, 1877-08-11
The Woman Question.

quite IncOntestahle supremacy over evel
other. even over that one of absorbing inte
est to some at this time. who shall eontr
the distribution of the spoils Of local polite
Nor has it ever been otherwise.
The hteratures of all countries and 4
times testify to the e
TO woman IN the cult
world Alike the glo
of romance, the soul
! srr:rntioE of art, she
ideal IN all the tinerspl
ment.. But all subleI.~
with the advance of thought. The forms {
chivalry have passed away, and the romano
ing spirit is represented by new disciphn
in a period Of absobing practical inquiry
yet woman Is still In the ascendant, thong
she comes before US now in new phase
Having been idolized, sung and iiattere
through all the moodes and lenses OF poeti
feeling, it seems at length her destiny 20 b
soberly considered.
The age is analytic and radical it take
things to pieces and goes down TO their roots
In this temper its attention Is drawn 10 NO
man-to her capacities, duties, and rights
and she thus becomes the subject OF ques
ton. But if woman as theme OF poetr.
has never failed 10 be interesting, rs thesl
of discussion she has a corresponding lmpor
tance The subject as now opened goes Il
the roots of social order, and, IN ITS set
tlement, it carries with 1t the settlement o
a whole range of problems of the deepes
moment to society.
Oar age presents an inquiry more import
ant than that of the rights, education, ant
true position of the female sex Ia discus
sions upon the entrance Of women into the
professions we often find those who would
fam remand the entire sex 10 the sphere q
household drudgery. With these people II
is considered pulte sufficient if a woman car
cook, sew mend, and look after the physical
welfare of her children. With tins senti-
ment we have no sympathy whatever. We
distinctly oppose the doctrine that women
may do all that men may do, but we are very
far from wishing to lower the intellect plane
of either sex, or of prescribing limits to the
culture of any class. We have argued that
nature and our social system both require :
recognition of the differences actually ex-
isting between the two sexes, and that We
cannot wisely or safely disregard the cieal
and distinct lessons they enforce. If, on the
one hand, it IS very foolish and very mis-
chievous 10 assert that women may accept
the same duties and should enjoy the pru
leges that men do, it is on the other hand
wholly stupid and degrading to declare that
women are to find no other place than that
of household drudgeS. What fair and right
minded men ask of women Is that they
should ill place which has certain definite
boundaries, within which, however, are
many large and noble possibilities, place
not less in character and extent than that
enjoyed by the other sex, although IN some
particulars differing from it.
Ii wonld be great thing for the happiness
of mankind If women could til adequately
that necessary complement to the other sex
by which its deficient conditions would be
supplied-giving to the intercourse OF two
opposites the fulness of one complete exis-
tence; contrasting against the struggle and
warfare of man the repOSe and medItatlYe
calm of women, against the harsh and rugged
aspects of competitive employment the rpe
culture and eSthetic taste of an imagination
permitted to expand IN an atmosphere hoUs-
ed in from care and struggle.
One may sometimes indulge IN ideal PIC
lures of life 4; and our ideal of men and wo-
men in their associated lives depicts the wo-
man full of large and serene sympathy, capa-
BE of thinking upon all subjects of human
concern. bat as specially kindlmg IN the
members of the household an appreciation OF
the beautiful in all It's many forms OF art,
music, poetry, and conduct. Why, when
so MANY different things are to be done IN
the world, is it that woman INSIST Hpon do
ing those that the masculine sex can do much
better. and avoiding those more admirable
things which women alone can do well! Ii
our strong-minded pleaders could fully I'M
derstand how complete and perfect their
happiness might be on the esthetic and I'M
aginative side of life, they would scarcely
seek to mingle in the harsh competitions oi
the world which they cannot touch without
losing those characteristics which ali ages
and all people have united IN desiring Tor
substituting acuteness Tor
meditation, sharpness for sOftnesS, contention
sor calm. noise and hustle for taste and sym
pathy. warfare for peace. A world m which
all the women simply copied and echoed all
the men, in which a nan found IN the Whe
of his bosom a rival in hiS profession, where
the contest and struggle of lives were repeat
ed al the hearth-stone, would prove dread
ful WEAKNESS to the body and the spirit
Millennium does not lie in that direction.
The advocates of that theory ought to try
and understand a few elementary principles
TO realize that everything under heaven IS
A law to itself. and that nothing whatsoever
can successfully fill the place or hye the lie
of any other distinct thing. The felicity ef
human association depends upon the accept
ance of Just this principle-of preceivinG the
relation of parts, the division OF duties and
privileges, and upon recognizing that the
Perfection of the whole is attainable only by
the due subordination of the several frac-
tons.