The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-13
Home ThTusts, or Marrying and Giving
in Maniage.n

LECTURE BY MISS ANNA DICKINSON.
Alecture was delivered on Tuesday evening in
the large hall of the Cooper Institute, by Miss
Anna e. Dickinson, on Marrying and Giving in
Marriage" There was large and appreoiatlve
audience, the room being nearly filed. Miss
Anna e. Dickinson, having been introduced by
Mr. Theodore Tilton, spoke as tollows:-
II there was ever a need OF testimony, it is in
regard to this matter of the training and the
education of young girls, looking forward to what
is popularity denominated a settlement in life.
This expression has been so universally used that
1t has now become a byword, and people use IL
without seeing that 1t Is an insult and outrage to
women everywhere. Woman cannot be settled,
fixed, and established until she can discover the
man to whom she can tie fast and anchor From
the earliest time upwards the woman of the pre-
sent day is taught that the one end of her life is
marriage-the one happiness and ambition of
her life, marTiage-the only opportunity to be or
do anything, marriage-and the only sphere in
which she can develop her powers, or be of SER
\ vice to herself or others, neutrality-suspicious.
and by everybody is she advised to get hus-
band. The boy, on the other hand, is educated
for manhood; he is to go through his school
life, through the university and college, he
is to choose his trade, business, proies-
sion, or calling; he is to earn money and make
for himself a home. And then, having educated
himself, and having gotten home society says
to him :-"Take wife" TO help spend the money,
and to be useful and ornamental appendage OF
that home. The man is educated, not for hus-
ban0hOod, but for manhood; and why ls the
woman not educated for womanhood? There
many evils that arise to both sexes from this
difference in their education. 1t in the first
place makes the girls deceitful. Perhaps they
are not themselves conscious of 1t, but woman
cannot now be simple and unaffected with an
unmarried man about her. This breaks up the
right and rational intercourse OF the young men
and women. There are many cases in which
GOOD might ensue to both sexes by simple friend
ship without love; but as things now stand,
simple friendship between them is impossible.
The women therefore become indifferent to
everything else but marrtage-inditerent to
books, to mental culture, to the cultivation OF
their own noble aspirations, to everything
but marriage. But, some will say, there is
no necessity to become learned ana philoso-
pliers; let them wash and scrub, and bake
and iron. Well, those are all very good
things, and | am only sorry that they are
not more thought of; but I believe that
better, if the girls possessed thorough and
liberal education. As to the accomplishments
which were now taught them they were not
eaucstion-they were only bestowed to enhance
her price in the market, and were not intended
to be of any great value after the bargain had
been concluded. But some will say that
woman has been made by the Great Artihcer
smaller and weaker, and shallower in brain, and
mind, and intellect than man, and that 1t would
be absurd to attemptto teach her1n two or three
years what men only imperiectly learn in eight
or ten. Well if society, If the world, we're only
pleased with the result of the work of its own
hands; if it liked and complimented these same
women as it makes them, 1, as woman, might
put my finger on my lips and keep silence. But
it is not so. Society sneers, and taunts, and in
suits the woman to whom it has refused the
means of improvement. Every day shrink, and
shudder, and cover at the insults heaped upon
my seX-hrst, in what society makes them; and
second, in the taunts and insults thrown upon
n them. | do indeed believe that God Almighty
II made women weak and shallow, and frivolous
and vain; but 1t was only to match the men. If,
indeed, women are inferior to men, still ask
that chance be given them to decide the point,
and to enable them to stand as God and nature
intended them to stand. We have never yet
been permitted to have the same opportunity as
our brothers.
\ Miss Dickinson then proceeded to review the
various other pleas advanced against the equal
education of the sexes. She said that it was not
necessary that the woman should be able to
stand side by side with man in any avenue oil
life, but it was necessary for the interest and
Well-being of both that she might be able to
sympathize with the labor and work of the man
But at present they took the souls and intellect
and inspiration of woman, and treated them as
you treated an acorn, by putting 1t in flower
pot and preventing It's growth by every possible
Contrivance lest it should break the flower pot
Women were consequently driven to sin by theil
thus being untitled for the higher spheres O
being. Probably the chief reason of the hard
ness and injustice and cruelty of women, the one
TO the other, might be found In the fact tina
they were taught to regard marriage as the grea
aim of their life They were brought to al
overcrowded market, and were forced to sci
their own wares by undertaking those o
their neighbors Miss Dickinson then adyertet
at some length to the proposed emigration
OF seven hundred women TO Washington Terri
tory, and stated that she seriously appre
hended that evil only would ensue from the
expedition. On the Western coast there were NJ
mills or cities, or any other sphere of employ
ment for women, and their only chance, sh
feared, on reaching their destination would b
10 get married in torty-eight hours after thei
arrival. She concluded her lecture by an elc
quent appeal to society, to all men and womel
of influence and power, to unite IN extending al
equal punishment in respect to the 'social evil
to both men and women. As things stood, b
one ohense the woman removed herself from al
hope of again treading in the paths of purity an
happiness. She was an outcast and abandoned
and no repentance could atone for her fault
The man was, however, in no way preiudieed b
having committed few lndIscretlons. Indeed
by some, even by some women, he was though
all the more eligible and desirable as a husband
on that very account. She called upon all the jus
and righteous to change this cruel and wicke
difference in Judgment.
The lecturer was frequently interrupted b
expressions of appreciation on the part of th
audience.-N. Y. Herald.
The ART OF CARPENTRY.-How much we al
indebted to this useful trade for the con