The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-07-19
BRAVERY OF WOMEN.
BY LADY COOK, NEE TENNESSEE C.
CLAFLIN.

been made in the world of self.love,
there is yet abundance of terra in
cognita left behind. 1t has pleased
men to arrogate to themselves nearly
the whole of human courage and to
regard women as very timid and
cowardly creatures when compared
with themselves. Now we do not
deny that some women occasionally
have little affectations which give
colour to this opinion. These are
scared at meeting harmless COWS or
oxen, as though they we're ferocious
bulls. They jump in terror on a chair
at the sight of mouse. All these,
however, are errors of education, Just
as boys are taught from the cradle to
despise girls for their supposed want
ofbravery, and grow to manhood with
out seeing their mistake. Yet Mande-
vile in his Search into the Nature
of Society,"" AYERS that MAN, as he is
fearful animal, naturally not rapaci-
Gus, loves Peace and Quiet, and he
would never Fight, if nobody offended
ed him, and he could have what he
fights for without It." This may be
true Of man as savage. But civilza.
ton gives so much skill and dissipates
so many errors and terrors, that men
have learnt to be quarrelsome, coura
geous, and selfreliant. 1t would be
natural to suppose the mothers and
sisters of brave men would be brave
also. We look for cognate qualities
in both sexes of other animals, and
are not disappointed. Why should
mankind be an exception Why
should it be imagined that men have
all the courage and women monopoly
of timidity2 Simply because Of mems
stupendous SELF. .conceit the majority
have never given the subject rational
thought. They have excluded women
from their own favourite fields for the
display of bravery, and then pride
themselves upon their vast superiority.
But, whenever women have had equal
opportunities, they have proved them
selves no desplcable competitors with
men in physical courage, and far
ahead of them in moral fearlessness.
At a time like the present, when
public attention is largely drawn to a
comparative view of the qualities of
both sexes, 1t may be profitable to
draw attention to the bravery of
women. We do not desire to under
value the conspicuous valour of men.
On the contrary, we are proud to
recognise it to the full. We only wish
to point out that women are capable
of the same great quality to a prohta-
BILE degree, and that, therefore, it
should be encouraged in them as well
as in men. If the men refuse, let
women exhort each other.
No one can doubt that moral cour
age is superior to physical. Men
exceed in the latter, women in the
former, and it is not desirable that
this should be altered even were it
possible. Yet it would add to the
dignity Of both if men were stronger
morally and women physically.
A modern historian says, "Moral
and rational faculties may alike be
dormant, and they will certainly he SO
if men are wholly immersed in the
qualification of their senses. Man is
like plant, which requires favora-
BILE soil for the full expansion of its
natural or innate powers" If men
had been shut out, as women have,
from the exercise of their physical
faculties, is it certain they would have
developed excess Of physical powers ?
Notwithstanding her social dis
advantages in this respect, woman
has made her mark in the annals OF
bravery. History affords numerous
examples of great heroines, many OF
them too, at time when her general
position was tn at Of a slave, but we
can only note a few. Leaono OF
Attica bore the severest torture with
out a word. Telesilla, the poetess,
made the Argolic women fearless OF
death, and discounted the Spartans.
Theodore saved the Eastern Empire.
Artemisia drank the ashes of her
consort. Camilla, Queen of the Vol
sclans, was slain fighting at the head
of her troops. Boadicea encountered
the veterans Of Rome. The Maid Of
Orleans drove the English from France
Aria stabbed herself to encourage hel
husband to die. "See, it does not
hurt, dear Pactus," she said. The
tales OF martyrdom are fertile of heroic
women. Young maidens met the
most horrible deaths with placid con
tempt, if not with vehement Joy. Nc
fiendish tortures that devils coulC
devise were able to shake the fortitudt
of numberless brave women. Whethe
under Nero or the Bishops, under tn,
Inquisition or the French Revolution
e aries, it was noted with surprise ant
: admiration that the women died NOR,
!. bravely than the men. With wha
), grace and calmness, and infinite tender
t ness for others, did Anne Boleyn AM
r l. 4 r. Il.