character-第14章

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But　while　the　mind　and　character　of　women　ought　to　be　cultivated

with　a　view　to　their　own　wellbeing；　they　ought　not　the　less　to　be

educated　liberally　with　a　view　to　the　happiness　of　others。　　Men

themselves　cannot　be　sound　in　mind　or　morals　if　women　be　the

reverse；　and　if；　as　we　hold　to　be　the　case；　the　moral　condition　of

a　people　mainly　depends　upon　the　education　of　the　home；　then　the

education　of　women　is　to　be　regarded　as　a　matter　of　national

importance。　　Not　only　does　the　moral　character　but　the　mental

strength　of　man　find　their　best　safeguard　and　support　in　the　moral

purity　and　mental　cultivation　of　woman；　but　the　more　completely

the　powers　of　both　are　developed；　the　more　harmonious　and　well…

ordered　will　society　bethe　more　safe　and　certain　its　elevation

and　advancement。



When　about　fifty　years　since；　the　first　Napoleon　said　that　the

great　want　of　France　was　mothers；　he　meant；　in　other　words；　that

the　French　people　needed　the　education　of　homes；　provided　over　by

good；　virtuous；　intelligent　women。　　Indeed；　the　first　French

Revolution　presented　one　of　the　most　striking　illustrations　of　the

social　mischiefs　resulting　from　a　neglect　of　the　purifying

influence　of　women。　　When　that　great　national　outbreak　occurred；

society　was　impenetrated　with　vice　and　profligacy。　　Morals；

religion；　virtue；　were　swamped　by　sensualism。　　The　character　of

woman　had　become　depraved。　　Conjugal　fidelity　was　disregarded；

maternity　was　held　in　reproach；　family　and　home　were　alike

corrupted。　　Domestic　purity　no　longer　bound　society　together。

France　was　motherless；　the　children　broke　loose；　and　the

Revolution　burst　forth；　〃amidst　the　yells　and　the　fierce　violence

of　women。〃　（20）



But　the　terrible　lesson　was　disregarded；　and　again　and　again

France　has　grievously　suffered　from　the　want　of　that　discipline；

obedience；　self…control；　and　self…respect　which　can　only　be　truly

learnt　at　home。　　It　is　said　that　the　Third　Napoleon　attributed　the

recent　powerlessness　of　France；　which　left　her　helpless　and

bleeding　at　the　feet　of　her　conquerors；　to　the　frivolity　and　lack

of　principle　of　the　people；　as　well　as　to　their　love　of　pleasure

which；　however；　it　must　be　confessed；　he　himself　did　not　a　little

to　foster。　　It　would　thus　seem　that　the　discipline　which　France

still　needs　to　learn；　if　she　would　be　good　and　great；　is　that

indicated　by　the　First　Napoleonhome　education　by　good　mothers。



The　influence　of　woman　is　the　same　everywhere。　　Her　condition

influences　the　morals；　manners；　and　character　of　the　people　in　all

countries。　　Where　she　is　debased；　society　is　debased；　where　she　is

morally　pure　and　enlightened；　society　will　be　proportionately

elevated。



Hence；　to　instruct　woman　is　to　instruct　man；　to　elevate　her

character　is　to　raise　his　own；　to　enlarge　her　mental　freedom　is　to

extend　and　secure　that　of　the　whole　community。　　For　Nations　are

but　the　outcomes　of　Homes；　and　Peoples　of　Mothers。



But　while　it　is　certain　that　the　character　of　a　nation　will　be

elevated　by　the　enlightenment　and　refinement　of　woman；　it　is　much

more　than　doubtful　whether　any　advantage　is　to　be　derived　from　her

entering　into　competition　with　man　in　the　rough　work　of　business

and　polities。　　Women　can　no　more　do　men's　special　work　in　the

world　than　men　can　do　women's。　　And　wherever　woman　has　been

withdrawn　from　her　home　and　family　to　enter　upon　other　work；　the

result　has　been　socially　disastrous。　　Indeed；　the　efforts　of　some

of　the　best　philanthropists　have　of　late　years　been　devoted　to

withdrawing　women　from　toiling　alongside　of　men　in　coalpits；

factories；　nailshops；　and　brickyards。



It　is　still　not　uncommon　in　the　North　for　the　husbands　to　be　idle

at　home；　while　the　mothers　and　daughters　are　working　in　the

factory；　the　result　being；　in　many　cases；　an　entire　subversion　of

family　order；　of　domestic　discipline；　and　of　home　rule。　（21）　　And

for　many　years　past；　in　Paris；　that　state　of　things　has　been

reached　which　some　women　desire　to　effect　amongst　ourselves。　　The

women　there　mainly　attend　to　businessserving　the　BOUTIQUE；　or

presiding　at　the　COMPTOIRwhile　the　men　lounge　about　the

Boulevards。　　But　the　result　has　only　been　homelessness；

degeneracy；　and　family　and　social　decay。



Nor　is　there　any　reason　to　believe　that　the　elevation　and

improvement　of　women　are　to　be　secured　by　investing　them　with

political　power。　　There　are；　however；　in　these　days；　many

believers　in　the　potentiality　of　〃votes；〃　（22）　who　anticipate　some

indefinite　good　from　the　〃enfranchisement〃　of　women。　　It　is　not

necessary　here　to　enter　upon　the　discussion　of　this　question。　　But

it　may　be　sufficient　to　state　that　the　power　which　women　do　not

possess　politically　is　far　more　than　compensated　by　that　which

they　exercise　in　private　lifeby　their　training　in　the　home

those　who；　whether　as　men　or　as　women；　do　all　the　manly　as　well　as

womanly　work　of　the　world。　　The　Radical　Bentham　has　said　that　man；

even　if　he　would；　cannot　keep　power　from　woman；　for　that　she

already　governs　the　world　〃with　the　whole　power　of　a　despot；〃　（23）

though　the　power　that　she　mainly　governs　by　is　love。　　And　to　form

the　character　of　the　whole　human　race；　is　certainly　a　power　far

greater　than　that　which　women　could　ever　hope　to　exercise　as

voters　for　members　of　Parliament；　or　even　as　lawmakers。



There　is；　however；　one　special　department　of　woman's　work

demanding　the　earnest　attention　of　all　true　female　reformers；

though　it　is　one　which　has　hitherto　been　unaccountably　neglected。

We　mean　the　better　economizing　and　preparation　of　human　food；　the

waste　of　which　at　present；　for　want　of　the　most　ordinary　culinary

knowledge；　is　little　short　of　scandalous。　　If　that　man　is　to　be

regarded　as　a　benefactor　of　his　species　who　makes　two　stalks　of

corn　to　grow　where　only　one　grew　before；　not　less　is　she　to　be

regarded　as　a　public　benefactor　who　economizes　and　turns　to　the

best　practical　account　the　food…products　of　human　skill　and

labour。　　The　improved　use　of　even　our　existing　supply　would　be

equivalent　to　an　immediate　extension　of　the　cultivable　acreage　of

our　countrynot　to　speak　of　the　increase　in　health；　economy；　and

domestic　comfort。　　Were　our　female　reformers　only　to　turn　their

energies　in　this　direction　with　effect；　they　would　earn　the

gratitude　of　all　households；　and　be　esteemed　as　among　the　greatest

of　practical　philanthropists。







NOTES



（1）　Civic　virtues；　unless　they　have　their　origin　and　consecration　in

private　and　domestic　virtues；　are　but　the　virtues　of　the　theatre。

He　who　has　not　a　loving　heart　for　his　child；　cannot　pretend　to

have　any　true　love　for　humanity。Jules　Simon's　LE　DEVOIR。



（2）　'Levana；　or；　The　Doctrine　of　Education。'



（3）　Speaking　of　the　force　of　habit；　St。　Augustine　says　in　his

'Confessions'　〃My　will　the　enemy　held；　and　thence　had　made　a　chain

for　me；　and　bound　me。　　For　of　a　froward　will　was　a　lust　made；　and

a　lust　served　became　custom；　and　custom　not　resisted　became

necessity。　　By　which　links；　as　it　were；　joined　together　（whence　I

called　it　a　chain）　a　hard　bondage　held　me　enthralled。〃



（4）　Mr。　Tufnell；　in　'Reports　of　Inspectors　of　Parochial　School　Unions

in　England　and　Wales；'　1850。



（5）　See　the　letters　（January　13th；　16th；　18th；　20th；　and　23rd；　1759）；

written　by　Johnson　to　his　mother　when　she　was　ninety；　and　he

himself　was　in　his　fiftieth　year。Crokers　BOSWELL；　8vo。　Ed。　pp。

113；　114。



（6）　Jared　Sparks'　'Life　of　Washington。'



（7）　Forster's　'Eminent　British　Statesmen'　（Cabinet　Cyclop。）　vi。　8。



（8）　The　Earl　of　Mornington；　composer　of　'Here　in　cool　grot；'　&c。



（9）　Robert　Bell's　'Life　of　Canning；'　p。　37。



（10）　'Life　of　Curran；'　by　his　son；　p。　4。



（11）　The　father　of　the　Wesleys　had　even　determined　at　one　time　to

abandon　his　wife　because　her　conscience　forbade　her　to　assent　to

his　prayers　for　the　then　reigning　monarch；　and　he　was　only　saved

from　the　consequences　of　his　rash　resolve　by　the　accidental　death

of　William　III。