THE NORTH BRITISH REVIEW, No. LII. FOR FEBRUARY, 1857. 27, 1853. By THEODORE PARKER. London, 1855. 5. Woman and her Wishes: an Essay. THOMAS WENTWORTH NEGGINSON. don, 1854. By Lon ART. I.-1. The Communion of Labour; a and using, as they journey onwards, many Lecture on the Social Employments of variform vehicles of thought. Much as we Women. By MRS. JAMESON. London, may deplore some of these varieties, which are undoubtedly grotesque and unservicea1856. 2. Woman in the Nineteenth Century, and ble, it is perhaps hardly right that we should kindred Papers relating to the Sphere, condemn them. If we say anything, thereCondition, and Duties of Woman. By fore, of a not very complimentary character, MARGARET FULLER OSSOLI. Boston, 1855. with reference to the writings of any one of 3. Hertha. By FREDERIKA BREMER. Trans- the ladies whose works we have set before lated by MARY HOWITT. London, 1856. us, it must be accepted rather as the lan4. The Public Function of Woman; a guage of expostulation as regards herself, of be pure feelings Sermon preached at the Music Hall, March warning as regards others, than of censure and honest convictions where there are inor of ridicule. There may coherent words and preposterous grimaces. We opened Margaret Fuller's book with great expectations, and we were proportionately disappointed. Expostulation cannot reach her; therefore, all we have to say respecting the book before us can only proceed as a caution to others. If there be a subject on which it especially behoves all who address themselves to its consideration to speak in plain intelligible language, it is on this subject of the vocation of women. But Margaret Fuller has written on Woman in the nineteenth century in language which may be plain and intelligible in the United We require an interStates, but which certainly is not in the United Kingdom. preter to convey to us the meaning of such passages as the following: 6. Remarks on the Education of Girls, with By Edin 8. Lectures to Ladies on Practical Subjects. Cambridge, 1855. IT is very meet and right that women VOL. XXVI. "The especial genius of women I believe to be electrical in movement, intuitive in function, spiclassification, or recreation, as in an instinctive ritual in tendency. She excels not so easily in seizure of causes, and a simple breathing out of what she receives, that has the singleness of life rather than the selecting and energizing of art." We confess ourselves to be wholly impervious to the sense of this, if there be any sense in it; and the light which is let into of a life. But by amateur work we mean such us by the context is of the feeblest, if there work as people take upon themselves, from be any to illumine us at all. Mrs. Jameson impulse, from taste, or from a sense of duty says, that men complain of the preponder--a free gift, a voluntary contribution, as it ance of the abstract and intangible in wo- were, to the world's store. The other work men's writings on this great subject. The of which we speak is the growth of hard complaint would not be unreasonable or un- necessity-the necessity in some wise to just if all women wrote like this. Imagine labor with one's body, if one is to live the bewilderment of a young girl in palace honestly, or at all. It is of this latter work or in cottage, at the piano or at the wash- that we propose principally to speak. tub, on being told that her genius is "elec- And yet we do not underrate the importtrical in movement, intuitive in function, ance of the former branch of the subject. and spiritual in tendency." An essay on It is to this mainly that Mrs. Jameson has woman in the nineteenth century ought not addressed herself-and very lovingly and to be a string of rhapsodies. What we want intelligently-in her lecture on the "Comis something plain-spoken and practical, munion of Labour." That women tenderly such as Margaret Brewster writes and Mar- nurtured, carefully educated, and sufficiently garet Fuller does not something not endowed with the good gifts of the world, about woman's genius, but woman's work. have much unoccupied time, much undirected We have already had too much in connex- energy, and much unavailable talent, is a ion with this subject of the ethereal and the spiritual of mind and music-of the soul, which according to Margaret Fuller, as modified in women, "flows, breathes, sings, rather than deposits soil, or finishes work." Women have been told already, during too many centuries, what it becomes them to be. Now, in this nineteenth century, it is time that something should be done to teach them what to do, and to help them to do it. The posse ought now to take the place of the esse in our speculations. It has been too long an inherent vice in our system of female education, that it has tended wholly to the inculcation of the former. It has been the presumption that the passive is for women, the active only for men. fact which may be deplored, but cannot be denied. There are thousands of women who, financially, can afford to be idle. They may lie softly, and live delicately, and fare sumptuously every day, without stretching forth a hand to attain for themselves the means of enjoyment. They toil not, neither do they spin. Others toil and spin for them. Their only necessity is to be comely and amiable. They are not born to work; and it seems a mere irrelevance to use so coarse a word in connexion with their sphere of duties. But it is not less their duty to work. Every woman, from the Queen on the throne to the little " Pippa" who "passes," every day to the Filature, has her work to do, and is responsible for the due performance of it. "All service ranks the same with God." All are servants equally in His sight. We write in the past tense, believing that, in the "nineteenth century," we are becoming increasingly alive to the fact, that the great want of the age is the want of suf And this truth is beginning to be better ficient employment for women-or rather, and better understood. We believe that at to speak more correctly, with reference to no period of the social history of Great this great matter of the employment of wo- Briiain have the "higher classes of society," men, a proper adaptation of means to the as we are wont to call them, had a stronger end. There is abundant employment for and more abiding sense of their duty to their women, if we will only let them have it. neighbours,-at no period have more streCivilisation throws up her work at the feet alike of men and women; and the world is now becoming convinced that the women have not yet been suffered to pick up their fair share. Even a superficial glance at the contents of the volumes before us will show that this matter of women's work divides itself into two distinct branches. When we write the words "Employment of Women," we do not doubt that they convey to different readers very dissimilar ideas. In truth there is amateur work, and there is business work. Often it happens that amateur work is very solemnly undertaken and very strenuously pursued, and is in reality the business nuous efforts been made by those with whom work is not a necessity, to take their proper place among the true workmen of the age. The "communion of labour" is in these days something more than a communion of sexes; it is also a communion of classes. There is much yet to be done-much yet to be learnt by them-before our upper classes can free themselves from the reproach of shortcoming and neglect. But it is no small thing to be able to record that they are more alive, than they ever yet have been, to a just sense of their duties to the poor, more intent upon learning how to do good, and more earnest in their endeavours to do it. "A kindlier influence reigned, and everywhere We need not add that in this good mové- from the contamination of the useful-as ment the ladies of England would fain be, though the useful and the beautiful were if not in advance of their lords, assuredly no always in vigorous antagonism the one with step behind them. Every man may do the other. But we are beginning now to something for his neighbours, let his profes- perceive that the useful may be also the sional labours be as great and absorbing as beautiful. Mrs. Jameson in her last lecture they may. Every man can find some time quotes the following prophetic passage from for social pleasures; he may find it, there- Tennyson's "Princess" fore, for social duties. We cannot in any case admit the plea of "too busy." But women, who have not to go forth every morning to their appointed work, and who have domestic servants to aid them in their household duties, have larger opportunities of contributing to the welfare of their poorer brethren; whilst at the same time they have an acuter perception not only of the real wants and sufferings of the poor, but of the best and readiest means of alleviating them. In other words, they are more sympathizing; and sympathy is everything in such matters. talked, To gather light, and she that was, became This is of course quoted with an inevitable reference to Miss Nightingale and her associates, who have done so much to prove that the useful and the beautiful are not antagonistic. Nothing, in these times, is ever written on the subject of the employment of women, without a reference to this honoured lady. And in good truth she deserves the But it says little for the past his honour. "I have the deepest conviction," says Mrs. Jameson, "founded not merely on my own experience and observation, but on the testimony of some of the wisest and best men amongst us, that to enlarge the working sphere of woman to the measure of her faculties, to give her a more prac- tory of the ladies of England, that now in tical and authorized share in all social arrange- the nineteenth century such womanly efforts ments, which have for their object the ameliora- should have excited no less astonishment tion of evil and suffering, is to elevate her in the social scale; and that whatever renders womanhood respected and respectable in the estimation of the people, tends to humanize and refine the people." than admiration. Such organization of voluntary charity was something new and strange to the people of England, until a great occasion called forth the great endeavours of this Christian lady, who found And of this truth we are as deeply con- worthy associates willing to share the toil vinced as Mrs. Jameson herself. But what and the peril of her devotion. Not that with our false conventional notions, and the she had not before consecrated herself to jealousy and exclusiveness of men, women, good works; but that all she had before with desires and faculties for better things, done had been in that quiet unobtrusive way and for larger work, are kept back when which God appreciates more than man. they ought to be encouraged to go forward, And in good truth, we believe that such serand they are compelled continually to hold vice as Florence Nightingale rendered to in restraint the good instincts of their nature in obedience to a cry, now we hope growing feebler and feebler every day, that to be useful is to be "unfeminine." her fellows in the Crimea was much more easily performed than that which she had been performing, in unknown places, and with little or no eclat, before the great event "There's nothing," says the great drama- of the Russian war, by turning the energies tist, uttering a truth centuries before put forth of her humanity into a new channel, made by Epictetus-" There's nothing either good her a popular heroine. There are thousands or bad but thinking makes it so." Not of English ladies who, when they heard things themselves, but our ideas or dogmas what their sister had done, would willingly respecting these things, disturb us. We have done likewise-nay, were eager to do it. have been frightened for many years by the There was so much sustaining excitement word "unfeminine." It had come to be a-so much of romance-so much of the dogma of great repute amongst us that all independent action is unfeminine. It seemed to be one of the first social duties of men to keep their wives and sisters and daughters * *Tagácσew Tous ȧvẹo̟úñоvç où тà пçúyuara, ἀλλὰ τὰ περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων δογμάτα. "pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war"-it was so certain that the eyes of all England, of all Europe, were turned towards the countries to which our armies had proceeded that it needed very little fortitude, very little self-sacrifice, to participate in such an enterprise. We wish that we make her a heroine, After all, it is no more than an episode in her life, and not that, perhaps, to which at life's close she will look back with the most satisfaction. could believe that all, who were so well developed charity, to which the war gave inclined to minister to the wants of our only a temporary direction. The war may bearded Crimean heroes at Scutari are, now have made this lady famous, but it did not that the war is over, no less willing to tend, in hospital or in workhouse, repulsive old women, and feeble, neglected children, and to expend their charitable energies generally on the sufferers of Stoke Pogis or Little Peddlington. Wounded soldiers they have not always with them. But the poor they have always with them-the maimed, the halt, and the blind; the aged, and the bedridden. The truest heroism is that which labours and suffers far away from the reach of popular applause. But although we can see clearly the difference between attendance upon the sick and the wounded in military hospitals, during a great national crisis, and such ministrations as alleviate the sufferings and sorrow of less interesting specimens of humanity in uneventful times, we are still hopeful that the example of Florence Nightingale will have an abiding effect upon the women of England, irrespectively of the accidents of war or of peace. ""Tis on the advance of individual minds Mankind must found its reasonable expectations And she will still have her followers; she will yet live to see in her time an extended and extending belief that the useful and the beautiful are not antagonistic-that loveliness is never more lovely, gentleness never more gentle, than when woman, no matter on what scenes, devotes herself to the great work of alleviating suffering and sorrow. There is enough of both, Heaven knows, at our own doors. We need not to cross seas in search of them. Now that we have returned to our common-place, every-day life, with comparatively unexciting duties to evoke our energies, we must be prepared for some falling off; but we repeat the expression of our belief that the change in which we see so much good hope and encouragement had been inaugurated before the war commenced, and that there is now little likelihood of this progress being arrested. There are many abodes of misery in all our towns and parishes in which our English ladies may do incalculable good. They cannot begin better than in our Workhouses. We have all heard these places called Poor-Law Bastilles. We are all familiar with the aspect of the huge buildings, more or less shapely and architectural, which ever Making every allowance for the distinc- and anon meet our eyes as we ride or drive tions of which we speak, we believe that through an English county; and are now there is enough "clear gained" to the cause associated in our minds with the word of humanity, by the noble efforts of Miss" Union," and provocative perhaps of rather Nightingale, to make us rejoice in the move- discomforting thoughts of unaccountably ment which has taken the hearts of the Eng- high poor-rates. We all know the appearglish people by storm. There are many ance of the "workhouse people" and "worknecessarily who regard the matter wholly house children" in our parish churches; we from a military point of view-who look cannot mistake the cloaks of the old women, upon what she has done simply as a contri- and the caps of the young girls. But we bution to the general success of the cam- are afraid that there are not many of us paign. But there is still enough of good who know more than the outward appearsense and good feeling among us to divest, ance of the workhouse and its inmates. in the minds of at least a section of the Many, with really large instincts of charity, community, the nobility of her conduct of not only eager to do, but active in doing all such adventitious aid, and to look upon good towards their poorer brethren, shrink all that has been done as a matter of pure from "mixing themselves up with parish humanity. Moreover, it is our hope-in- business." They administer to the wants of deed, it is our belief, that although this the poor in their own way, and leave the camp-following, this. hospital-visiting, which poorhouse to itself, content to believe that it has made for Florence Nightingale a name is well minded by those who are paid for in English history, was in regard of its ad- looking after its concerns. But it would ventitious circumstances-its outer environ- not be easy to over-estimate the good that ments-something exceptional and unpre- might be done by the gentry of England, cedented; it was in itself only the expres- and especially by English ladies, if they sion of a previously-existing state of feeling would undertake a systematic visitation of -the outward manifestation of an already- our workhouses. We know that there are 1857. The Employment of Women. Boards of Guardians, and periodical meet- sores" of guardsmen and linesmen-draings and inspections, and that there are sala- goons and lancers-gunners and riflemen. ried poor-law functionaries of a higher Indeed, we know nothing sadder; for these grade; but it is not of such visitation that helpless little ones have never any chance we speak. In this woman has no part. from the commencement. They are born There is "no communion of labour" outside to sorrow, as they are born to sin, with litthe poorhouse walls. And yet how much tle prospect of escape from either. There good might our ladies do among the women can be no greater objects of pity; none and children who constitute so large a portion more worthy of our boundless compassion. of the inmates of our workhouses. Hear The London papers have lately teemed what a practical man-long the chaplain of with accounts of disturbances and outrages A huge metropolitan workhouse (the Rev. in one or more of our great metropolitan workhouses. Attempts have been made to Mr. Brewer) says upon the subject:reduce obstreperous girls to order by the These revelations "Ladies have been drawn to see that they have discipline of the lash. a mission-a deep and solemn one-to perform have been painful in the extreme. It is, and preach; and yet the full extent of that mis- doubtless, very bad that so indecent and so sion has not at present been unveiled to them, barbarous a system of coercion should be still less its paramount, its incalculable impor-resorted to by our workhouse jailers; but tance upon our national prosperity. Their dis- it is far worse that these poor girls should trict-visiting has been mainly confined to the dis tribution of a few tracts, perhaps to the reading ever have come to such a state as to require, of some verses in the Bible; whilst the insensible even in the estimation of their custodiers, influence of their common words, their ordinary such brutal and brutalizing treatment. manners, their dress, their voice, the numerous The pity of it is not that they were flogged, thoughts, suggestions, and instructions which they but that there should have existed in the convey unconsciously about them into the houses metropolis of Christian England a system of the poor, exercise a power far greater than of so depraving a character, as that young any. These thoughts often occured to me in my ministry at St. Giles' Workhouse. I often thought girls should grow up under it, lost to all how much more the gentle influence and silent sense of shame, coarse and blasphemous in teaching of an earnest and meek lady would be speech, in action violent and pugnacious, effectual, especially with her own sex, beyond all with nothing maidenly, nothing womanly that I could say or do. I have often thought about them, except the name and the attire that the very contrast would teach more than the they disgrace. But even for these lost ones most impressive argument; that the insensible there is some hope. The humanizing influence of good women may still reach even conviction thus conveyed to the minds of those who had never seen the best of their sex-certainly had never seen them engaged in a mission their hearts. Gentle words and kindly acts of mercy to themselves-would be effectual above-expressions of interest and sympathyall other methods. And I am bound to say that will not be thrown away upon them. Even I think it would be accepted with great grati- these poor creatures may in time come to tade."-Lectures to Ladies on Practical Subjects. bless the passing shadow of the kind lady who has spoken to them the only words of tenderness and encouragement which, perhaps, they have ever heard; and better hopes may spring up in their hearts to be the parents of better deeds. And that this is not a mere visionary philanthropy we have good evidence afforded us even as we write. At a meeting held in London on the 11th of October, in last year, to take into consideration the state of the Marylebone Workhouse, and the treatment to which its female inmates had been subjected, Mr. Jacob Bell, to his honour, spoke out thusas we find his speech reported in the Daily News: "These poor girls, bad as they were, were the This especially relates to workhouses in victims of a bad system. They had been educatsubjected to contamination as they grew up, by great cities; but it may with some modified in the workhouse school, and they were there cation be applied even to those in our rural being placed with those likely to contaminate districts. It is as sad a thing to contemplate, them. He (Mr. Bell) had seen this, and had as the "wounds and bruises and putrefying tried to remedy it, by insisting on the removal of |