# A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Weber, Helene Marie

Layout 2
WEBER, HELENE MARIE,
Is the only child of Major Frederick Weber, a native of Berlin, and at one time an officer of note in the Prussian service. Mrs. Weber, who is yet living, was an Englishwoman of great beauty and fortune, daughter of a Liverpool merchant named Hastings. They were married in Paris in 1824, and Helene was born in that city in 1825. Major Weber died the next year. After his death. Mrs. Weber came with her child to England, and resided here until 1837, when she removed to Brussels to facilitate Helene's education; and in 1843 she gave Helene an opportunity of acquiring a thorough knowledge of German by a residence in Leipzic. Miss Weber is not only thoroughly educated in all the usual branches studied by women, but is a proficient in several of the more abstruse ​sciences, such as chemistry, geology, mineralogy, mathematics, political economy, etc. A celebrated French critic, opposed to the course in which she is engaged, acknowledges that "Miss Weber possesses the highest order of intellect, and a thorough knowledge of social and political economy."
It was while she was living in Leipzic that she began to take an interest in the cause of woman's rights; and her earliest papers on the subject were published in a periodical of that city. They excited a great deal of notice at the time. Their success induced her to undertake a series of tracts covering the whole ground of "Woman's Rights and Wrongs." The first of these was published at Leipzic in 1844, and during the next year it was succeeded by nine others, each bearing a second title and confined to one subject. Miss Weber's essays are written with singular vigour, interspersed with wit and humour. They have been widely circulated, and have done more good, perhaps, than the efforts of all the female reformers united. Her reasoning is close and perspicuous, and rarely fails to convince. These books are in pamphlet form of from ninety-six to one hundred and forty-four pages each. They were issued without the writer's name—not even an initial. The name was discovered, however, before the fifth number appeared, and Miss Weber became famous. The learned and the noble sought her acquaintance. This was the period at which she assumed male attire, being then nineteen years old.
In the spring of 1845, Miss Weber came in possession of a handsome legacy, left her by an aunt in Berlin. She then bought the farm on which she now lives, fifteen miles from Brussels, called by her "La Pelouse." It was in wretched condition, but she went energetically to work and soon put it in order; built a new house, repaired the stables and outhouses, laid out gardens and ornamented grounds, and gave the whole place an appearance of thrift and prosperity. Besides an object of occupation and interest, she has made her farm a source of profit. She oversees and directs everything in person, keeps farm-books, and conducts her operations with system. Her family, besides herself, consists of her mother, two young girls, (her cousins,) and three servants. The working people live in cottages on the farm.
Miss Weber has a fine, but rather masculine form. She is tall and well-proportioned, and in male attire, her favourite dress, she appears like an elegant young gentleman. Her face is womanly and beautiful; her manners are ladylike and easy, and no one would suppose that she was conscious of appealing in a dress differing from most of her sex. Her conversation is full of vigour and sincerity, enlivened by a natural turn for wit and humour, but marked by the most refined womanly delicacy, and a true feminine consideration for the feelings of others She numbers among her friends the great and good of both sexes.
Miss Weber is a pious and consistent churchwoman. All her books breathe a true Christian spirit In 1844 she published in Leipzic a small volume of religious poems, descriptive of the finest passages of Scripture. This volume was well received, and gained for her the flavour and personal friendship of the religious community. Besides these, she has written extensively in prose and verse for periodicals, and has delivered lectures in several of the larger German cities, as Berlin, Vienna, etc., before societies ​organized on her own principles, to further the cause of reform; as has been observed before, except in the matter of dress, remarkably free from those ultra notions which prevail so extensive in France. At present. Miss Weber is engaged in preparing a book on "Agriculture as an Employment for Women."
We have given the foregoing sketch as communicated by a lady who visited and admired Miss Weber; nor do we doubt her claim to admiration. She has a good degree of prudence united with talents of a brilliant order; but we do question the utility of her theories and the truth of her reasoning. That she seems to adhere to the Christian religion, and expresses her belief in the Bible, makes what is repugnant to the spirit of its holy doctrines more mischievous than would be her avowed infidelity; therefore we cannot send forth the record of her opinions and doings without a few words of warning to our young countrywomen.
One of Miss Weber's strongest arguments in favour of male costume is, that nature has made sufficient differences in the personal appearance of the sexes; therefore they should dress alike. But is this true philosophy? If nature has made differences, ought not art to follow the intimation of nature or Providence, and make the mode of dress appropriate to these differences?
But more fallacious are her ideas respecting employments. If women devote themselves to agriculture, who shall manage the household and train the children? Miss Weber has inherited a fortune. She does not labour with her hands, nor does she employ female labourers to any extent. If women earn their own support men will have more time and money to spend on their own selfish gratifications. It is the necessity of doing what the Apostle commands every Christian man to do—"provide for his own household"—which keeps many from sin and ruin. This doctrine, which is inciting women to compete with men in industrial arts, and become independent of the care and protection of the stronger sex, is most dangerous in its influence, and would, if it were acted out, (which it will never be,) destroy all hope of Christian progress.