The history of men's opposition to women's emancipation is more interesting perhaps than the story of that emancipation itself. Odd how the creative power at once brings the whole universe to order. Occupation is essential. A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction. It is worth mentioning, for future reference, that the creative power which bubbles so pleasantly in beginning a new book quiets down after a time, and one goes on more steadily.
Doubts creep in.
Then one becomes resigned. Determination not to give in, and the sense of an impending shape keep one at it more than anything. Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size. If you do not tell the truth about yourself you cannot tell it about other people. I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.