The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-01-22
Woman and MARRIAGE.

Miss Anna DICXERsoy Is one OF the most
prominent of the female lecturers OF our
country. She is said 10 be Il very good lee
turcr We see no reason why women should
not lecture. On the contrary, We think they
have natural talents and peculiar aptitude Tor
tha: vocation. Their private lectures have
always been held in much esteem, and the only
question IS, ought they TO lecture publicly
We think they ought. II is unreasonable that
our rAen should monopolize all the lecturng
from our women. SO much sweetness ought
not TO be wasted on the desert air. For that
1t is often wasted, there can be no doubt The
private recipients obtain their lectures Tor
nothing, ard like most cheap things, they are
not appreciated. There is many CArDLE
discourse which would produce great good In
public. The persons 10 whom 1t was addressed
would have no chance Of answering back.
Tl!s is Il great point In lecturer. The lee
turcr has it al TO herself, and tho victim has
no chance OF retaliation. Therefore, instead OF
curtain diScouTses, il would be good thing
to delegate 10 gifted females the special Work
Of going about the country and co4lecuag aN
the d.liniuent husbands i'll one mass, ana let
tin, fly her blunderbus at the flock. More exc
ruti9n would be done in this way, and we dare
SAY The men would prefer general assault ol
this Kind 10 the present style. The only oDJcc-
tlOa IS that ladies may feel some acllcacy ID
assuming the lecturers desk and appearing
before the public. No one but oldtogles Wou1a
maze such an objection. The thing of delicacy
is 10 De left to the taste of each indVldual lady'
That enough of them can be found VINO nave
10 scruple. or this point is evident from lhe
nurabsr who are already in the field, and with
great skill and energy delivering society oi lis
loose morals and loose change.
Miss ANNA DIcKEgsox, one Of the most ceie-
hr4cd Of these public benefac'resses, ana Que
oItAe most financially successful, has recently
been holding forth in New York on the attrac-
tive subject Of Woman and Marriage
Whilst she does not positively deny marriages.
aad is probably ready TO adlnit that II, Is IN
general, useful institutions, she seems 10 thlhR
thutit is put too prominently before woman
ss her chief end in life, and that the framing
and education OF girls are made 10 pear 100
exclusively upon the marriage reIatloh' we
h@d hoped, from the title Of the lecture, mat
Miss DICKERsoS would take occasion 10 peFale
the men, and to demonstrate the inutllity ana
roAiousncss Of the whole sex, but she con-
AUCs herself, if we may judge b. the annexed
e&lr-ct, TO the idea above indicated. She says
Prom the earliest time upwards the woman
Il the present day is taught Ihat the one emu
Of her life is marIiagc-the one happiness ana
ambition of her life marriagc--the only oppor-
tuIIty 10 be or do anything, marriage-and the
only sphere in which she can developher pow
Crs or he of service 10 ltSTseli or others, mar
riagc. Everywhere and by everybody is ehe
advised 10 get husband. The boy, on the
other hand, is educated for manhood ; he IS
10 70 through his school-life, through the uni
vgrsity and college: he Is TO choose his trade,
business, profession or calling; he Is 10 earn
- :. "A =. IN 4 home. n,
haNiag educated himself, ana having gotten 4
home, society says 10 him: Take wife 10
help spend the money, and 10 be q nseiui anu
ornamental appendage OF that nome. Inc
man is educated, not for husbandhood, but
jor manhood and why IS the woman not edn-
Gated for Womaulood?"
There is undoubtedly some truth in Miss
DicEgRsoN's notion, that girls have marriage
continually thrust into their heads, and that
young woman's relations are continually con-
spring 10 get her husband. But then IL
ought 10 be rccollected that tie whole world Is
rot conspr.ng for that purpose, and that In
these times, if young woman does no. exert
herself and il her friends arc lukewarm In
their cooperation, her rivals VIII drSe her
from the field and carry oil the plunder. Ii
-llss DIcKrRsoy could persuade the young
women and their advisers 10 give up thelf
dark conspiracies against the male sex, she
would confer benefit upon society. But inns
is hopeless undertaking, and IL Will be uh-
just % disarm portion only OF the iemhie
population, and leave the rest TO conspire
without restriction against the peace OF man
hlGd
rs 70 the question, Why is the woman not
educated for womanhood7" we have only TO
answer, "Jnst so" We think that ii is only
Miss DicKERsoN and the like who would edu.
cate her for something else, for manhood, TO
vii. IL s such female reformers who would
ansex woman and convert her into a Bioomer
or some such mongrei, sporting philosophy,
politics and reform, instead Of attending 70 her