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.
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