Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-03-04
Popular Injustice to Women.

Popular Injustice to Women.
A writer in one of the London Maga-
zines for January makes the following
just remarks; 1.-The tone adopted by some
authors in speaking on the woman ques-
ton. as it is called, is inexpressibly inso-
lent. a writer in recent number of the
Quarterly, is gracious enough TO say that
he makes no apology for quoting wo-
man. and in notice on Mr.. Mills book
on women, in Blackwood, the TACT tha
women are physically weaker than men
is expressly given rs reason why they
have no claim to any justice but such rs
men choose to grant them though il is
grudgingly acknowledged that they have
some rights. The law of the str ongest.
not of justice, is openly advocated. Hun.
dreds of years ago the sage described the
principles of 4 certain type of men: Let
our strength be the law of justice; for
that which is feeble is found 10 be moth
ing worth And. judging from much
that has recently appeared on this subject
the type is not extinct. Scott. in one OF
his noblest scenes, makes his heroine say
God made woman weak, and trusted her
defence to mans generosity but the idea
now seems 10 be, God made woman
weak. therefore she must 90 to the wall. '
Fortunately for mankind. this is not the
prevailing idea, rs has just been honora-
bly, shown by admitting women TO the
Edinburgh University Tor medical study !;
and by Mr.. Mills generous advocacy Of
married womcn's claims, 10 mention no
other instances.
Why this way OF speaking of certain
ly not unimportant half Of the human
race should be adopted, is very wonder
ful. Is a latent jealousy of woman an in
herent part of mans nature? 1t seems
impossible sometimes otherwise to ac-
count Tor the remarks one hears aud reads.
We think, also, that both too much and
too little are expected of women. Men
treat her as the negro does his fetich,-
which he worships one moment, and ILL
treats the next; or rs the Irish beggar
does the traveller. whom he importunes
for aims with benedctions, but vituper
ates forcibly if the aims are refused. She
is worshipped, and idolized, and hattered
one moment; but if she darcs 10 assert
any individuality. or claim any privilege
unconnec,ed with mans comfort, or in
consistent with some preconccived idea
on his part, her worshippers turn on her,
and literally seem to question her right to
exist Many men arc unconsciously sell
fish where women are concerned, and
this often from the exaggerated no ton
they have OF their goodness. They act rs
il they had to deal with angels, not with
human being, and literally make no al
owance for the shortcomings that even
the best and noblest woman must share in
common with the rest OF humanity. a
gentleman once said to lady, Il will
never speak TO = woman again if | see
her out of temper and when remonstrat-
ed with, answered, We'll, know my feel
ings on the subject, and know they are
shared by hundreds of men. A woman
should never be out Of temper. The
world would be pandemonium if wo-
men were not better than men; and
.hink women have powers to restrain
their tempers and feelings given them
which men have not. A man being out
of temper is different thing Can any
sentiment be more absurd or unjust? WO-
men are particularly exposed to trials OF
temper. The more nervous tempera-
ment-their ply steal weakness even, and
the thousand. and-one sma II household
worries that bcset them, render them pc.
culiarly liable to irr;tability and changes
of mood. Miss Wetherall, in one OF her
novels, draws distinction between the
lines of care on mems and women's faces.
caused by the petty troubles, which leave
their traces on woman's countenance;
while the man, though he may suffer
great anxieties, bears no marks OF the
small domestic trials which harass the
mind as perpetual gnat stings do the body.
Yet woman is severely blamed If she
exhibits any irritations under the perpet-
ually recurring annoyances, and is prob
ably told in superior sort Of way. not to
trouble herself about petty Details tho
on these very details depend the comfort
Of those about her.
Angelic strength and serenity and sell
devotion are exp ected of women; and as
even the best oil them are not quite angels
(though some Of them are nearly SOY,
much individual misery is caused by the
sense of failure an affectionate woman
feels when she has only just not fulfilled
impossible expectations. In this way,