The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-09

The publication of no autobiography
within the present century has been
hsraldod with more keen delight than the
two charming volumes by Frances Power
Cobbe. Miss Cobbs has been, as a pioneer,
telling of existing wrongs In woman's
sphere, in the animal kingdom and among
charitable institutions, and preparing the
way for intelligent and sympathetic
women 10 follow in the paths she has
alone with the struggle for the suffrage
and the anti.vivisection cause. but glance
through this interesting work will show
that Miss Cobbe has been alive to all pro-
gressive movements OF our times, which
she has fought for with her rare womanly
courage. and helped with her CHEEKY sym
pathetic personality.
Born at Newbridge, Ireland. OF wsll-to-
do evangelical parents. she passed her
childhood in ali the freedom OF an out-of-
door life and laid the foundation of an I'M
usually rugged constitution. At an early
age she learned to love souihsy. Coleridgs
and Scott. and was lifted oy governesses
for the high school. "Here. " she remarks,
everything was taught Ia the inverse
ratio Of It's Importance. Al the bottom of
the scale were morals and religion, and at
the top music and dancing j think, 1" she
writes in recalling those early days, there
Is great, and IL must be said lamsntabls,
difference between the genuine passion for
study such as many msn and women in my
time and before it experienced. and the
hurried. anxious gobbling up OF knowledge
which has been introduced by competitive
examinations, and the eternal necessity
for getting something else beside knowl.
edge; something to be represented by N.
A. or II. 8. or, perhaps Asa.
After leaving school she studied Greek
and geometry and READ the classical
poems Of 81 languages. either in the orig
inal or TRANSLATION.
Her parents were thodox, purs and
simple, 20 them there was no doubt that
he who did not accept every word OF the
Bible IS Gods truth should merit no hope
Of Heaven. Miss Cohbs soon began 20
question: the tsnsts Of her faith, they
crumhlsd one by one. and sas became /.
,hssat. whose Ehsrsiity was beyond her
| fathers tolerance, TO him religion was .
| strles matter Of duty rather than one OF
| reason and love
| Her powerful essay on the Theory Of
laxative Morals" reveals the infusnos
that kaat's Metaphysics Of Ethics" pro-
duesd upon her st this time. After travel
ing through Italy and the Holy Land she
| returned 70 England 60 work with Miss
| Carpenter at Bgistol IN shs workhouses
and hospitals. where hundreds OF sick and
distressed we're eomforted by the wisdom
| Of her friendly visiting. Easy chairs and
| kAmmoeks we're substituted for uncush-
| toasd benches and toys given TO snnoth.
cred children, ara bright pictures wsrs
hung npon the walls. she writes, sons
poor seal who had been lying opposite /.
| hare vail for twsztv years. when I iaga
| enc OF tAe eolore1 enEravtnrs On her bed
| actually kissed ;As face Of the little ehHa
| sa shs picture and burst iaso tears" Her
| posisfon on lsAdiag journal opened her
| eyes 10 many wrongs sad gaiekaned her
| desire 60 secure ihs passage Of an anti.
vivisecttoH bill
Ia splss pat forward as the tine Of The
| organization cs the Aass- yivisectloa soei-
l ety, she writes
I'VE ssaaa face 20 face with rev vice
Rev a. least IN sEs vast modern develop
/ meat ard tas psssloa wAsTaw5th il :. par
sle2--she vice Of scientific e-nelty. Ii IL
/ not tie cid vssse Of cruelty for erEssKy's
/ s2se. IL L. net the careless eratsiEsv Of
/ the hAlf-ssv4xe. drunken dTever. the los
Eafnza she skans living Gaia Ter gals, or
sac slssale kerssa OF raatss. epartasdk