Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-02-08
ANNIE DICKINSON.


Mercantile Library Association, to very
large audience. her subject being 1.-THE
Rights of Man."
After few predatory remarks, she
said that she desired 10 present her views
to the audience without circumlocution.
Young men of the present day considered
they had a right TO have a wife, home
and children. Let them get away from
the false glare of modern society into the
dark recesses of their own lives. Had
they ever done this? Men thought they
had right to be loved. but they had no
right to be loved unless they returned it.
They had no right to children and home
if they did not perform the full measure
of duty which ought to be performed to-
wards each other. They had no right to
good faith aud truth unless they reci2ro>
Gated them. Sometimes a man selects a
wife from drawing rooms or at balls, and
carries her home. Now, as to the love
he bore towards her. What was il She
did not profess to have gone over the
ground herself. Laughter) She spoke
on the subject as an outside barbarian,
but she comforied herself in knowing that
she had seen something of the condition,
just as locker on saw more of battle
than The soldier who was actually engaged
in it, and who was, therefore. able to give
a better description of il. Love implied
friendship. Ii signified unseIfishnsss, and
was not matter of pleasant fancy; it was
something that went into the heart Of
ages beyond. Love was the essence of
I God, and was as immortal as Himself
Men had plenty of it on their lips, but it
had to be sought for in their hearts. II
was thought by some belonging to mod
ern society. that it was grsat pity for
young man to marry until ho had seen
something of life.
But how did he acquire any knowledge
of what was suitable for him or his in
terests? What did he loorn about wife,
or home and its duties? A young
man would probably think be should
neglect no opportunity OF pleasing him
self; he was to indulge himself and not
to regret bis lost opportunities. He was
TO spend the best part of bis life and of
himself and settle down as virtuous
head of family. But could man sit
under upas tree without contracting n
portion of its posion? Could young
men, under such circumstances. Law claim
to woman's love? II, after a life SO
spent, they brought woman to their
home. could they he her fit companion?
Ii ali the powers of love could be invok
cd then he would be, for love .ssnctiies
all things. If they brought wife home
! aud could bsstow uPUn her such love.
then they had right to her love in re-
turn. Multitudes Of young men frittered
themselves away upon small sentimental
tiles. They proposcsp leave their own
! homes because they come face to face
with girl; they are tired Of hotels and
boarding houses and wish to have house,
and home of their own. They would
say to themselves, II am tired of knock
| ing about the world; | have sowed my
wild oats and will now settle down quiet
| w." Now, if he bore true and loving
| and faithful sentiment towards girl, he
bad right to its return. Such senti
meHt was one of the best sentiments of
the soul. In majority OF cases girl
was deprived of a free opportunity. Men
would marry girl because they were
tired of knocking about the world; be
cause they wanted a cozy little wife; be-
cause they desired to become responsible
members of society, and wanted the soci
ETY. of companion and friend. But
young men did not come to a girl in a
manner that was calculate to establish
such relationship. If young men had
thoughts, tastes and feelings, did they
not think a girl had the sams on her side
Say, a girl married for home and sup
port, and because she needs some one to
| take care of her. because she does not
wish to be burden upon her relations
or friends and wishes to have greater lib
erty in the home Of her husband than
she would under parents or brothers
roof, and also that she may have that
position in society which husband would
confer upon her. She marries because
she thinks il essential to her happiness,
and sometimes because she thinks it the
best offer she has ever had, aud that it
may be the last. A young man may
say, Il don't want any strong minded
monstrosity in my house, want a lite
clinging vine to Irvine itself around me,
delicate little flower to hang over me. /
want beautiful little canary bird to sing
to me-" In the majority of cases women
were just what men made them. Since
with women ambition was one Of the in-
centves to marriage she naturally pre-
pared herself with the qualification of
that end in view. Woman was frequently
deprived of choice. A poor girl will
marry for home; rich girl for the
same sake, in order tbat she may have
and keep up an establishment. But
would such ties satisfy love! Did they
constitute good and sufficient reasons for
the marriage state? Could the depths
of soul and feeling be estimated! Was
she 10 position to ask herself: us this
the man for me?" She (the lecturess)
had in her home young girl, q cook,
sensible and well read girl, better read
and better informed than nine tenths OF
the girls that may be met with IN the
better classes of society; she mended and
patched her clothes, and spe0t portion
of her time over a kitchen range; she
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