The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1899-11-25
The REAL INTELLECTUAL woman
~ ~ 4 y r r ~ = ~ 49,

with a touching mixture of docility ant
ambition, is asking herself the ques
ton How far she is justified in par
ticipating in the modern movement Of
the advancement of woman" it may
not be amiss to call to mind a little
work bearing on one phase of the sub
ject, which was published long enough
ago to be now in danger. of becoming
forgotten. And yet this. would be 9
pity, for though it is an old book, its
ideas are still new. 1t is the great
Bishop Dupanloups work on "studious
Women" a translation of which APP
peared in this country in 1869, published
by Patrick Donahue of Boston.
! When we remember the ideas that
prevailed even twenty-five years age, on
the subject of the education of women
in America, no less than in France,
the work of the famous bishop of Or
leans seems quite radical and Eevolu-
tionary. Certainly it was so far ahead
| of his time, that reading it today, one
cannot but feel that it is still apple
able to the situation. For although Mgr.
| Dupanloup's ideas on the education OF
women are now held by many men and
women, by far the greater number hold
as yet to the opinions he so ably COM
bats in this book.
These opinions he sets forth in his
| opening chapter by a few quotations
from De Maistre, who viewed the ques-
ton of a higher education for women
with sentiments of horror and fOrebod-
ing. Though De Maistre wrote so long
ago, we all know a great many very
good people-women as well as men
whom his ideas would suit very well
today.
Our noble champion proceeds to an
swer NJ. De Maistre as follows:
.All NJ. de Maistre's theory reduces
itself to this: Women must remain in
their own province and not usurp the
province of men. Yes, certainly, the
only question is to know what is the
province of men. Is man by divine
right the sole master of the kingdom of
intelligence? God has given him more
physical strength and L agree with NJ.
de Maistre that, notwithstanding Judith
anu juan OI arc, NOIIC1l OdSiI nv
to aspire in any way to WELD the
sword, or to be generals Of an army.
But is their intelligence exactly proper
toned to their physical force, and is IL
subject to the same conclusions? have
never thought so. 1t seems to me that
st. Theresa is as capable as NJ. de
Maistre of managing pen
But, duobtless the great merit, the IN
comparably honorable aim of woman
is to bring up her children well, and
to make men of her sons, as her great |
est qualification, and her first duty |
ought to be to make her husband hap |
py But to make a husband and chill |
dren happy and good, to make men OF
her sons, brave lads as NJ. de Maistre
says. who believe in God and do not
fear cannon a woman is needed who
has a strong intelligence, judgment and
who is persevering, industrl-
Gus and rejecting. In one
word, the worthy and intelligent com
panion of her husband.
Our author goes on in his third chap
ter to strengthen his arguments by
quoting a long list of the most Shining
examples of illustrious and learned
Christian women from the first days Oh
down to his own day He
mentions women famous in every
ranch of science, letters and art known
10 the early and middle ages, and an
and magnificent array it is of
splendid women noted for their pro-
'ound intelligence and canonized for
heir exalted virtues 1t is noticeable
hat the list dwindies as it approaches
modern times. One is led to wonder
md to seek reasons. The author him
elf presently suggests one which
hrows much light on the subject, and
which must have rather startled the
world of his day. Thus is it: !
The prejudice against the cultiva-
ion of the intellect in woman is one
f the most cUlpable notions of the |
Eighteenth cehtury-that century of Ii
entiousness and imp.etX. 1t
vas advantageous for those prof1igate
husbands to have worthless wives.
superior woman oblige5 her
husband to reckon with her. He is
creed to be influenced by the controlI-
ng power of an intelligent mind, and Z
e does not feel himself at liberty to
ollow all his caprices. and this is the
eason why vicious.
A terrible spectacle was presented
D the world of the corruption of
'rench society at that period How
Guild M. de MaistrAwho had under Z.
is eyes the remains of this eorrup-
on, and witnessed the chastisements :
nat it deserved, fail to see that the de-
raded position assigned to woman was :
ne of its first causes, and that the i,
rejudice against the intellectual ele- +
alton of woman was the natural off
)ring of vice? :
But the author of "Studious Women"
not content with championing the
ght of women to intellectual develop
lent, he gees further, and asserts that
is duty. If it were only a right
omen might choose to-sacrifice it; be- T
lg duty, they are not free to doEso.
On the subject of wonan's Place in
lie social organism, he has this to say: L
Until you have persuaded woman
lat she is created first of all for God, \
ext for herself and for her own soul, r
nd lastly for her husband and her
nldren. but after God, with God. and l
ways for God, you will have done 1
thing either for the happirezs or the
'nor of YOUR families
This excessive absorption of the per- "
nality of the wife in her husband =
as, perhaps. useful for the ancient F
atro1i; but the Christian A