National Republican., 1878-04-29
Blue-StOckings.

II has long been habit with nippaut talk
crs and writers TO slur at the home qualities Of
! literary women and speak Of them as poor
housckeepers and neglcctful wives and mothers.
| Everybody has seen tho graphic picture In an
old magazine of the literary woman" seated
at n table, in her night-robes pen In hand,
having just jumped ont of bed at midnight to
note down a brilliant thought, while her hus-
| band sits upright in the deserted couch, hush
ing the baby in his arms The picture Is still
greeted with immense applause aud everybody
regards 1t as a good hit at tho eccentric aud
untidy class it is intended to quiz. In the days
of our grandmothers the term blue stocking"
was Synonymous with "slattcrn," and though
much of the ill-fayOr with which excessively
learned women were formerly regarded has
been tempered down TO honest respect and
cOmmcndation, sufficient prejudice still fingers
in the minds of tho unappreciatiye to make
| them unable TO perceive that tho weaker
sex eau participate in any of tho
privileges or pursuits Of the stronger
without neglecting something which mora
properly belongs to their own sphere.
Far be 1t from us to assert that women ever
can be men that the powers, the pursuits or
achievements of tho former can ever, by any
mode Of training or freedom of physical or in
tolloctual dovelopement, be made to keep pace
with the latter. We have an invincible faith
| that God made man of rOughcr and stronger
material than that which He used for the other
| half of creation, and We have always folt ex-
tremcly well cOntcnted thar 1t should DO 80,
since He Herewith showed him into the breach
to take all the hard blows of life aud shoulder
the heavy responsibilities. But we do believe
that in carrying their efforts into any path Of
intellectual culturc-in pressing forward with
all their might aud main to the same literary,
scientific, or artistic goals which men havo
reached with so much honor to themselves aud
alvanake to their kiud-wOmen instead OF
oversteppng tho limits properly belonging to
their sex, ARE fulfilling an imperative duty.
The may not, and probably never will, be NJ
great scientists, sculpt0rs painters, or even
poets as their masculine cOlabOrcIs but there
Is sufficient room behind these for a vast
amount OF what is beautiful, grand, and use
lIl.
In thus advancng-a little In tho rear, il
may DO, but step by stop-wth him who was
intended to be her guide, her protector, Ooun-
selOr, how woman units herself for tho office
of u hOusckCcper, we confess We are at loss 10
know. To be o scientist, poet, u painter, and
to bs tins alone. Is for Il woman 10 loso all the
advantages and triumphs that fall to her own
sox, without gaining any of those which sr-
clusvcly belong To men. Yet while retaining
all the distinctive loyeliness, softness, and
delicscy which characterize her proper physi-
cal and mental sphere, she can lose nothing,
certainly, by possessing oil the wisdom Of
llypats, OF the talout OF Sappho As for tho
current assertion or supposi tiOu that literary
women are, as 4 class, untdy or remiss In theiv
domestic duties, We think We are not unjust 70
former generations when We say that the i'm
pre-sions were formed in the days of yOrs.
when sort of literary afectation was in
vogue aud when 1t was considered admirable
for person having u little talent to DO occen-
tric in manners aud odd and even careless in
dress, We claim that the literary women Of
tho present day are not only good house
keepers, but up to the times in ull that relates
to social comfort aud proper and natty dress
ing,