Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-08
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1872.
wonanss Fame.

There is evidently at the present Pc
Rod, an effort on the part of some wo-
men to gain notoriety. While we adj
vocate and believe in the enfranchise-
ment, education, elevation and suffrage
for woman, we are opposed to the pre-
vailing desire for fame, no matter
how and from what source 1t comes.
Woman was made for duty not for
fame. So soon as she forgets this
great law of her being, which consigns
her to heroism, If she will-but great,
unobtrusive heroism-she throws herself
from her position, and thus of necessity
degrades herself. This mistaken grasp
ing at the notoriety belonging by nature
to man, is the root of all her debase-
ment
Look at the ball room belle, for in
stance. Why Is she flirt, a coquette, a
heartless trifer with hearts ? Not be-
cause there is harm in the ball room en-
joyment of youth, in joy awaking mu-
sic or the spirit rousing dance: but be-
cause she would be talked Of and for
gets duty, conscience and heart in the
love of notoriety. Why does the moth
forget the sick child in its cradle to lis
ten to the whispered inanities of those
bewhiskered tops who surround her ?
Why is it, but because she cannot resign
to duty that petty fame to which she
degrades herself? Why does the gray
and wrinkled matron, whom nature and
duty would keep at her fireside corner to
wake the young hearts around her to
the love of God, nature and virtue, rush
out with her be-rouged cheek and stained
locks, to try and play the belle a little
longerS Still she grasps at her shame.
1t Is her ambition that disgrades her
Why does the literary lady, too, of
ten leave her cares to hireling? her
sick and her poor to chance charity ?
What is it that stocks the world with
George Sands and Lady Bulwers? Is it
not the same hungering love for notori-
ety-.the same misdirected ambition ;
misdirected, still in another track
There IL nothing unwomanish in the full |
est exercise by woman of the thought |
and mind, by pen and from the plat
form which God has given for use.
Woman has ever had unbalanced and un- |
checked the fullest liberty in the Ecker
else of her literary powers in every line,
and she has, equal with man, this thea
ter of effort open to her. Woman has
written, published, and done good by so
expounding the bright developments of
thought. But so soon as woman strives
with mans ambition so soop as she for
gets the ruling thoughts of duty, letting
its throne be usurped by the illegitimate !
hungering for fame and notoriety which /
50 fatally mialeads her, her writings and
her life become corrupted in the strug-
gle. She has resigned herself to de-
ceptiye guide, which never fails to plunge
her into degradation.
Man, like woman, may and does fall, |
through similar causes, to similar degre-
dation. But as the wOman's fall is from
q higher and purer elevation, even so she
grovels lower in her debasement, and
closer and heavier clings to her its con-
sequcnt faint. Because woman has sin
nsd, we behold her punishment. De
graded they are even in that proportion
wherein they have erred. The ballroom
coqucttc, in the midst of her triumph,
Il degraded in her heart andi her being.
The brilliant woman George Sand; bold
in her impudence and her talent, is de
graded to the dust before the blushing
mother, who watches that her innocent
child shall not lay its hands upon the
foul productions wherein Frances bril-
liant novelist often completes in obsCen-
ity with the nauseous filth spewed forth
by her compatriots, a Sue and a Dumas,
upon a COmmuClity sufficiently degraded
to admire them. In a steady pursuit of
duty, such names would be perhaps en-
tirely unknown, But dares any one to
say that they are the better for being
thus known: or is there anything but
sickly apostle for notoriety which
could make such position to be coyct-
ed by refined lady of any age in the
worlds history. Is a Ninon dc Enclos
or a George Sand, Gndisputably cele-
brated women, all Of them so good, 50
pure, or so noble in the eye of God or
the world as the woman and mother
who whispers to her children her never
to be forgotten lessons of truth and
duty? Brilliant fallen ones the earth
has seen; but the world turns from them
In sorrow. Il glorita not. hui weeps for
the fallen.
We cannot better give expression to
our adherence of women fame-hunters
and conclude this article than by giving
Thackeray's picture of true woman
and lady. He says
II do not mean to tell you there are
no women in the world, vulgar and i'll
humored, ranCOrOus and narrow minded,
mean sChemers, son-in-law hunters, no
toriety seekers, slaves of passion, hypO-
critics; but do respect and admire, and
almost worship, good women, and |
think there is very fair number of
such TO be found in this world, and |
have no doubt, in every educated Eng
lishman's circle of society, whether he
finds that circle in places in Belgravia
and Mary Fair, in snug little sunbeam
villas, in ancient, comfortable old
Bloomsbury, or in back parlors behind +
the shop. 1t has been my fortune to ,
meet with excellent ladies in every one
of these places-wiyes graceful, affec-
Tomato, matronst tender and good, daugh- :
tiers happy and pure-minded, and l urge
the society of such to you, because
defy you to think evil in their company
Walk into the drawing-room of Lady O.,
that great lady,-look at her charming
face and listen to her voice. She is one &
of those fortunate beings on whom it {
has pleased heaven to bestow all sorts of
most precious gifts and worldly fayors. /
With what a grace she receives you. 5
with what a frank kindness and natural &
dignity. Her looks, her motions, her
fhnMnhts all snn1n IA he f,,l n,,d ! :.