New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
WOMEN OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
BY Winlfrod Stephens. q. p. Dutton &C

W
BY Winifred Stephens. a. P. Dutton 8 Co.
A MONG tho many arrange fg-
~ ures in tho French Revolution
there are mono more extraor-
dinary than those of the
women who played r5le in that great
molodrama. But the part taken by
women in the revolution, despite Its
interest and it's Significance, has been,
with the exception Of the attention
paid to q few individuals, TO q great
extent ignored, and Women of the
French Revolution" is one of the few
attempts that have been made to deal
with the subject comprehensively.
Miss Stephens's book Is valuable
contribution to the better understand
ing Of curious and obscure phase Of
the French Revolution. 1t might al
most be described as a history of
femihism during the revolution. For
Miss stephens HAS made the participa-
tion OF women whole, as we'll as
individually, in Che revolutionary move
ment the theme Of her book. And she
! has given q full account of the agita-
ton for tho granting OF political
equality to- women, one of the minor
episodes Of the revolution. which is
to-day almost wholly forgotten.
Tho revolution, which shattered the
foundations Of society and leveled all
ranks, draws its actors from all classes
Of humanity. The women OF the revo-
luton, like the men, were Of ali sorts
and all conditions. Miss Stephens has
ia'd particular stress upon the fact
thae women were very widely repre-
sented In the revolutionary movement.
"Mingling with all its most funda-
mental crises and most vivid scenes
we see woman in her infinite variety"
sne writes, women Of every type end
class. from the most ignoble to the
most noble, from the lowest to the
highest: women Of every kind of at
talnment, women Of every shade of
temperament" But it is curious
feature. Of women's participation in the
revolution, that despite the fact that
it was so general and in point of mum
| bers SO formidable, It should have re-
manned so initiative in character. For
with the single exception Of the at
| tempts made by few women to Sc
cure political equality for their sex,
the women's movement as whole dur
ing the revolution lacked both indie
pendence and originality.
IT might be said that though women
embraced the doctrines of the revolu
slon with enthusiasm, they failed to
exert any important influence upon its
course. The activities Of the women
| who took direct share in the revolu-
ton We're, az general rule, modelled
very closely on those of the men.
! Ihere Is no more interesting example
| OF this than is afforded by the account
which Miss Stephens gives Of the nu-
! merous women's clubs which spranp
up during the revolution, either as Off
shoots or in imitation Of the similar
organizations founded by men.
Clubs abounded in revolutionary
france, and the most famous OF them
! All, the Club dc Jacobins, was one OF
the most powerful factors in the rcvo-
luton. We learn from contemporary
\ that "the club fury spread through ali
classes, all ages, all sexes. In certain
towns artisans left their work to 20
and deraissoner in clubs" The women
soon took a share In this movement
At first they were content TO be ad
initted to membership in some of the
clubs founded by men, but eventually
they formed associations Of their own
of these womsn's clubs the best known
were Les Citoyennes Republicaines
| Reyolutienaires" and Lies Amies dc
La Verite." There was also an organi.
] cation inspired by the new laws in.
i stituting divorce, "Le Club des Danes
en- Etat de Divorce"
It is in connection with these
wonlen's clubs that two Of the mos
extraordinary women of the revolution
Theroigne de Msricourt and Claire La
combe, are chiefly known. One Of tht
most interesting features OF Mis-;
lstephens's hook is the account which
j she gives of the careers Of these half
forgotten heroines Of the Terror
4 Theroigne de MAricoust. who had led !,
wandering and disreputablo life unti
the outbreak of the revolution, ardent
" supp orted the new doctrines and he
came one of the most violent Of tb,
revolutionary agitators. For q bria
7 PERIOD she attained cons;derahI,
prominence, due chiefly to har cnn, am
mand Of the kind Of oratorv than /,
vogue. For the revolution was ah,r,
al an age of rhetoric, and sneec,
which Theroigne de Maricourt MAJ.
peiore the Club des Cordeliars :,
which ahe urged the members 10 acu.
Gown the cedars Of Mount Lebanon
the fir trees OF Mount Ida, to eonstr,,c
the temple Of Liberty. was q tvn;cs
4 specimen Of the eioouence in vbych p,ss :,
delighted. "1A'ii \
a Claire Laconfbe was an actras. ~,
poIonged TO the party Of reyolutionars
extremists known as sLes Enrasas
sne tsok prominent part In the ~. a.
tack made by the mob upon the na,ac,
OF sne Tuiiieries. and she became IN. ~.
president Of the most celsbrated ~ ~
Womens clubs, Les Citoycnncs Rennh