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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



THE FUTURE RELATIONS OF THE SEXES. 

 To the Editor of the Popular Science Monthly : 



IN the article on "Woman's Place in Na- 

 ture," which appeared in the January 

 number of The Popular Science Monthly, 

 some applications of the general principles 

 enunciated were omitted for the sake of 

 brevity, and, deeming them important, I 

 send them for publication, in continuation 

 of that argument. 



Although the characters peculiar to each 

 sex have undoubtedly been acquired under 

 the operation of the same laws, it would 

 seem that men and women have become too 

 much differentiated in their mode of living, 

 for the physical or mental health of either. 

 Among lower animals in a wild state, sex 

 makes little difference in the habits of life ; 

 and, among barbarous tribes and races of 

 men, there is little concerted action or differ- 

 entiation of duties of men and women, except 

 in the conduct of wars of rivalry or defense ; 

 and it has always been considered a sign of 

 a higher civilization when woman is released 

 from the heavier kinds of labor, and rele- 

 gated to a special and different sphere of 

 activity. But civilization, even, may be car- 

 ried too far, in the extreme separation of 

 men and women in their daily lives, no less 

 than in the generally-acknowledged direc- 

 tion of the excessive refinements of metro- 

 politan life ; and there seems to be a ten- 

 dency to a " reversion " in this respect, in 

 an increasing disposition on the part of 

 women to share, to a fuller extent than 

 heretofore, the labors, the interests, the 

 education, and the recreations, which do so 

 much to give physical health and mental 

 vigor to men. On the other hand, the sexual 

 erethism, amounting to a pathological con- 

 dition, so frequent among the men of to- 

 day, may be regarded as an indication in 

 the same direction. The greater strength 

 of sexual passions in meu is looked upon 

 as a weakness and degradation by women 

 the " social evil " being largely attributed 

 to it as a cause. While the brief review of 

 the causes and conditions of the develop- 



ment of the race, given in a former article, 

 shows, if both facts and deductions are ac- 

 cepted, that the higher traits of human 

 character have arisen largely through this 

 inequality, the fact of its having become 

 excessive may be taken as an indication of 

 the desirableness of a " reversion " for men 

 as well as women ; and, through a more 

 intimate association in business relations, 

 where the affinities of sex would be less 

 powerfully asserted among sterner interests 

 where mere entertainment of each other 

 would not be the occupation of the hour, 

 as in social gatherings and dissipations it 

 is probable that a tendency would arise 

 toward an equalizing of ihe sexes in this par- 

 ticular, which would contribute to the health 

 of both ; and that co-education, though ad- 

 vocated in the interests of women only, 

 would result in advantage to both sexes. 



An undue accumulation of electric force 

 terminates in the thunder-bolt, which carries 

 disaster in its pathway ; while a more con- 

 stant communication between cloud and 

 earth tends to the maintenance of a safe 

 equilibrium, by which means catastrophe is 

 averted, and a better atmospheric condition 

 secured. 



While it would not be in accordance 

 with the principles of evolution to say that 

 woman does not now occupy her true and 

 natural place in life, the fact of her increas- 

 ing dissatisfaction with it is evidence that 

 she is moving on to a better one better, 

 because higher in the scale of evolution. 

 Says Lecky : u That the pursuits and educa- 

 tion of women will be considerably altered, 

 and that these alterations will bring with 

 them some modifications of the type of 

 character, may safely be predioted." 



Since it is in the direction of greater 

 moral as well as intellectual unfolding that 

 the future progress of the race is undoubt- 

 edly to consist, woman will find ample fields 

 for the expenditure of her special force and 

 influence. I would not be understood to 

 discourage women from entering any pro- 

 fession or department of labor to which 



