. More pathetic still, it may be, earn their living, in a return to the she must listen to the arguments of monastic system of the Middle Ages. some sister, steeped in the old tradi Had he suggested the painless extinctions, and holding on with the fervor tion of these inconvenient clamorers of ignorance to the solidities of the for their daily bread, his proposal present which she fears to exchange would really have been more merciful. for the unknown possibilities of the How does it happen that from men to future. And what are these solidities women (between whom as individuals of the present to which so many the greatest human love is supposed to women cling? They are simply the be possible) there should be so little remnants of the original savage state, wherein (as Leslie Stephens puts it),

mercy, so little justice or sympathy?

Women are generally said to have concrete ways of thinking, while men deal with abstractions. But man appears unable to be just and merciful to woman, though he may be loving and tender enough to one woman who has pleased his fancy or won his affec

"A man obtained his wife by knocking her down. To him therefore the ideal feminine character must have included a readiness to be knocked down, or at least unreadiness to strike again, and as some of the forms of marriage recall the early system, so in the sentiments with which it is regarded, theretion. may still linger something of the early instinct associated with striking and being struck."

Does this show an abstract mind? That men do not know anything about the sufferings of women is Who can doubt that it does linger? not surprising, for the latter have been Even in the higher kind of fiction the trained to conceal them from their acme of female excellence seems always male relatives lest the knowledge to be reached by a patient submission should give them pain. This care was to the most detestable ill-treatment scarcely necessary, as men are not quick and tyranny on the part of a husband. at seeing the hardships from which their The more abominable the man, the own lives and organization protect more perfect the woman who endures them, and they could have borne the Lis ill-conduct without rebellion. And knowledge of their existence, we may so all women, and alas! most easily safely conclude, without unmanly women of the nobler kind, are preached wincing. But in fact no one is eloquent into a moral suicide which makes it enough to bring before the minds of harder and always harder for those that come after them; their own wellendured sufferings piling stone on stone to the torture-houses of the future.

those to whom nature and circumstances forever make such suffering impossible, a true picture of an average woman's life, with its thousand

"It was not much, perhaps, to set herself

weary little burdens, its fretting anxi- takes place. Domestic trifles encroach eties and cares and pains, made doubly one by one. hard to bear by the flaw that will be almost invariably found in a woman's health, a flaw surely indicating some evil condition, whether inflicted on the sufferer by herself or others.

to conquer this little occasion, not much to descend from the Sphinx to the drain pipe at one fell swoop, not much to watch the pota

toes while Julia went to market; to sit wondering how the ironing was to get done, while

It

The want of refreshing congenial her husband talked of Greek sculpture: to work goes hand in hand with unremit- bring creation out of chaos, law out of disting claims upon the time and thought, order, and a clear head out of wasted nerves. ceaseless small duties, unrelieved by any Life is made up of such little strains, and space of time when the work is done the artistic temperament is only more sensitive and the mind is free to throw aside its was not much, but let us not forget that it to but can never hope to escape them. worries, and recruit itself with study or was under the friction of such atoms that reaction. There is no change, no women, far simpler and so for that yoke far alternate stringing and unstringing; stronger than Avis, have yielded their lives the bow is always bent, and who shall as a burden too heavy to be borne." say that this fact alone is not enough to Looking at this picture in the light account for the rapid exhaustion of of evolution, we can see before our their youthful energies now regarded eyes the more immediate process under as natural to women? Anyhow the which the womanly character has been normal woman's life-supporting as formed; we can see the non-domestic she does an elaborately cumbrous proclivities being stifled, health underdomestic machine upon her shoulders mined, nerves fretted, and the power -is full of care and weariness with of happiness teased out of existence. very little compensation, and when The system is one of combined starving she also bears the burden of mother- and irritation. Happiness is partly a hood and the rearing of children, the matter of habit, and if every minute position is one of severe and unremit- that passes brings with it some little ting strain. What wonder that the arrow of trouble, the mind loses its health suffers, that the freshness of healthy tone, and the condition of dislife is utterly gone, and that its good tress and worry becomes ingrained. things are missed? In the beautiful How this takes the sunshine out of "Story of Aris," by Elizabeth Stuart existence, not only for the victim, but Phelps, this subject is pathetically for her associates, any one can see for worked out in the history of a girl who himself who looks around him. has resolved not to marry because she Again, the absolute banishment of fears that marriage will make her false the idea of co-operation in domestic to her art, to which she has devoted life causes an incalculable waste of herself ardently. Unfortunately her energy, as well as the evil of thrusting warm, enthusiastic nature, with its upon so many human beings work wide sympathies and strong feelings, which is unsuited and uncongenial to cannot escape the passion of love. She them. does struggle, but she finally gives in,

From all evils which affect humanity on her lover's strong assurances of at large, women being of course handiunderstanding and sympathy. But capped by acquired weakness, suffer after marriage he forgets his sympa more severely than others. In the thies and his promises, anxieties accumu-wage-earning class this is evident at late and the result that Avis dreaded first sight, while in the richer classes

the evil is hidden under a cloak of distinct gain to society. On the other luxury; but it is always there, wearing hand, there is something more in and corroding the heart. "The tyranny prospect for women and for the race of times and laws is heavy upon them than would be achieved by a more to the end." How these closely knitted successful competing with men for the evils are to be banished can only be prizes of life, important as that step seen, as one by one, they are attacked would be with its attendant improvefrom different sides and in different ment in position, and training, and ways. But clearly the A B C of right independence. The real woman has and justice to women (to say nothing yet to be born-the truly womanly of right and justice to the whole race) woman who develops the power that is is to open the gates of life to all and within her freely and without reference let them enter in and find their place to artificial ideals. A cramped and there by direct experiment. That distorted nature can be neither manly there are great difficulties to be encoun- nor womanly, nor even quite human in tered must be admitted. The present the broadest sense. Real womanhood state of our society makes it hard is a thing of the future. What it will indeed for women to go out into the be must of course depend upon the world of savage competition and force form of society, and that social form. their way among the strugglers. Still reciprocally will be influenced by the the removal of social and legal disabil- new standing that women take in it. ities is demanded by justice and is a So that their qualities will be in a step in direction of progress. The certain sense in their own hands to consequences must be faced. History determine. Mankind is tied to the is continuous, and doubtless what wheel of evolution, but man can and women have endured in the past will does more and more as he develops in haunt them and their descendants for intelligence consciously make it run in many a generation to come, but we the direction he may choose. What must face the specters and live them down; there will be pain and failure to endure: the moment is terrible with birth-pangs of the new order, but its coming is now certain.

he cannot do is to make it stand still. All thoughts and acts of ours trace out the path of our development.

If

Certain qualities peculiar to women have been evoked in the past; for It is constantly being pointed out to instance, delicacy of perception, quickwomen-even by those who are ready ness of insight, grace, gentleness, and to admit their possibilities of a high a self-control wonderful to think of in development that the real woman's connection with their susceptible physikingdom is in the home and, above all, cal temperament. These qualities are in the nursery, and that the "mother's valuable: they have been dearly bought, love and care should still, and for- and it is a pity to let them go. ever, be a woman's "crowning joy and women do not preserve the sweeter, ambition.' But this again is pre- more picturesque, and graceful aspects judging the case, for surely it is for of life, what a sunless world we should women to find out what their crowning have! And there is not enough sun"joy and ambition" is to be, and if shine as it is; it should be made many in the future refuse to regard brighter, not more gray and bleak. the mother's love and care in that light, the mere resulting variation in individual types of character will be a

Surely there is something far better to be done than to offer to humanity a mere repetition of manhood, however

In

perfect the imitation might be. This ment must inevitably bring to him would be very "stale, flat, and unprof- also. The world cannot afford to lose itable." Sympathy, not antagonism the best powers of half its people. between the sexes should be the watch- this crippled state it has been strugword of the future order, and indeed gling miserably for ages. there is every sign that the new woman- What will happen when the whole hood will have much closer sympathies of those human powers become cowith masculine nature than have the operative? What will happen when women of the older type; but the men and women are spiritually personality will perhaps differ still united? A new humanity will have more from that of man, because the arisen. If the development of the woman of the future will follow the future should tend to make women on lead of her own nature and not that the average less engrossed with of a deadening convention. For the maternal cares than they have been, same reason, too, the future will pro- the result will be a glad prospect for duce a multitude of types of woman- mankind. For at present children hood, increasing the chances of making suffer miserably through the blind, a happy choice in marriage, and open- unthinking self-immolation of their ing a wide field for variety in the con- mothers. Mothers deprive themselves ception of married life itself. Then of efficiency, of health, knowledge, will be offered all possible range for and enjoyment of life, for their chilindividual taste and character, in place dren's sake, and their children share of the present cramped ideal, which the penalty. They are loaded with demands that all who enter the gates cares and caresses, and deprived al of matrimony shall bring themselves their days and nights of fresh air and into precisely the same attitude toward rational clothing. Mothers stunt their it as is held, or supposed to be held, by every other married person. Then, perhaps, the old fancy of the soul find ing its other half may be actually realized.

own humanity in their children's service, and in revenge the children are stunted too; their minds are clothed with false ideas and petty prejudices, original growths are lopped off, and thus human beings grow up to perpetuate the mistakes and wrongs of which they have been the victims, and to hand them down as heirlooms to the next generation.

There is something very fascinating to the human mind in this idea of the two sexes being necessary complements of one another; it has always been a favorite apology of conservative thinkers for upholding the present position. A more general intelligent sympathy of women. But while the woman was and enlightened love of humanity, with not free it was an ideal impossible to less violent motherliness, would be a carry out: men and women were then universal blessing to the community, different, but not truly complementary: though our devotion of the old idea. to make them that must be the work makes this one difficult to admit. of the future. This generation cannot There are many who would rather have conceive the inspiring beauty that women in the old way, motherly, than must come to pass in the relations that the children of the future should between men and women when the be wisely tended. If there were less woman shall have explored her own maternal instinct and more human possibilities, and man has made the love, half the cruelties that children tremendous gain which this develop now suffer under the loving care of