New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-05
THE ETOLUTfON or THE "NEU UOM1N."

TIE EUOLUTTON or THE "NEU UoMdN'
Had Miss Emily Faithful died twenty-five
ve,rs ago the event would have attrac'u III
moro attention than 1t will to-day. Ihls Is ho'
bcc,usc the latter years Of her life have Deeh
lo,s usoful 10 tho world, but because the WORK
which she set out to do was so completely sue
ccssful that It obscurcd her personality. This IS
, f,to that often oyertakcs rcformcrS VINO nap
non TO live IN the overlapping period between
two er,s. So quickly does the world appropri-
o,. tho now IDEAS which they preach that the
need Of their propa gandism ceases. Ana uh-
thinking peoplc ask. perhaps, why they las SUI
perlluous on the stage.
II will surprise many people, doubtless 10 Dc
tolI that Miss Faithful was Il pioneer OF the
modern new woman" so rapidly Is huhiah HIS
tory writing itself in these latter days OF 'ie
nineteenth century But, nevertheless IL Is 1"
fact The term new woman, indeed Is soiie
times used to conn0te a type OF womahiy ue'ciol'
,,on,-or rcversion-with which Miss Faithful
could have had no sympathy. But III spite oi
that fact the phrase does describe III Il ihost suS-
gcsiiye way the marvellous change ID WOMAN
ideals. womans development, and woman
status in life. that Miss Faithful, with
so many others, labored to bring ABOUT
We are apt ~ think Of Sheridan Poi-
traitrre Of Miss Lydia Languish, in "Ihe NJ
walls" rs Il type Of woman long obsolete. Even
the mindless. helpless inert and useless pf"uuct
of the fashionable young ladies finishing schooi
sccrns to lis now 10 belong away back somewhere
in ancient history. But this Is far from De'hs
the ease. The pretty and ignorant don whom 'he
.,ollants Of the eighteenth century nominally
wor,hlppcd. but in reality cnslavcd. remllneh
the prevailing type Of womanhood lor man!
wears Of the present century. MISS falthlun
found this type OF woman hclplcssly facing a
now world when. in 1850. she started printing
office for woman cOmpOsitors IN LONDON. Inc
woman of the old era was not only unable 10
make her living II thrown on her own resources
but she actually thought Il disgrace 10 do So.
Her duty in life was 10 be graceful. gentle. never
10 think. and 10 look upon man rs her master
and god We d. not deny that this Old type ot
voru1uhood had certain beauties and even
virtues the lack Of which in woman to-day would
he 4 matter IL regret. But It's crime was That
# made woman a playihing instead OF think
ing and rcsourccful human being; and 50. when
The ridiculous scrcnading gallants died. and were
succoclcd by the less ornamental hut nconi-
nor1bly more useful men Of the present industrial
oce the hapless. archaic woman Of the eigh-
tccnth century WAS compelled 10 adjust herself
Z, the new ORDER without in the least knowing
how 4, do 50. There was something at once
pathcilc and rlgic in the infante hclplessness
II In. average woman not more than genera
lion ago She first had 70 learn how 10 help her
self: and when she had in a measure done that,
She had 10 contend with the nqutous theory
that even when she does the same work that
mon d, she Is not entitled 10 The Same remunera-
ton. That theory. We may say IN passing, Is not
We, dead: but lis days are numbered
Il would bc usclcS. to deny tina; the movement
which has evolved tie new woman has becn
characterized 10y II, mistakes. or that the new
woman" herself has not sometimes made the
Iudic,oilS grcyc Many false and foolish IDEAS
about woman and her relation 10 man and the
universe have grown out Of the movement that
has given us the woman If to-day: hut concern
lng the movement itself. there can be only one
opinion: It's good results TO both men and women
have been incalculable. Formerly mans SUI
perlor. according to the dissoulc and hlStian
poets of the eighteenth century. woman is now
his equal: and in that change is found the whole
story Of modern civilization.