The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-03-14
Is the Mind of Woman equal to that of
Man ?


AD Ess.y ap3a tas Question. R.sc vel Tat The
Mnlol Won ais eIi1 tot ta.t Hii
Mn PRF~ipTNT. LADIES ANn GENTLEMEN .
In taking the allirmlise side ui this ques-
tiOn. / shall not explore the th1rOu@hL.res
OF Art. Science or Literature, Tor brilliant
examples OF wOman's mentality. ] shall not
Gull from the bright galaxy Of oar gifted
ones name which were not horn % die,
10 prove that I'm mental strength. woman Is
mans equal. But in the humble ranks OF
common life. feel assured shall find ma
terial out Of which 10 fashion arguments
which cannot Doe gIinsail
And first lef me call your attention 90
the TACT, that ulsmuch as the delc3cy OF
her organization units her for physical en-
durance, she must fall back upon the re-
served forces Of the mind, when passing
through the vlcissitndes OF trial and suffer
lng, which are part and parcel of every wO-
mans lot whether high or low. THIS holds
as true in the moral as i'm the physical
Felicia lleman's greatness OF soul is not as
traceable in lines framed by her intellect
rs in those written by the recording angel
in Gods own book Ofremembrauce telling
how, when disappointed m woman's high
est hope, when suffering keencsr anguish
of spirit over TINS blight which had fallen
upon her young life. she assumed RESPONSE
billtles which her ignOble husband shirked
and arOusiDg all the energies OF her gifted
mind provided food and raiment for her
worse than orphaned babes; m this she
proved her title 10 equality with most gifted
men.
Had / 4 cOnjurOrs wand. and might lay
bare before YOU the yery-day life oil myri-
ads OF humble homes, think you would
witness such scenes Of moral grandeure and
herOlsm on the part Of woman that no word
painting of mine were needed 10 prove her
equal strength of mind. Take for example
the case Of Il young wife just entering upon
a field Of untred duties aud responsibilities,
shrinking. timid and sensitive. IS she is,
she vet finds herself called upon To act for
herself: life is no longer "A fairy tale but an
earnest reality. Now if she be best with a
companion who sympathizes with her, and
seeks 70 make the difference in her homes
as little apparent rs possible. in leaving
all for him she still finds room for the exer-
else OF courage, noble endeavOr and sell
denial unequaled by mans highest achieve
ments in this direction. If, on the contra
~, as is often the case. she finds him self
absorbed and with small knowledge of her
needs As a woman leaves her to walk the
thOrny sleeps OF lite alone. think YOU she
viii tllter IN her duty here. No, She
will in nine cases out of ten display 4
strength Of mind as much above mans a.
the heavens are above the earth. For
while man has all help TO bear him alOft in
the very nature of his various avOcatiOns,
tending 10 direct his thoughts from unpleas-
ant themes. woman must walk alone, no
intruder is allowed here, none may share
her confidence; her heart may indeed weep
tears of blood for buried hopes and expec-
tatiOns, but the world must not know il.
She nerves herself anew for each DAYS du-
ties, nor fdlters in their performance. Is
not 4 strength OF mind equal to mans dis
played in all thisg Nay, is there not a
greater than lies in mans capability2
So too in reverSes Of fortune have We
not seen the delicate female suddenly
plunged from the heights Of afiiuence to
pOvertys depths, standing firm amid the
wreck, and while man has faltered aud fall
en- in the path, has she not with patient
endurance borne up amid the surging bill
lows which have overwhelmed her weaker
companion This cannot be attributed to
har physical fnroo, thoroforo must prove
that She has more nlsHtl' strength than
ones, or separated by distance. is she not,
from the nature of her being, the greatest
sufferer, but does she not bear equally well
these trials, though this is the case2 Nay.
YOU and have seen her when the heart Oi
husband father or brother was weighed
down with care and grief prove herself a
ministering angel, Inspiring them with
words of hope and cheer, while suffering
q
strength derived if not from the mind?
1t surely was not brute force which
nerved the arm Of the daughter OF the
lighthouse in her perilOuS adventure, n0l
was It lack of wOmanly sensibility that
made hsr self-fOrgettul and strong TO ac-
cOmplish the noble deed which sheds such
halo around that sweetest, fittest name
Grace Darling" l might multiply III
stances of moral daring patient endurance,
hopeful trust or lofty endeavor, unknown
to the great world; but | fOrbear. enough
has been said, / think, to prove that the
mind of woman Is equal 10 that OF man.
l think l hear some ObjectOr say, this
proves nothing for her mind. her intellect
only for her heart. But pray. Mr.. Caviller
do you know that that i all a humbug
that the organ called a heart in woman i:
no more the seat OF her affections than hel
foot IS physically speaking. No. It's hel
brain that determinS her moral aud menta
calibre the same as in man, and upon The
right development and training OF all he
! powers depends the vigOr and amount o
mind she possesses precisely the same q:
in man. know that by a false system o
education she has been confined 10 par
tial development OF the faculties. But tni:
D IL I Il. ma.
hilltop is breaking the light OF a glorious
morning, and if the morn be glorious wha
shall be the full Orbed day9
Mrs. ELLDIE HARoOURT.