Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-07-28
WOMAN'S ABILITY.

Inc arguments OF Many writers on the
subject DisprOyed by Facts.
1t has not been so very long since a
woman, who had gained some influence
in the world of letters, sent out the
rather startling and altogether de-
pressing declaration that women pos
sessed no business qualifications, that
they can not be expected to either man
age affairs of finance or make any but
sorry clerks. Yet every village could
produce its widow errning better liv-
ing for herself and little ones than
many a man was doing and the wife
who had supported an idle and disso-
lutte husband. Women have amassed
fortunes. One has been made president
of a railroad, and another, because she
managed her own SO well, chosen to
oversee the vested landed interests of
others We remember the wonderful
Bon Marche of Paris, and its head, Mad
anne Boucicant: and the extensive pub
fishing interests under the supervision
of Mrs Frank Leslie, and know that
each of the instances given is not an
exception, but the representative of a
class.
plying, and business companies with
the prefix, "Woman's," seem to be an
order of the day As to their value as
employees perhaps their knowledge of
their increasing presence in the treas
ury and other departments at Washing
ton, and their appreciated services in
the tabulation of the late census, may
be taken as sufficient truth of trust
worthiness and accuracy
And now a writer woman, too,
strangely enough, treats in a recent
Critic of the Absence of the Creative
Faculty of Women" mo woman" she
says. has ever done anything in the
intellectual world which has had the
germ of immortality" And there are
given as proofs the facts that only
about forty lines remain to us of the
work of Sappho, and that the writings
of Jane Austen are not universally APP
preciated.
But amount does not make quality,
nor does either the fame or immortality
of any writer depend on the extent of
his writings Pindar was the only
Greek lyric poet worthy to be compared
to Sappho, and his more numerous
pieces are neither more read nor ad-
mired than the one complete poem and
the various fragments of the latter.
She gave name to a stanza-the Sap
phic-which may hast as long as does
literature. And the surviving poem is
characterized by an eminent authority
or the classics. as, 1.-The one precious
whole production spared to us by time
and chance from the genius of Sappho."
The same writer expresses the belief
that the loss of her poems is probably
the greatest loss that the literature of
mankind ever suffered.
From Sappho-living $500 years ago,
and holding her place with the few
Greek poets we are pleased to call inn
mortal-we turn to Jane Austen and
wonder if. because her productions are
not commonly known and delighted in,
she had no genius If this were true.
but few who are called great are really
so. because the masses know or e1se care
nothing about their writings. Again,
if this test is certain there is no book
better able to endure it than one writ
ten by women-"U ncle Toms Cabin.
Quite as many persons know about
the Mrs. Poyser who always kept her
clock little fast that she might keep
her work along. and get to church in
time. as any character of Thackeray's.
:, The Waverly novels Of Scott are as
whole named the peerless in historical
fiction; yet George Eliot's "Romola"
is one Of the three considered equal to
the best of them.
Robert Browning will scarcely be de-
MED the place of a master, yet poems
of Mrs. Browning are as worthy as any
Of his. and he has less power to make
himself universally understood, which
our critic of tie Critic chooses to de-
nominate the mark of genius.
VIII it be that other hymns shall live,
and Just as l am without one plea"
by Charlotte Elliott, Nearer, my God
10 Thee" by Mrs. Adams, and Phoebe