New-York tribune., 1881-03-27
KN0WLNG QUE BOUNDS.


occupation. They always write to know the
highest income possible in each OF them, and
the best WAYS OF place in which to make the
ATTEMPT. But most of all they are urgent in
stating their own necessities. The stories are
usually pitiful enough They have themselves
or helpless children or parents or usband to
support they are willing to go to work at any
honest business which will bring them IN
money. But there is one singular omission IN
the letters which explains why these, and so
many other women, have failed in the attempt
TO snpport themselves. They do not state, and,
il would seem, never have inquired OF them
selves, what business they are fitted tor. Ap-
parently they think they are fit for any. man
in going about Job of work looks TO see il his
toOls and material are suited to that work. lie
does not try to make fine bit of jewelry with
an axe, nor cut down tree with turning
lathe. But in this, the biggest job OF work
which can fail to the lot of any human being,
the occupation by which to earn livelihood,
men, as we'll as women, seldom look to their
tools. They do not examine their own brains
phvsical skill or disposition, to find out what
they really can do. 4 woman discovers one
day with q shock that she must buy her own
food and clothes, and straiRhtway goes 10 work
writing verses or working table-cOgers, not
because she has any peculiar fitness for poetry
or crewels, but because they are popular and
genteel ways of earning money.
The way before woman who wants to earn
money reputably IN this country is full OF diff
Guilty; their letters and every newspaper we
open are full of hints of their terrible anxiety
and almost despair One word of advice we
,cb,r ,r-in fhat, fra
step at least successful; II is to study their
limitations. Find out the bounds which nature
has laid down and keep inside of them. That
woman sees her hungry children about her, aud
ia educated and thoughtful, is not enough TO
make her popular writer. The very realities
of life which she has had to face, grim and sad;
the hard, monotonous line of reflection in which
her brain has moved so heavily and long, may
have gone far to destroy the light thoughts, the
foolish, airy fancies which publishers and public
want and will pay for She reads stories which
she Justly calls trashy Ia the magazines with
famous names attached. and hopefully sends
her own Ms; "she has more sense than is
shown, there" But the MS. comes back with
thanks. The fact is she probably has too much
practical sense to write stories at ALL She has
precisely the energy, shrewdness and tact which
would enable her TO succeed as the keeper of a
dry-gO0ds or gIocer's shop; in France she
would go directly to such work. But here she
makes sad messes with heroes and villains and
odes to spring, and besieges wretched pub
fishers with them. Unfortunately, too, the
occupations which women usually attempt ale
those which require specific and rare qualifca-
tions-creative power, imagination, capacity
for prolonged and unhagging work. the artistic
eve. Not one woman or man in thousand pos
sesses these and not one man III a thousand
tries to earn his living by them. Men go into
trade-they raise wheat, flowers, pigs, poultry,
they hang paper, run laundIes, control manu-
factories of candy, bonnets, all kinds of wO-
mems gear In many caHes they are doing work,
and growing rich at it, which women could do
lust as well. Whose fault is that7 The public
would be quite as well satisfied TO pay women
| for the same service if the women would under
take it. But they will DO nothing except at
tempt to embroider, paint, lecture and write for
| the magazines. Efleminate men carry on the
retail trade and Cinnamon the laundries; they
at least know their limitations and keep within
them women do not. There is the key to the
whole difficulty. Now let any woman who
wishes to support herself, who reads this,
decide dispassiOnately what kind Of work she
| could do best, il she were a man, and then 90
at it, regardless Of what the world says. The
world will not trouble itself about her. 1t does
not care jot whether Polly or Peter writes its
books or weighs its sugar, provided book and
sugar are genuine.
| There are o good many other folk besides
| poor struggling wCmen who would do we'll to
examine the work they have taken up and SEQ
if it is within the inexOrable bounds which
nature has laid for them in their intellects and
| temperament. Men with the purest motives
and highest aims set about accomplishing a
reform or controlling a body of other men, or
they write, OF preach, OF practice, and break
down in the prime OF life with paralysis or soft
ening of the brain, or some other nerve disease,
simply because they did not examine mt first the
tools with which they had to work. Other men,
under the influence Of a passing passion or
freak, marry, when they have not single
quality which fits them to he husbands or
| fathers. The result is miserable homes aud
vicious, neglected children. There are others
who have chosen to be artists or lawyers when
| nature meant them for mechanics, or mechanics
| when they should have starved during their
youth to gain the education which nature de-
| manded There are on every hand good, high
purpOsed men preaching to the world In the
press, the pulpit and In society, when they have
neither the force the tact or the feeling to reach
another soul. In short, there H hardly roof
| in the world that does not cover the honest,
Well.intentioDed man who makes fool OK him