The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-18


law Every observer, whose eyes are open to
the common facts about him, will see it
| re-enacted every day by every bride who
crosses the threshold of a new household.
Mr. Mill will tell us that this is the result of
defective education, and of the long habit of
slavery; but let him take the most high
spirited young woman he can find, trained in
his own school, and reused to full defense of
the theoretical rights of her sex by the en-
thusiasm of youth and vehement soctarian
education and let her but marry man she
loves and the philosopher will find the code
re-estabished, il may be secretly, 1T may be
with a sense of guilt and confusion, and even
treachery to her own cause, ere she has we'll
taken her place in her new kingdom. She
may rule her husband even, yet she will serve
him; she may lead him blindfold by right Of
love, OF wit or superior character and yet
she will minister to him, wait upon him, offer
him sacrifices as if she were the commonest
daughter of Eve. For we're the confusing
conditions of our civilization abolished along
with dowers, and laws of property, and mar
riage settlements, would it not be his Office to
work for her? His it must be to protect her.
whatever external dangers come their way
his to toll when Providence forbids her from
toiling; his to stand between her and the
world, and screen off from her, at those mo-
ments when nature demands seclusion, the
offensive gaze of the crowd Far be it from
us to dwell with prurient sentiment upon the
details Of that grand function which is the
distinguishing work of woman in the world.
But any theory of her being which ignores it.,
or gives it a secondary place, or in any way
whatever leaves it out of the calculation, is
inevitably a futile theory. Let us imagine
even that at other times she may be capable of
maintaining her own independence and secur-
ing her livelihood apart from the help of man
yet at these times she is not so capable. 1t
is then that his strength which is liable to no
interruption asserts its superiority. He has
nothing to do which calls him off his days
work, prompts him to seek the covert, puts him
aside from ordinary employment. Such a
fact makes rivalry utterly impossible. 1t
would be as reasonable to expect that soldier
engaged in dangerous campaign, and with
the necessity upon him of periodically con-
| fronting de ath, and running all the risks of
| battle should at the same time compete
| with civilian in some art or handicraft The
| comparison is weak, for there is no reason
| why the soldier should not be in robust
| health up to the moment of marching, and it
| is his own life only which is concerned. But
| the women who are mems wives are bound in
most cases to undergo periodically risk
| which is as great as that which any individual
| soldi Ell encounters in battle. And they have
| not only to brace their nerves to encounter
| this danger for themselves, butt is their grand
| moment of responsibility, when they must vim
dictate the trust reposed in them by God and the
world. Can there be any doubtthat this essen
tial element of her life at once and forever
disables woman from all trial of strength
and rude equality with man? Nobody but a
| fool, we believe, will assert that the burden
| of this great trust stamps her as inferior. 1t
would be just as reasonable to say that it gave
her q superior place in the economy of nature
| as the possessor of q faculty more utterly es-
sential to the continuance of the race. But
| there can be no doubt about the fact that it
separates her and her work and her Office
from the Office and work of man. The two
are not made to contend and compete and
| run races for the same prize There is no
natural opposition, but on the contrary har-
mony unbounded in their differences of
nature harmony which can never be at
tanned by two creatures framed on the self
same plan.
| THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION OF GIRLS.
But when we turn to the consideration Of
professional education for girls we feel tina
we have returned to the general Fundamental
conditions of women, and can only argue thu
one question by an appeal to the other. Pro
| fessional education in man occupies all thu
season of youth. He has reached his maj jOrit!
at least before he is qualified to put hi
powers to the test, and exercise the know
ledge he has gained Unless he steps into al
exceptional position, reaping the benefit o
some one else's labors, the first ten or tifteel
years of manhood are spent in a struggle TO
position. more or less hard in proportion t.
his talents and his character, and his powe
of awaiting slow result. Under favorabl
circumstances, of course, this struggle is no
mortal, but it always requires the mans full
force, his clearest judgment, and most careful
labor. If he is prosperously establlshe
, in the exercise of his profession q
80, with a clear prospect of gain an
| social honor he has done as well as b
could possibly hope, and can look forwar
7 | with tolerable confidence on the career befor
3 him. During this early struggle he has t
exert all his powers; if he pauses for a mt
= ment he knows that it is at the hazard, nc
e | of losing that moment alone, but of sacriht
i ing ten times its value The road is so VI
, | hill that he slides down one step for ever
: three he makes, and is aware that to sto
9 short or to turn aside on the way is destru
Q ton. temporary illness sometimes neutra
, ICES years of labor; he must be always at b
J. post, pushing on with speed unbroker
! | Should he fall, some one else is ready
e ostle him out of the already too crowde
= way. Such is a very ordinary statement {
t | the usual difficulties which beset the patl
Q say, of young physician; and the other pr'
!, | fessions are not less toilsome. Let us sc
J. what effect these obstacles would have on tn
: career of the candidate were il a woman an
! not man.
Q MARRIAGE AGAIN.
II The first thing we have to imagine is thf
;, the girls entire youth, its bloom, and softe
n years should be passed like that of youn
Il | man in the steady pursuit of knOWledp