He Began Talking To Me In
Whispers About The War, And I Was Suspicious That He Was A
Southerner And A Secessionist.
Under such circumstances his
company might not be agreeable, unless he could be induced to hold
his tongue.
At last he said, "I come from Canada, you know, and
you - you're an Englishman, and therefore I can speak to you
openly;" and he gave me an affectionate grip on the knee with his
old skinny hand. I suppose I do look more like an Englishman than
an American, but I was surprised at his knowing me with such
certainty. "There is no mistaking you," he said, "with your round
face and your red cheeks. They don't look like that here," and he
gave me another grip. I felt quite fond of the old man, and
offered him a cigar.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN.
We all know that the subject which appears above as the title of
this chapter is a very favorite subject in America. It is, I hope,
a very favorite subject here also, and I am inclined to think has
been so for many years past. The rights of women, as
contradistinguished from the wrongs of women, has perhaps been the
most precious of the legacies left to us by the feudal ages. How,
amid the rough darkness of old Teuton rule, women began to receive
that respect which is now their dearest right, is one of the most
interesting studies of history. It came, I take it, chiefly from
their own conduct. The women of the old classic races seem to have
enjoyed but a small amount of respect or of rights, and to have
deserved as little. It may have been very well for one Caesar to
have said that his wife should be above suspicion; but his wife was
put away, and therefore either did not have her rights, or else had
justly forfeited them. The daughter of the next Caesar lived in
Rome the life of a Messalina, and did not on that account seem to
have lost her "position in society," till she absolutely declined
to throw any vail whatever over her propensities. But as the Roman
empire fell, chivalry began. For a time even chivalry afforded but
a dull time to the women. During the musical period of the
Troubadours, ladies, I fancy, had but little to amuse them save the
music. But that was the beginning, and from that time downward the
rights of women have progressed very favorably. It may be that
they have not yet all that should belong to them. If that be the
case, let the men lose no time in making up the difference. But it
seems to me that the women who are now making their claims may
perhaps hardly know when they are well off. It will be an ill
movement if they insist on throwing away any of the advantages they
have won. As for the women in America especially, I must confess
that I think they have a "good time." I make them my compliments
on their sagacity, intelligence, and attractions, but I utterly
refuse to them any sympathy for supposed wrongs. O fortunatas, sua
si bona norint! Whether or no, were I an American married man and
father of a family, I should not go in for the rights of man - that
is altogether another question.
This question of the rights of women divides itself into two heads -
one of which is very important, worthy of much consideration,
capable perhaps of much philanthropic action, and at any rate
affording matter for grave discussion. This is the question of
women's work: How far the work of the world, which is now borne
chiefly by men, should be thrown open to women further than is now
done? The other seems to me to be worthy of no consideration, to
be capable of no action, to admit of no grave discussion. This
refers to the political rights of women: How far the political
working of the world, which is now entirely in the hands of men,
should be divided between them and women? The first question is
being debated on our side of the Atlantic as keenly perhaps as on
the American side. As to that other question, I do not know that
much has ever been said about it in Europe.
"You are doing nothing in England toward the employment of
females," a lady said to me in one of the States soon after my
arrival in America. "Pardon me," I answered, "I think we are doing
much, perhaps too much. At any rate we are doing something." I
then explained to her how Miss Faithful had instituted a printing
establishment in London; how all the work in that concern was done
by females, except such heavy tasks as those for which women could
not be fitted, and I handed to her one of Miss Faithful's cards.
"Ah," said my American friend, "poor creatures! I have no doubt
their very flesh will be worked off their bones." I thought this a
little unjust on her part; but nevertheless it occurred to me as an
answer not unfit to be made by some other lady - by some woman who
had not already advocated the increased employment of women. Let
Miss Faithful look to that. Not that she will work the flesh off
her young women's bones, or allow such terrible consequences to
take place in Coram Street; not that she or that those connected
with her in that enterprise will do aught but good to those
employed therein. It will not even be said of her individually, or
of her partners, that they have worked the flesh off women's bones;
but may it not come to this, that when the tasks now done by men
have been shifted to the shoulders of women, women themselves will
so complain? May it not go further, and come even to this, that
women will have cause for such complaint?
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