按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
her more of the fruits of work than they do now？ That some would do so there can be no doubt； but as little that some would have less。 If on the whole they would not have more； for what good result is the movement made？ The first question is； whether at the present time they have less than their proper share。 There are； unquestionably； terrible cases of female want； and so there are also of want among men。 Alas！ do we not all feel that it must be so； let the philanthropists be ever so energetic？ And if a woman be left destitute； without the assistance of father； brother； or husband； it would be hard if no means of earning subsistence were open to her。 But the object now sought is not that of relieving such distress。 It has a much wider tendency； or at any rate a wider desire。 The idea is that women will ennoble themselves by making themselves independent； by working for their own bread instead of eating bread earned by men。 It is in that that these new philosophers seem to me to err so greatly。 Humanity and chivalry have succeeded； after a long struggle； in teaching the man to work for the woman； and now the woman rebels against such teachingnot because she likes the work； but because she desires the influence which attends it。 But in this I wrong the womaneven the American woman。 It is not she who desires it； but her philanthropical philosophical friends who desire it for her。 If work were more equally divided between the sexes； some women would； of course； receive more of the good things of the world。 But women generally would not do so。 The tendency； then； would be to force young women out upon their own exertions。 Fathers would soon learn to think that their daughters should be no more dependent on them than their sons； men would expect their wives to work at their own trades； brothers would be taught to think it hard that their sisters should lean on them； and thus women； driven upon their own resources； would hardly fare better than they do at present。 After all it is a question of money； and a contest for that power and influence which money gives。 At present； men have the position of the Lower House of Parliamentthey have to do the harder work； but they hold the purse。 Even in England there has grown up a feeling that the old law of the land gives a married man too much power over the joint pecuniary resources of him and his wife； and in America this feeling is much stronger； and the old law has been modified。 Why should a married woman be able to possess nothing？ And if such be the law of the land； is it worth a woman's while to marry and put herself in such a position？ Those are the questions asked by the friends of the rights of women。 But the young women do marry； and the men pour their earnings into their wives' laps。 If little has as yet been done in extending the rights of women by giving them a greater share of the work of the world； still less has been done toward giving them their portion of political influence。 In the States there are many men of mark； and women of mark also； who think that women should have votes for public elections。 Mr。 Wendell Phillips； the Boston lecturer who advocates abolition； is an apostle in this cause also； and while I was at Boston I read the provisions of a will lately left by a millionaire； in which he bequeathed some very large sums of money to be expended in agitation on this subject。 A woman is subject to the law； why then should she not help to make the law？ A child is subject to the law； and does not help to make it； but the child lacks that discretion which the woman enjoys equally with the man。 That I take it is the amount of the argument in favor of the political rights of women。 The logic of this is so conclusive that I am prepared to acknowledge that it admits of no answer。 I will only say that the mutual good relations between men and women； which are so indispensable to our happiness； require that men and women should not take to voting at the same time and on the same result。 If it be decided that women shall have political power； let them have it all to themselves for a season。 If that be so resolved； I think we may safely leave it to them to name the time at which they will begin。 I confess that in the States I have sometimes been driven to think that chivalry has been carried too farthat there is an attempt to make women think more of the rights of their womanhood than is needful。 There are ladies' doors at hotels； and ladies' drawing… rooms； ladies' sides on the ferry…boats； ladies' windows at the post…office for the delivery of letterswhich； by…the…by； is an atrocious institution； as anybody may learn who will look at the advertisements called personal in some of the New York papers。 Why should not young ladies have their letters sent to their houses； instead of getting them at a private window？ The post…office clerks can tell stories about those ladies' windows。 But at every turn it is necessary to make separate provision for ladies。 From all this it comes to pass that the baker's daughter looks down from a great height on her papa； and by no means thinks her brother good enough for her associate。 Nature； the great restorer； comes in and teaches her to fall in love with the butcher's son。 Thus the evil is mitigated； but I cannot but wish that the young woman should not see herself denominated a lady so often； and should receive fewer lessons as to the extent of her privileges。 I would save her； if I could； from working at the oven； I would give to her bread and meat earned by her father's care and her brother's sweat； but when she has received these good things； I would have her proud of the one and by no means ashamed of the other。 Let women say what they will of their rights； or men who think themselves generous say what they will for them； the question has all been settled both for them and for us men by a higher power。 They are the nursing mothers of mankind； and in that law their fate is written with all its joys and all its privileges。 It is for men to make those joys as lasting and those privileges as perfect as may be。 That women should have their rights no man will deny。 To my thinking； neither increase of work nor increase of political influence are among them。 The best right a woman has is the right to a husband； and that is the right to which I would recommend every young woman here and in the States to turn her best attention。 On the whole； I think that my doctrine will be more acceptable than that of Mrs。 Dall or Mr。 Wendell Phillips。
CHAPTER XIX。 EDUCATION。
The one matter in which； as far as my judgment goes； the people of the United States have excelled us Englishmen； so as to justify them in taking to themselves praise which we cannot take to ourselves or refuse to them； is the matter of Education。 In saying this； I do not think that I am proclaiming anything disgraceful to England； though I am proclaiming much that is creditable to America。 To the Americans of the States was given the good fortune of beginning at the beginning。 The French at the time of their revolution endeavored to reorganize everything； and to begin the world again with new habits and grand theories； but the French as a people were too old for such a change； and the theories fell to the ground。 But in the States； after their revolution； an Anglo…Saxon people had an opportunity of making a new State； with all the experience of the world before them； and to this matter of education they were from the first aware that they must look for their success。 They did so； and unrivaled population； wealth； and intelligence has been the result； and with these； looking at the whole masses of the peopleI think I am justified in saying unrivaled comfort and happiness。 It is not that you； my reader； to whom in this matter of education fortune and your parents have probably been bountiful； would have been more happy in New York than in London。 It is not that I； who； at any rate； can read and write； have cause to wish that I had been an American。 But it is this： if you and I can count up in a day all those on whom our eyes may rest and learn the circumstances of their lives； we shall be driven to conclude that nine…tenths of that number would have had a better life as Americans than they can have in their spheres as Englishmen。 The States are at a discount with us now； in the beginning of this year of grace 1862； and Englishmen were not very willing to admit the above statement； even when the States were not at a discount。 But I do not think that a man can travel through the States with his eyes open and not admit the fact。 Many things will conspire to induce him to shut his eyes and admit no conclusion favorable to the Americans。 Men and women will sometimes be impudent to him； the better his coat； the greater the impudence。 He will be pelted with the braggadocio of equality。 The corns of his Old World conservatism will be trampled on hourly by the purposely vicious herd of uncouth democracy。 The fact that he is paymaster will go for nothing； and will fail to insure civility。 I shall never forget my agony as I saw and heard my desk fall from a porter's hand on a railway station； as he tossed it from him seven yards off on to the hard pavemen