FUTURE OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE 



speare's most learned woman, was, according to her own 

 confession, but 



"An unlessoned girl, unschooled, unpracticed." 



And the heroines of the novelist, far from being women 

 who had a thirst for knowledge, or were eager 



"To sound the abyss 

 Of science and the secrets of the mind," 



were those only whose chief attractions were physical 

 graces and charms, affectionate natures, brilliant wit to- 

 gether with ' ' sweet laughs for bird-notes and blue eyes for 

 a heaven." 



Now, however, that women after ages of struggle are 

 beginning to experience a sense of intellectual freedom, 

 before unknown, and to exult in the fact that 



"Knowledge is now no more a fountain sealed"; 



now that they are, for the first time, beginning, in every 

 civilized nation, to realize their age-long aspirations for 

 unimpeded opportunity in all the activities of the intel- 

 lect; now that they are no longer 



"Dismissed in shame to live 

 No wiser than their mothers, household stuff, 

 Live chattels, * * * 

 * * * laughing-stocks of Time," 



we may expect soon to see a marked change in the char- 

 acter of the ideal woman as depicted in literature and as 

 desired by the intelligent portion of mankind. 



What woman's liberation from intellectual bondage and 

 her freedom to devote herself to scientific pursuits mean 

 for the future of humanity it is difficult at present ade- 

 quately to forecast. That it will contribute immensely to 

 the betterment of social conditions and to the elevation of 

 the masses of humanity, there can be no doubt. Setting 

 free the imprisoned energies of one half of our race, 



