The Women Of Our Time.

part of the novellist , but a real , tangible mortal , whether thin in substance or stout iii outline , whether but a somewhat depressed anatomy , or looming large materially before startled and enquiring man . To - day our strong - minded woman lectures us about everything , and having

obtained the municipal suffrage , nevertheless claims the parliamentary . . It is a terrible grievance that the long enduring British female , matron , maid , widow can \ -ote for a churchwarden , can vote under Denison ' s Act , but cannot either vote for members of Parliament , or above all sit in Parliament and talk . We are inclined to

think that she might talk as good sense while there as some old women of our acquaintance do , in both houses ; but still the wrong clone to the British female , in denying her admittance to the great "talking house" of the nation , is both incalculable and very grave . At least she thinks

and says so , Heaven bless her . We have to-day strong-minded women doctors , lawyers , lecturers , teachers , painters , poetesses , sculpturesses , and we welcome tlieni gladly , and listen to them respectfullythough we may question somewhat

, sometimes at first whether in all this women are quite fulfilling their true mission . And yet there comes over us a doubt , as we write this , whether such an objection is right or tenable . Why , for instance , should the world lose the advantage of the

wondrous power of Rosa Bonheur , ever true to nature , ever charming , ever delightful 1 Why should Miss Thompson not attract us with another battle piece 1 Why should we in fact refuse to listen to those many gifted sisters , — " dear sisters , " as Professor tfluff y always says , —who , like Miss Carpenter , Miss Nightingale , and many more , have devoted their time and talents to the

improvement and care , and healing and elevation of mankind 1 Why should not woman be permitted to excel , as God has given her the power , in those wondrous arts and professions , in those departments of public life , which tend so much to the happiness and amelioration

and comfort of us all alike 1 I have no fair answer to such queries . In America there are many very strong-minded women , — very , indeed ; and though Bloomerism is happily like the Dodo extinct , every now and then we hear of little sallies of

female strong mindedness , which rather startle and confuse us on this side of the Atlantic , when we hear poor lords of the creation , that our authority is challenged , and that our superiority is imperilled . And now I have to make an avowal ,

which all my strong-minded female readers will indignantly denounce , —I cannot admit their right to legislate for man . Woman is the helpmeet for man , but cannot , I apprehend , bear well the rough strain of political turmoilnor could she with propriety take

, part in long and animated debates . It would p lace her out of her sphere , and make her ignore her true mission . She has a proper little empire of her own , in which she reigns supreme . We surrender to her willingly the domestic regime , and

the sovereignty of fashion . We accede to her that sway in the home , and heart , which make her so dear and precious to countless thousands ; but we cannot believe that she does well in thrusting herself into the "hurly burly" of political conflicts , angry passions and vociferous parties , or that she can be in her right place amid

the heated and often baneful atmposphere of the political " caucus" and the political committee . No—so say many most thoughtful persons , and able statesmen , — " woman is never so far out of her proper position as when she descends to the arena of party struggles , or the lower level of

political agitation . " And I think so too . That women often are strong politicians , and good politicians too , is true ; that they have a right to have an opinion and express their views is incontestable ; but they had better confine

their political fervour to their own immediate domestic circle and friends ; they had better look on at a distance at struggles , in which they cannot participate , without material harm to their purer , and truer , and gentler nature . I am afraid that my

views will seem sadly antiquated and retrograde to many who now are clamouring for female suffrage . As a mere political question I should favour it , as almost all women are truly conservative by instinct ; but I feel sure that the possession of the privilege would be a fatal gift to woman , inasmuch as she would be at onee

transformed from our own domestic angel , to the zealous committee-woman , and the bullying secretary of a political association , I do