New-York tribune., 1873-07-25
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
OPTION ON FEMALE EDUCATION.

regard to the collegiate educ9tlon ol W"ni0"'
has been his purpose to throw light on the IleInouS
by which this demand of the age may be most eneC'
nallv met OF the experiments now in process the
most imnortant are university examinations the lee
ture system. mixed colleges and colleges for women
The FIRST 6 these is inadequate as it does not fur
nish the means of education. 1t is no doubt great
step in advance for prominent university to offer
examination TO female candidates for a certifi-
cate But without other resources II can accom-
plish no available object. The lecturc-schemcs,
which have a certain popularity in England, are
merely make-shifts. While they permit women 10
listen to profound lectures, they furnish no adequate
means Of instruction. However much apparent
good they do in inducing girls to study writes an
intelligent lady of Edinburgh 81 feel that 'hey
must aggravate the faults of superfciahty' Wan1 VI
method, and want of the power OF conceh'i"'loH
The Oberlin plan represents the tIlai OF one p'so
the mixed theory and has proved tuat te '"C -
may no educated at the same institution without
any injury to discipline or prophecy pu' d" -
rate ladies, course is provided IL does not eSp'sH
the feasibility of educating the sexes on common
s,ster, The mixed plan is of course economical
r. 1 ,,,, lion still remains whether il can secure
Iib,roI academic education TO women as ohectdahy
a. se,arote COLLEGES The Vassar institution mas
tried the experiment of an exclusively female col
Ioo for cht Years and thus far has met with very
decided success.
Rpt in preparing the present work, Professor
Orion has not attempted 70 urge the merits OF one
system at the expense Of another He exhibits an
exemplary caudor and impartiality in the selection
of ms materials His pages afford an equal chahce
TO every method. He desires to bring the subject
fairly before the public, and to awaken deeper
sense Of its vast importance. He justly CONSIDERS
the complete and generous education OF woman
as one Of the vital questions of the day. Ihe time
is past when "our Crandmothers were content to st
at home all day, doing prodeies Of ncedleWoIk' OF
laying up stores Of preserved fruit
The historical sketch from the British Quarterly
Review" with which the volume opens, aboundS
with interesting details. Considering the source
from which it comes the fine tribute to Mary Wolf
stonecraft is truly remarkable Her work on the
Rights of Woman which appeared toward the
close Of the last century, is said to have created
panic almost equal to that called forth by the Wild
est dreams of the French JacObins. On looking at
these portentous volumes, the writer expresses
feeling Of profound surprise. They contain so much
that is agreed to by everybody at the present day.
and are adorned with so many passages of splendid
sloquence that is difficult to account for the hos
tility with which they were at first received 1t
be explained only by the low state of female ed
ucation at that day. Women were scarcely per
tudes OF Miss BuIneys novels, OF the smooth alb
smdites of the Rosa Matilda TOmances. THE
Rights of Woman" was found to be a pIO-
auction of quite different stamp 1t contained no
iadylike essays on tea-table matters, no timld
remonstrance with the gentlemen on their lack Of
pOlitencsS 10 unprotected females, but fierce and
passionate onslaught on the time-hallowed doctrine
Of the inleriority Of women. The work was an out
pouring of deep and inyineible feeling 1t uttered
the wall Of an earnest spirit over wrongs which il
had no power to redress. 1t was an Exceeding
great and bitter cry from the very soul of a gifted
woman for share IN the intellectual heritage Of her
more favored brethren, which her sex had implored
in vain for ages But she had fallen evil tongues
and evil days" The savage invective which pur-
sued her was astounding. The very title Of her
book became a proyeTb Of scoTn. Doubtless the
work had faults. Its tone was irTeyerent and
ext1ayaga1t A refined, womanly tact would
have lot much in it unsaid But
from the immoral tendency with which it
has been charged, the British Quarterly" pro-
nounces it emplaticaly free. There is not one i'm
moral teaching the writer affirms, from the first
page to the last. He also directs attention to its
high literary character, and praises its clear and.
forcbe style. There is not word misplaced, nor a
word too much The precision with which she mar
shIs her arguments is no less remarkable than the
eloquence with which she asserts the claims Of
womanhood. Her name must ever stand foremost
among the advocates of the cause for which she
braved such cruel scon and sank beneath the spear
points which she buried in her bosom. She died be-
fore the torrent of fierce abuse was spent. No sec
Ond asserter Of theTght ofwomen to education arose
as stern and eloquent as herself
Hannah More made a feeble protest in behalf Of
female education, timdly urging that at the great
feast of knowledge women should be permitted to
pick up a few of the crumbs. more vigorous ap-
peal was soon after made in the Edinburgh Review
by Sydney Smith. He threw down the gauntlet
with almost fierce aUdacity, asserting for woman a
perfect equality in mental endowment. Just sixty
years after the great humOrist had demanded more
complete education and higher sphere for woman,
the demand was repeated by John Stuart Mill
whose grave sincerity of appeal eXerted
powerful influence public opinion, especially
among the more cultivated and thinking
classes The completion Of the English "Woman's
College" suggests 10 the writer some sound retiec-
tions in regard to the capacity Of women for intel
lectual Improvement The strength required for
great mental exertion. he thinks. Will be found to
consist in power of passive kind, power of endu-
rance, power of sustained attention. and such kind
of power women display TO a remarkable degree.
They will not be injured by hard study, when
the study itself is delight 1t is the
pursuit followed without interest that weighs down
the most elastic mind. This is the hard work that
frets and Injuries the fine texture of the BRAIN" and
not the earnest devotion to study which engages
all the energies of the SOUL
There are several other papers in this volume that
will reward an attentive perusal. The essay of
President Raymond on the Liberal Education of
Woman" handles the subject in a broad and tenn
perate spirit. and with great discrimination and
good sense. The Co-educstion of Women " is ably
treated and almost in an exhaustive manner, in a
series Of articles by Professor Bascom, President
rlya Eoob bnf4