Warren sheaf., 1881-07-06

ems, compared the place Of Assembly with the
theater OF Dionysius, talked over the frescOes
in the market-place and 81 the Propylga, and
forgot the glare and dust outside .8s
The .bsence Of women ftom n social neet-
ings didnot, on my arrival at atAthens..at once
strike me as strange I suppose this Was be-
cause was fresh from university life Twas
s0much used to meeting men only down the
>riverand atthe racket courts, at the Union, and
at wine and supper parties, that did not miss
which did find myself was, in its freedom, in
Its true liberty, equality and fraternity, so won
derfully like that l had just left But noticed
the blank more and more as the DAYS went on,
and then began to estimate the effect on social
life OF excluding the women. It was plainly
absence of that tenderness which produces
pity and sympathy with weakness, and restraints
men from selfshness and cruelty There was
not much respect shown to age in Athens Pow
erty provoked rather than disarmed ridicule.
Tales of cruelty might arouse dangerous bit
terness, especially if it affected At6enian citi-
zens, but the cruelty did not in itself excite
abhorrence man who was hard and brutal
toward his slaves was called stern master. but
no one demonstrated. Intellectual refinement
was certainly priced highly enough, and the
civic virtues were actually worshipped, but,
to my thinking, Greek civilization was still in
complete, through lack Of sensitiveness to one
side of morality which could not help believ-.
ing the influence of women in daily life would
have helped to develop I found many thought
full Greeks holding the same opinion ,,is,s.g
After oil, could not see that the stoutest ad-
vocate for the emancipation of women gave
them half an inch moro freedom than his
neighbor. He might believe in the ability and
intelligence of women; he might provo iconclu-
sively to others that women once held higher
position in Attic society, and had a real influ-
ence upon daily life He might go further, and,
speculating on the cause of this, convince him.
self that, in the absorbing pursuit of political
interests, his fellow citizens were growing self
lsh and despOtic, contemptuOus towards all
force that was not keen and practical; but all
the same he was despot in his house and self,
ish in his pleasures It may have been he
lacked the courage to face torrent of ridicule;
but it may have been also that he doubted in
his secret mind whether society, as he knew it.
WAS quite ready for his wife, ~
! fancied that my host was one who thought
thus He was too kindly man to be tyrant
anywhere; and I recollect that in my hearing
he once compared the rule of husband over
his wife to that of constitutional ruler over
free citizens and his equals. Also, as we be-
came more intimate, I found that he loved fam
lly life: still he jealously guarded it from pub
lie view. Whenhe entertained his friends at
dinner his wife did not appear, but when. we
were alone she generally breakfasted with us,
2reclined; and not unfreQuently she dined with
us. She was very gentle and simple minded,
but in no respect shy or awkward, but on the
contrary, self-possessed and rather stately. He
treated her with kindliness tapd courtesy, told
her the news, with little reservation where
necessary, and she took her part very easily and
naturally in conversation. I do not think her
life was dull It is true that so far as my OBJ
servation went, she never, while in Athens,
went out unless to attend religious festivals,
professions and sacrifices, but they had q house
in the country where they spent part of the
year. There she enjoyed more liberty, and
probably she no more wished to frequent the
Agora or the Gymnasia than our ladies wish to
go on Change, or have the entree of our clubs