female suffrage-第1节

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！






Female　Suffrage

by　Susan　Fenimore　Cooper







A　LETTER　TO　THE　CHRISTIAN　WOMEN　OF　AMERICA。
Part　I。





The　natural　position　of　woman　is　clearly；　to　a　limited　degree；　a
subordinate　one。　Such　it　has　always　been　throughout　the　world；　in　all
ages；　and　in　many　widely　different　conditions　of　society。　There　are
three　conclusive　reasons　why　we　should　expect　it　to　continue　so　for
the　future。

FIRST。　Woman　in　natural　physical　strength　is　so　greatly　inferior　to
man　that　she　is　entirely　in　his　power；　quite　incapable　of　self…
defense；　trusting　to　his　generosity　for　protection。　In　savage　life　this
great　superiority　of　physical　strength　makes　man　the　absolute
master；　woman　the　abject　slave。　And；　although　every　successive
step　in　civilisation　lessens　the　distance　between　the　sexes；　and
renders　the　situation　of　woman　safer　and　easier；　still；　in　no　state　of
society；　however　highly　cultivated；　has　perfect　equality　yet　existed。
This　difference　in　physical　strength　must；　in　itself；　always　prevent
such　perfect　equality；　since　woman　is　compelled　every　day　of　her　life
to　appeal　to　man　for　protection；　and　for　support。

SECONDLY。　Woman　is　also；　though　in　a　very　much　less　degree；
inferior　to　man　in　intellect。　The　difference　in　this　particular　may　very
probably　be　only　a　consequence　of　greater　physical　strength；　giving
greater　power　of　endurance　and　increase　of　force　to　the　intellectual
faculty　connected　with　it。　In　many　cases；　as　between　the　best
individual　minds　of　both　sexes；　the　difference　is　no　doubt　very　slight。
There　have　been　women　of　a　very　high　order　of　genius；　there　have
been　very　many　women　of　great　talent；　and；　as　regards　what　is
commonly　called　cleverness；　a　general　quickness　and　clearness　of
mind　within　limited　bounds；　the　number　of　clever　women　may
possibly　have　been　even　larger　than　that　of　clever　men。　But；　taking
the　one　infallible　rule　for　our　guide；　judging　of　the　tree　by　its　fruits；
we　are　met　by　the　fact　that　the　greatest　achievements　of　the　race　in
every　field　of　intellectual　culture　have　been　the　work　of
man。　It　is　true　that　the　advantages　of　intellectual　education　have
been；　until　recently；　very　generally　on　the　side　of　man；　had　those
advantages　been　always　equal；　women　would　no　doubt　have　had
much　more　of　success　to　record。　But　this　same　fact　of　inferiority　of
education　becomes　in　itself　one　proof　of　the　existence　of　a　certain
degree　of　mental　inequality。　What　has　been　the　cause　of　this
inferiority　of　education？　Why　has　not　woman　educated　herself　in　past
ages；　as　man　has　done？　Is　it　the　opposition　of　man；　and　the　power
which　physical　strength　gives　him；　which　have　been　the
impediments？　Had　these　been　the　only　obstacles；　and　had　that
general　and　entire　equality　of　intellect　existed　between　the　sexes；
which　we　find　proclaimed　to…day　by　some　writers；　and　by　many
talkers；　the　genius　of　women　would　have　opened　a　road　through
these　and　all　other　difficulties　much　more　frequently　than　it　has　yet
done。　At　this　very　hour；　instead　of　defending　the　intellect　of　women；
just　half　our　writing　and　talking　would　be　required　to　defend　the
intellect　of　men。　But；　so　long　as　woman；　as　a　sex；　has　not　provided
for　herself　the　same　advanced　intellectual　education　to　the　same
extent　as　men；　and　so　long　as　inferiority　of　intellect　in　man　has
never　yet　in　thousands　of　years　been　gravely　discussed；　while　the
inferiority　of　intellect　in　woman　has　been　during　the　same　period
generally　admitted；　we　are　compelled　to　believe　there　is　some
foundation　for　this　last　opinion。　The　extent　of　this　difference；　the
interval　that　exists　between　the　sexes；　the　precise　degree　of
inferiority　on　the　part　of　women；　will　probably　never　be　satisfactorily
proved。

Believing　then　in　the　greater　physical　powers　of　man；　and　in　his
superiority；　to　a　limited　extent；　in　intellect　also；　as　two　sufficient
reasons　for　the　natural　subordination　of　woman　as　a　sex；　we　have
yet　a　third　reason　for　this　subordination。　Christianity　can　be　proved
to　be　the　safest　and　highest　ally　of　man's　nature；　physical；　moral；
and　intellectual；　that　the　world　has　yet　known。　It　protects　his
physical　nature　at　every　point　by　plain；　stringent　rules　of　general
temperance　and　moderation。　To　his　moral　nature　it　gives　the
pervading　strength　of　healthful　purity。　To　his　intellectual　nature；
while　on　one　hand　it　enjoins　full　development　and　vigorous　action；
holding　out　to　the　spirit　the　highest　conceivable　aspirations；　on　the
other　it　teaches　the　invaluable　lessons　of　a　wise　humility。　This　grand
and　holy　religion；　whose　whole　action　is　healthful；　whose　restraints
are　all　blessingsthis　gracious　religion；　whose　chief　precepts　are　the
love　of　God　and　the　love　of　manthis　same　Christianity　confirms　the
subordinate　position　of　woman；　by　allotting　to　man　the　headship　in
plain　language　and　by　positive　precept。　No　system　of　philosophy　has
ever　yet　worked　out　in　behalf　of　woman　the　practical　results　for　good
which　Christianity　has　conferred　on　her。　Christianity　has　raised
woman　from　slavery　and　made　her　the　thoughtful　companion　of　man；
finds　her　the　mere　toy；　or　the　victim　of　his　passions；　and　it　places
her　by　his　side；　his　truest　friend；　his　most　faithful　counselor；　his
helpmeet　in　every　worthy　and　honorable　task。　It　protects　her　far
more　effectually　than　any　other　system。　It　cultivates；　strengthens；
elevates；　purifies　all　her　highest　endowments；　and　holds　out　to　her
aspirations　the　most　sublime　for　that　future　state　of　existence；
where　precious　rewards　are　promised　to　every　faithful　discharge　of
duty；　even　the　most　humble。　But；　while　conferring　on　her　these
priceless　blessings；　it　also　enjoins　the　submission　of　the　wife　to　the
husband；　and　allots　a　subordinate　position　to　the　whole　sex　while
here　on　earth。　No　woman　calling　herself　a　Christian；　acknowledging
her　duties　as　such；　can；　therefore；　consistently　deny　the　obligation
of　a　limited　subordination　laid　upon　her　by　her　Lord　and　His　Church。

》From　these　three　chief　considerationsthe　great　inferiority　of
physical　strength；　a　very　much　less　and　undefined　degree　of
inferiority　in　intellect；　and　the　salutary　teachings　of　the　Christian
faithit　follows　that；　to　a　limited　degree；　varying　with
circumstances；　and　always　to　be　marked　out　by　sound　reason　and
good　feeling；　the　subordination　of　woman；　as　a　sex；　is　inevitable。

This　subordination　once　established；　a　difference　of　position；　and　a
consequent　difference　of　duties；　follow　as　a　matter　of　course。　There
must；　of　necessity；　in　such　a　state　of　things；　be　certain　duties
inalienably　connected　with　the　position　of　man；　others　inalienably
connected　with　the　position　of　woman。　For　the　one　to　assume　the
duties　of　the　other　becomes；　first；　an　act　of　desertion；　next；　an　act
of　usurpation。　For　the　man　to　discharge　worthily　the　duties　of　his
own　position　becomes　his　highest　merit。　For　the　woman　to　discharge
worthily　the　duties　of　her　own　position　becomes　her　highest　merit。
To　be　noble　the　man　must　be　manly。　To　be　noble　the　woman　must
be　womanly。　Independently　of　the　virtues　required　equally　of　both
sexes；　such　as　truth；　uprightness；　candor；　fidelity；　honor；　we　look　in
man　for　somewhat　more　of　wisdom；　of　vigor；　of　courage；　from　natural
endowment；　combined　with　enlarged　action　and　experience。　In
woman　we　look　more　especially　for　greater　purity；　modesty；
patience；　grace；　sweetness；　tenderness；　refinement；　as　the
consequences　of　a　finer　organization；　in　a　protected　and　sheltered
position。　That　state　of　society　will　always　be　the　most　rational；　the
soundest；　the　happiest；　where　each　sex　conscientiously　discharges
its　own　duties；　without　intruding　on　those　of　the　other。

It　is　true　that　the　world　has　often　seen　individual　women　called　by
the　manifest　will　of　Providence　to　positions　of　the　highest　authority；
to　the　thrones　of　rulers　and　sovereigns。　And　many　of　these　women
have　discharged　those　duties　with　great　intellectual　ability　and　great
success。　It　is　rather　the　fashion　now　among　literary　men　to
depreciate　Queen　Elizabeth　and　her　government。　But　it　is　clear　that；

440
whatever　may　have　been　her　errorsand　no　doubt　they　were　grave
she　still　appears　in　the　roll　of　history　as　one　of　the　best　sovereigns
not　only　of　her　own　house；　but　of　all　the　dynasties　of　England。
Certainly　she　was　in　every　way　a　better　and　a　more　successful　ruler
than　her　own　father　or　her　own　brother…in…law；　and　better　also　than
the　Stuarts　who　filled　her　throne　at　a　later　day。　Catherine　of　Russia；
though　most　unworthy　as　a　woman；　had　a　force　of　intellectual　ability
quite　beyond　dispute；　and　which　made　itself　felt　in　every　department
of　her　government。　Isabella　I。　of　Spain　gave　proof　of　legislative　and
executive　ability　of　the　very　highest　order；　she　was　not　only　one　of
the　purest　and　noblest；　but　also；　considering　the　age　to　which　she
belonged；　and　the　obstacles　in　her　way；　one　of　the　most　skillful
sovereigns　the　world　has　ever　seen。　Her　nature　was　full　of　clear
intelligence；　with　the　highest　moral　and　physical　courage。　She　was　in
every　way　a　better　ruler　than　her　own　husband；　to　whom　she　proved
nevertheless　an　admirable　wife；　acting　independently　only　where
clear　principle　was　at　stake。　The　two　greet　errors　of　her　r