New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-22
Sly SPINSTER AUTHORS or AMERICA.

BITS or GOSSIP ABOUT HALF-FoRGOTTEN WRITERS
BY MISS KATE sANBoRN.
Miss Kate Sanborn's lecture yesterday morn
ing on SIX spinster Authors Of America" attracted
enough ladies to Dr. Crosbys Church TO MI the parlors
to OVERLOOKING The matter OF the lecture consisted
mainly OF Information not generally known, and
abOunded IN sprghtly comment aId quiet humor.
Ihavc a solemn subject this morning. said Miss SAM
born, and it might he asked, why say six spinster
authors aud ysix for there certainly that
number OF unmarried authors among our literary
womeni l have adopted the word sp.nster because
old maid although not term OF obiOquy nowadays.
has st q suggestion OF the supply exceeding the de-
mand. Thing Of my daring 10 speak OF Gail Hamilton
"a an old maid"
begin with Hannah Adams. the pioneer among 1T
erary women Of America when she published her
1" View of All Religions" she was looked upon as one
OF the wonders OF the Western World. Hannah not
lively creature. Nothing short Of downright romancng
could bring sparkle OF sentiment into any sketch OF
this good saint She was known in Boston the Orgi-
nator Of the phrase Big trunk little trunk bandboH
and bundle" and she the rrst person buried at
Mount Auburn fear that these two facts will keep
her from oblivion longer than any OF her volumes
She studied Latin and Greek and having her curiosity
awakened by reading a manuscript account OF Arnin-
ans, Calvinists and other denominations, she read
everything could get the subject Becoming dis
gused the Of candor in these authors. she
resolved 10 write book on the different denominations.
She next wrote the first complete history Of NewEng-
land. Then came q History OF the Jews some con-
sidcred her walking dictionary Of religious opin
Others viewed her merely as an an aDrIdgment Ok
the history OF New-Engand
Mis-. edgwicE followed Hannah Adams. with her eharn-
Ing pictures OF New England Life, Rrdwood." Clar
ence" Hope Leslie" " The Griswold" etc. Ateeven.
she passed first Winter in NewIOrk, taxing dancing
lessons. aferward wrote: When think that there
was but accepted French dancing master In New
York where now there nearly million Inhabitants,
feel "a II had been on the earth as long a. hashng-
4. DoFr vn,d ta wa pkett England
aud Irving Miss Sedgwick could make CAKE as well as
books, and said Cooking Is the only accomplish
mont Of which am vain. .
But for books on cookery we turn 10 spnster No 8;
Mss Eliza Leslie sue was born IN l..' aud was si,i
with an extraordinary memory. After scHbbnng much
verse, 1927 she published seyeDty-hYe receipts lor
n ocsfy capital alker iul of ancciote aud
ton. On the subject OF WOnens rights sne wrote
4" Men make fortunes, women make Hyiugs. Ana nono
make poorer livings than those who waste their time
and bore their friends by writing and occurring on the
equality OF the sexes and what they eau omen rights,
The truth is the female inferior To the male IN
vgor mind in strength Of body, and all arguments
the contrary are founded on cw aHomal c7 or 0ed
on theories that be reduced 10 PRACTICE You
see she settles the vexed question without leaving any
III strange contrast with the webalanced Miss Leslie
poor Della Bacon whose head was ar rom leVei
on two theInes-a fascinating HNh.y stsu.nt I to
shaFcs pearr. Considering the disparity Of years be,
Mss Bacon aud the theological there was ueai
Of foolish phlandering The matter became so serious
that there was a formal tral before some N"W-liaVen
cerGymeu Miss Bacon gave historical lectures 10 B0s-
ton aud was much admired As the originator OF tue
SBakespearc-Bacon CONTROVERSY, Sue VIII be long re-
membercd Feeling sure that the unth ABOUT me hu-
thOrship the plays told IN mauuscpt buried IN
shakes tomb, she started FOR STAFFORD. poor,
solitary and mOnOmanlac. Her book on the subject
fell with dead thump AT the feet OF the public.
NY panorama ~ old maids now brings IN view Han
nah f. Could, Of Newburyp0rt very pleasant versi-
h-r Her poems appeared IN the ANNALS formerly so
popular nj in the magazines. let rhymes are always
pleasing, without any signs OF genus. / have been
asked Why did yOn take up such stupid -uhJect as
SIX oil maids 2" shall own motive Well, really,
rs unit the struggling, superb IOus mass 81 slngle
women. and a humble hangcTOu 10 the ranks 0f scrib-
bling spnstcrs, nave sufficient esprit ne cOTS 10 want
to make the OF bad thing AMI do honor To our
sisterhOod the Old Girls Guild, following tie PARTING
advice OF shreWd DOwlE ~ Yankee 10 his hopeful son,
lust setting his career ptddlcr oi clans:
- Drive slow, Josiah. Mind your eye. Don't let em
cheat We, but blow your own norm II you done sell
cam"
Father Prout" will be the subject OF next Fridays
L stra