2O THE WORLD'S WORKERS. 



the knowledge thus gained by preparing with her 

 own hands the jellies and creams required for the little 

 supper-pajrties given by her mother. 



The fact that this greatest woman-mathematician 

 of any age was a skilful cook and a clever needle- 

 woman ought to be specially noted. Some people 

 have an idea that intellectual women must of necessity 

 be helpless with their hands. It has been proved 

 again and again that this is a mistake. The truth of 

 the matter is that the capacity which enables a woman 

 to cultivate her mind renders it easy for her to fulfil 

 domestic duties also. Experience bears us out when 

 we say that it is a libel on women of education 

 and talent to say that they cannot be skilful house- 

 wives ; and the libel has partly arisen from the fact 

 that clever women find housekeeping so easy that they 

 do it without saying much about it. When a young 

 lady is likely to be called upon to preside over a home, 

 the point of importance for those who are going to be 

 dependent upon her for their comfort is not what 

 she knows, but what she is. If she is industrious, 

 energetic, clear-headed, and practical, the probability 

 is that as a housekeeper she will soon far surpass the 

 girl who is lackadaisical and limp, even though the 

 latter has practised nothing but cookery, house- 

 keeping, and needlework ever since she could walk. 



Mrs. Somerville, the great philosopher and mathe- 

 matician, is a proof that culture is not incompatible 

 with housewifely skill. Miss Cobbe, who was her 



