THE FUTURE OF ENGLISH WOMEN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 215, 9 September 1872, Page 4

THE FUTURE OF ENGLISH WOMEN.

In a curious article in the Fortnightly Mr. Lawrenny draws 1 a picture of what English women were, what they are, and what we may expect them to become in' the future. That a revolution is impending he baa no doubt; and as it is idle to think of reviving the Garden of Eden, in London or New York, and equally im< possible to restore the woman of the good old times, who was so happy, pretty, and didn't lecture on the/ights of women, it is advisable, he thinks / /tbat the last triumph of Liberalism, which is the enfranchisement of women,V s should be effected as promptly and as peacefully as possible." Mr. Lawrenny looks forward to the time when women shall trade as merchants, have seats in Parliament, sit upon the Bench, and hold commissions in the army. *' It may be even surmised," he says, " that j the profession of arms will be rather a favorite with them than otherwise, for military glory has more in common with the aims they have hitherto been encouraged to pursue than any inducements held out by learned and commercial careers." The horrors of shedding blood need be no impediment. Women have already Jearned to perform surgical operalions, and it is more trying to the nerves to cut off a baby's leg than to shoot an invader, who may be out of sight. Mr. Fawcett, who considers that one of the most serious dangers to England is the too rapid growth of population, may find comfort in the belief expressed in this article that the contemplated changes would act as a check on marriage. To be sure, a fair warrior aspiring to some high military post would scarcely choose to be encumbered with a husband, and a lady barrister weighted with briefs would not care to have the incubus of children. It will be difficult, by the way, to decide what kind of wigs lady advocates should be permitted to wear. Artificial hairinny be. said to have become natural to women, and a becoming headgear might be devised which should be a trifle more^ attractive than that worn by male barristers. The ; thought, that, our sisters, wives, and daughters will relieve us. in a large measure from' an 'unenviable office by acting as jury women, may reconcile some of us to the inevitable change, and there are possibly misogynists who may rejoice at the thought that public avocations will absorb. the .superfluous enthusiasm and the fretful irritation of their '< woman kind," ; fforr r though Otway declares that Nature made lovely woman . to temper man, who' would-be a brute without her, yet she does occasionally manage to put him out of temper. Mr. Lawrenny sees with keen vision , the difficulties that may 'arise when the ■ woman is placed on the exact level with the man, and follows tire same' pursuits. " No doubt," he says, '* it would be thought a joke if a young -lady were dismissed from her office r./or^ gross-^carelessness, which was ebon afterwards explained;. by her marriage to the occupant of the next desk.'* But He consoles. himself with the thought that, jokes, and scandals are ppot. ot unknown in society now. The innovation will, he thinks, upon the whole, lea;ye the world little the worse or . the - be» titeri and he 'observes that there is only one career really idemoralising-r-'tbe' career,* -namely, of an ( agitator. ."The consequences to the^sex may be' truly disastrous if a, considerable number, of V^woraeu 7 are 'indiiced, by "the^difficulty ;;0f,.--s)btaining 'Other employment, to adoptVplatfprm' oratory as a profession." After all, J it is >a r/ comfort, tp , belie^ej/Jhat Wbmlm^'wlo/ are 'attractive , will ; 'sjill practise the/innocehif;*yi'#*tif charming, arid that womanly; grace, Bweet- . neas, aid intelligent ar^n^riikely to/be seriously affected by the a public life; but the true power wielded by : ;thf ;jjpx fwille icdntiiMi-^