The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-05-28
New Orleans, March 18th.
JsThe New Woman" and "Ehe MAN Oh


the Mon' emf.''
he May number of The North Ameri-
view app2r two splendid articles
Wish every woman and man III the
Id 1aad. They written by those
hIee women, ''Ouida" and. Sarah
E'Ouid4' deals with '"1he New
+" while sarah Crane" the author
Heavenly Twins gives us her
i "The Man of the Moment" 1t
; to the interest of he reader that these
> two articles should appear SlQe py sue Ill
the same magazine.
Ouida starts out by describing q picture
that is before her of d woman S meeting,
where a woman is demanding the right, IN
the name of her sex, to Volt at a pohticai
election. The speaker IS represented as
middle-aged ana plain Of feature; her dress
and gestures are ridiculed a1d the question
is then asked by the writer. why cannot
this orator learn to gesticulate ard learn TO
Dress instead of clamoring for q iran
chise?" She says: Nv oman, whether new
or old. has immense fields of culture I'M
titled immense areas of influence wholly
rejected. She does almost nothing with the
resources she possesses, because her whole
energy is concentrated on desiring and de-
nanding those she has not. She can write
and print anything she chooses, and she
scarcely ever takes the pains to acquire cor
rect grammar CT Elegance OF style before
wasting ink and paper. Her influence on
children might be SO great that through
them she would practically rule the future
of the world; but she delegates her influence
to the vile school boards if she be poor,
and If she be rich to governesses and tu-
tors: nor does she in ninety-nine cases out
of a hundred ever attempt to educate or
control herself into fitness for the personal
exercise Of such influences"
The writer then touches upon the i'm
mense field which lies open 10 women in
their private lie, which is left entirely
uncuItivated and her desire to be admitted
into public life absorbs ali others. That in
her public life she would eXagserate the
failings Of men and would fail to have
their few good qualities, and she claims
there would be little hope from her humani-
ty, and nothing from her liberality, that
when a woman is frightened she is more
ferocious than a man, and when invested
with power more merciless. She does not
even approve Of college education
for women, claiming it is injurious and erro-
neous. THAT it fits men for contact with
the roughness OF the world, but for women
il is only hardening and deforming. She
cites the author OF Aurora Leigh" who
was not only always at home but was an
invalid, yet she became a fine classic and
found her path to fame, and thinks college
curriculum could not have improved her
rich and beautiful mind, but might have
done much to debase it.
Ouida ignores the idea of woman always
being the victim Of men. and that in nine
cases out OF ten the first to corrupt the
youth is the woman, and nine cases out of
ten a woman becomes corrupt because she
likes it. Love of drink and finery ana dis
like to work is the origin and motive of
much vice. She deals many hard Hcks to
loveless marriages OF convenience, and
claims they are generally brought about by
women and not by men; that in almost
every instance the woman or girl is urged
to it by mother, sister or acQuaintances;
that you rarely hear of the father helping
to bring about such marriage.
Most especially does she condemn the
loose style OF conversation used by some
women before young girls, the low jest or
alusion that sullies her mind and makes
her inquisitive. Modesty is the most eXqus-
tie grace a woman possesses nd without