The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-04
NOTABLE WOMEN.

One Of those who saw the celebration
in London. very correctly characterized
X when he said that never before, a,
least. since Cleopatra's day had a wo-
man been attended by such retinue.
No less true is it that the aueen-empress
was the procession itself: all the rest
was an accompaniment the embroidery;
very grand and gorgeous, but all in honor
Of the quiet little woman in somber gar
ments. who typifes the greatest empire
the world ever saw.
Whatever credit may be due 10 Victoria
herself. she Will live in history as one of
the great women. because OF the achieve
ments that have been wrought IN her
name.
History has always delighted in honor
ing women. Their sex has secured for
them a halo of reverence, and mag
nified their attachments. They spread
over a wide range. and there is no field
of activity held by man into which they
! have not ventured. Many Of them have
PASSED almost into oblivion who welded
extended influence in their day, but. from
OF Itself has been no bar ia great accom-
plishments by women. Judgment upon
them has not always been discriminating.
They have often been idealized, as Vic
toria is even now, and will be to a much
greater extent as the minor lights of her
time become dim and are eXtinguished
| leaving her to stand out as the bright
beacon of her day and generation.
Posterity has recognized the genius Of
Shakespeare, the learning of Bacon,
the craftsmanship OF Burleigh and Wal
singhap1. the valor of Essex, Sussex and
Drake, the enterprise of Raleigh. the
beauties Of the minor poets and writers.
but they are all tributary TO Elzabeth's
greatness. save only Shakespeare who is
not even now identified with her reign
with any age. but stands by himself, one
of the very few who belong TO all time.
Characteristic of notable women. OF
various epoches and of widely dissimilar
fame. there is Cleopatra, the grand CEN
trail figure OF paganism whose true char
acter IS little known. and whose name is
identified not with a triumph, except of
her own attractions. but chiefly as one
who led a great man TO his ultimate de-
struction. Joan of Arc typifes the heroic
in woman--sne who sacrificed everything
for her country's sake and died a martyr
the victim OF a nations ingratitude and
base treachery. Madame de Maintenon
was TO political life what Joan Of Arc was
to chivalry. Her private life was an in
cident only TO her sex; her power and its
triumphs were due to a capacity which.
had she been n man. would have, by
means more becoming to masculnity,
have achieved equal greatness. Madame
de Stael and George Eliot. in widely diff
ferng ways, but by equal force OF char
acter. stamped literature with the i'm
press Of their genius. Paula, Heloise
Saint Theresa. Sarah. Duchess OF MARI
borough Madame Recamier, Hannah
More. represent distinct leadership in
their several arenas but they only sug-
gest the range over which the ability of
the sex has worked wonders and redeem
ed womanhood from the aspersion-if so
It may be consdered-that brain power
- ttltHNSul upon Ply @AS1l tbtiN3Nltn.
Whether the world would not be as well
off better off If mankind were clearly d.
vided into two portions. Of which one
should he the master mind In advance
ment. and the other dominate only in
domes ITCHY is another branch OF the sub
ject. Even accepting the view that
nature would have mole wisely ordained
separation of the functions Of the sexes,
IL Is certain that woman would not have
continued TO ill even the humber re-
Guirements of connubiahty If she did not
advance with man. II she did not rise 10
comprehension Of his charging field Of
activity and his more exalted aspirations
Man would not be content with mere
servitude in the woman destined ~ com
partnership with him. In theory q would
seem that there should be no restriction
upon the advent II woman into All the
hopes and efforts II man. and this would
probably have nc doubt cast upon It were
the fact not So patient that exceptional
mental superiority in a woman does not
always carry with II good Judgment in
the selection. IF a husband or happiness
into the home she does SO much 10 Gre
ste.
There are. perhaps. no happier wives
than Mrs. Gladstone or Mrs Mckinley
or Mrs Cleveland. whose lives are round
- out in beautiful symmetry as corpan-
ions ot their husbands and content n I've
to the reflected glory OF those Who are