Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-06
Rather Scathing.

Mrs. Harding Davis, from platform
labeled mems Rights" holds a colloquy
on Woman's Needs" not exactly after
the manner of Lucy Stone or Lucretia
Mott, but with her characteristic strength,
intensity and sense. She says: ITO
speak plainly, believe that the old type
of the woman, whose real life comes to
her through the love of home, husband
and children, is irrevocably fixed by
nature in the heart of all men, and the
majority of women, as the highest and
best" Now read and digest some of her
caustic thoughts, which we cite for you !:
The most salient and apparent change
in women in the last few years Il don't
say tho deepest) is not advance in intslli-
gence, marked as that may be; it is the
growth in impurity. 1t is simply tran
sient effect of this reused and ungratifed
brain-power. The ordinary London or
New York woman is too far advanced in
the progress of the age" to find en-
ployment for her awakened Imagination
or reason in housekeeping or in gossip;
too little to turn to art or science or even
downright hard business. In self-defense,
then, she listens to lsscivious music, or
looks at the living pictures of the ballet,
where her passions at least are daintily
played upon. She reads or writes, as the
case may be, novels in which few of the
men are honest, and none of the women
virtuous, or advancing step further, she
finds that but q mean and ignoble life
for q woman which is sacrificed to the
children whom God has given her; and,
on asthetic principles, quietly does her
share in building up the temples to muir
der, that openly face us in oar most
crowded streets.
began with an extreme case? Per-
hsps so. Yet hunger is not choice in its
food, and there is reason to doubt whether
the ordinary sliment Of all women in
literature or art, now, is whit more
pure and wholesome than that of men,
coarse as we declare their appetites to
be-
There is q class of subjects, the name
OF which would bring the red to the old
lady's cheek yonder, but with which it is
the. fashion Of the day to make young
girls thoroughly oonverssnt. There is
no need to send Nelly out of the room
now, no matter what topic the mstrons
may discuss. The terra incognitG of
our grandmothers is we'll trodden ground
to her at sixteen.
How can it be otherwise
She finds rot only men, but women,
whose names are tainted, among the
leaders Of fashionable society; she sits
beside her mother, and sees her smiling
at the bald indecency of opera bouffe
without blush; she hears the social
evil" coolly discussed as a social neces-
sity. Ii is no wonder, then, that, night
after night, Nelly herself may be seen,
with back and bosom half-bared, whirling
and perspiring in Dick French's arms,
while her mother looks placidly on. Ii
/ hint my disgust, | am told severely
that to the pure all things are pure, and
that the obscene play and the waltz that
sets Dick French's blood on fire, il
looked on esthetically, are, to women,
refined and innocent pleasures.
doubt if any man believes this. IT,
for lack of pure occupation for their /
brains and senses, women of society bring |
this offal to pollute their daily lives, they
need not suppose that any affected igno-
rance or sstbetic sunlight will hide the
real nature Of the substance from the men
about them. Dick French, worn Toue
that Re is, has Joined the school of the
critic Of the Saturday Reriep BE asserts
that all women are represented by these.
BE hints that he understands the lures
that these decoliettee bellies put forth.
"It's cursed hard on fellow" he says.
The extravsganoe ofthese women won't /
allow q man to marry; yet they tempt /
him to do il with all the arts ofthe worst
of the demi-morde. Then be and bis
compeers adjust their Eyeglasses, and
lean against doorways, criticizing the