The New York herald., 1922-04-02
SECTION EIGHT

"reminiscences. Edited by Theodore
Stanton and Harriet Stanton Blatch.
Harper & Brothers.
+" HE story of Elizabeth Cady
Stanton, as revealed by her
letters, diary and reminis-
cences, leaves one breathless with
admiration for her sheer vitality,
amazing energy and unconquerable
livelinesss There seems to be nothing
that she did not think about and
little that she did not do in her long
career. Theodore Tilton wrote in
letter, ~ have known you for more
than forty years, in more than forty
different characters-suffragis jour-
nalist, lecturer, historian. traveller,
prophecies, mater familias, house
keeper. patriot, nurse, baby tender,
cook. milliner, lobbyist, parliament
tartan, statistician. legislator, tea
pourer. story teller, satirist, kite
flyer, chess player and know not
what else"-and this list does not
begin to describe the many sided
personality disclosed in the two vol
umes edited by her children, Theo-
dore Stanton and Harriet Stanton
Blatch.
The younger generation may con-
ceive pioneers of woman suffrage as
solemn, earnest creatures, endlessly
lecturing and moralizi1g. But Mrs.
Stanton was not that variety of re-
former. Above all she was a low
able human being, with merry, dane
ing blue eyes and an inimitable sense
OF humor. She was devoted to her
family, absorbed in her friendships
and as eager to play, tell stories,
dance and enjoy a good time as if
WtTC ilo suIil lIllllE III tlit
world as the woman movement. Her
public services are well known; how
she inaugurated the suffrage move
ment in this country; called the ia
nous woman's rights convention of
1S4S, founded national woman suf-
frage association and was its presi-
g. ho1
The value of this new book is its
vivid portrayal of the woman behind
the work. what she thought. what
fired her to labor for all the friend
less causes of her day, how she man.
aged to bring up large family, have
a brilliant career and know inti-
of her period; in short, the real Eliz-
abeth Cady Stanton
II.
Through the chronicle which de-
scribes her childhood in Johnstown,
N. Y, with her austere father, who
never really forgave her for being a
girl; her school days at Troy Sem
mary; her marriage and life with her
children. is a background Of those
stirring days of the abolitionist move
ment and the civil war. There are
portraits and intimate glimpses Of
William Lloyd Garrison, Theodore
Parker, Wendell Phillips. Whittier,
Emerson, Alcott, Lucretia Mott,
Lucy Stone and host of others who
were deep in temperance. anti-slav-
cry, educational reform and equal
suffrage. Indeed, the book might
well have been named Elizabeth
Cady Stanton and Her Friends" she
is so generous in sharing the stage
with them.
Naturally, because OF her lifelong
association with Susan B. Anthony
Mrs. Stanton dwells much on their
work together. She describes the
first meeting with Miss Anthony
and how much she liked her, with
her good, earnest face and genial
smile. dressed in gay delaine." She
speaks of seeing her Quaker friend.
coming for one OF her frequent Wis
fits, bringing always that famous
portmanteau. stuffed with facts"
"When 1t was opened" she says.
~there we had what the Rev. John
Smith and Richard Hoe had said;