HIGHER EDUCATION FOR WOMAN-. 315 



I may venture to confess that I have often reflected with sorrow, on 

 the contrast with which I was familiar in earlier days, when the young 

 graduates of Edinburgh were to be seen eagerly claiming a share in 

 critical discussions and scientific researches ; whilst here, our Canadian 

 Institute languishes in the hands of the same old exotics; and we look 

 in vain for the new generation of scientific labourers, of which, the 

 University prize lists seem so full of promise. 



It will be mourned over ; yet I fear it is inevitable that our best 

 honour men shall desert science and letters; and press on, eager for 

 the prizes in the real battle of life. But if it is premature to look for 

 those evidences of a higli civilization which belong to older nations, 

 where the thinker finds his true sphere, and achieves his higher 

 triumphs : there is one respect at least in which our civilization is in- 

 disputable, and that is in the position accorded to woman. In her 

 dower-rights, tenure of property, inheritance, and admission to all 

 privileges and duties to which she may fitly aspire, mucb has been 

 done by the yeomen of Canada, without pretence of chivalry, which 

 neither a Bayard nor a Sidney could surpass. There is no country in 

 the world where woman enjoys more leisure and independent freedom 

 of action, than in this Province : emancipated as she is alike from 

 sordid cares and the oppressive exactions of social conventionalities. 

 If men toil with even undue ardour in the pursuit of wealth, they are 

 well content that sisters, wives, and daughters enjoy its rewards. It is 

 a new social organization in which, unconsciously, is being conferred 

 on woman all which once pertained to the old world's privileged orders. 

 But let us not sacrifice thereby that womanhood which forms the fit 

 counterpart to England's vigorous manhood. Let us not strive, as it 

 sometimes seems to me is the result in neighbouring States, to clothe 

 woman in all that is costly, surround her with all that is attractive and 

 luxuriant, and then leaving her to her own resources, exclaim : " These 

 be the lilies, glorious as Solomon's : they toil not, neither do they 

 spin I" May we not rather look to you for the true leisure class, for 

 whom the great world of thought lies invitingly open as your legiti- 

 mate sphere ? 



I see in this, bright hopes for the future. A class of highly edu- 

 cated women in our midst would do more to elevate the tone of feeling, 

 and to awaken nobler aspirations in the intellectual manhood of this 

 young country, than anything else I can conceive of. I see no other 

 means in any degree equally calculated to wean our young men of high 



