Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-05-31

axe. 10 De brave anu generous hulSut
valiant, accomplished, and gallant, court
| ly gentleman, was the loftiest aspiration o.
high.born youths, in those old days--and
such was Walter Raleigh. His throwing
his cloak on the ground, that thereon hi'
Queen might pass by without discomfort, il
an evidence of his ready, thoughtful gal
lautry, which could spring only from a kind
and gentle heart. 1t may seem to some in
these cold, maintenance, matter of fact days,
a romantic action and rather high flown,
but surely it was not foolish one. And
the Queen who would have passed on care
less of the deed, or who would have laughed
at him, instead of being touched by his
loyal devotion, would richly deserve to be
dethroned and turned into cook. This
action and similar ones of others and d
other times, have been classed together and
sneered and reprehended under the name
of .Raleighism;' and this has caused this
letter. If deferential politeness and lofty
acts Of gallantry to females be sRaleighism;
if by attention and kindness, and even 70.
mantle and chivalrous devotion, striving to
raise woman from household drudge, or Q
mere creature to serve mans passions,to an
acknowledged position as mans equal o,
his superior Gas she certainly is, in all the
spiritual and aesthetic sentiments) be RAJ.
eigbism;' if softening the manners and el,
evating the tone and spirit of this 6Tase,'
age, be Raleighism,' then, I for one, say
give me Raleighism.' ~ q
When I see (and only in America can
see it) man rising from his comfortable
place in crowded car and yielding it to 0
female, whether she be poorly clad, OF
dressed in rich apparel, because she is g
woman then think to myself 'thank God
the spirit of Raleigh still lives When
see one who has paid for seat at the opera,
or lecture room, or anywhere else; one who
may have had to work hard for the money
one who may be able to appreciate and en-.
Ijoy the music, or lecture, or whatever it
may be; gladly giving his seat to lady,
who not being able to find one, and who
confused by the concentrated gaze of SC
many staring eyes, forgets to thank him
with look or smile; then I gladly say
shat is Raleighism.' When I see man,
be he old or young, neatly or lily clad,
stepping from the pavement into the foul
mud of the gutter, and yielding the wall as
a matter of course, to the.women he meets
be they rustling with silks and criuoline OF
auttering in rags; then I proudly say, this
lis Raleighism.' said before; that some Of
these scenes could only be witnessed in
America, mot always in America-but,
with pride L say .it,~ al,Odys at the South
The great lack of the present age is, that
spirit of chivalrous respect for woman. II
is this lack which, at the North, drives hel
to that last, sad refuge of disappointed and
despairing women; Strong-mindedness, q
can coin word, too). 1t is one of the sad
dest traits of humanity, that we rather seek
to draw our superiors down to our level,
than strive to raise ourselves to theirs
And in too many of the writings of the
present day, especially in the would-be
striking and witty ones, we find an inclina
tiou toward materializing woman; toward
pulling her down from her high position te
an equality with, or an inferiority to man
In some things sheis his inf nfeaior; while in
others greater and better, she as by far hi
superior. I, for one, don't want a wife tc
be my squaw, and cut wood and draw
water. And if it were needful for my lady't
comfort, or would win from her one smile,
I'd gladly make carpet for her, not only
of my cloak or coat, but of my dear sell
too, and not lose any self-respect either.
Rapleighly yours, RUBY.