THE EEVOLUTION'ARY MOVEMENT AMOKG WOMEN. 173 



where their education has most advauced, most bitter cause of 

 compkiint. 



III. 



Of the aims and methods there is but time for the most general 

 mention. 



The aim is to take woman out of the condition of subordination 

 to one of equality with man. As an aim it is all that it could be 

 — a whole, a wise, aud a just one. 



Of the methods, it must be said, they have often been mistaken 

 ones, hindering the cause. But they are explained as being the 

 only ones furnished as models — the means used by man in further- 

 ance of similar objects. 



IV. 



The supposed results being the hydra-headed confusion and des- 

 olation of the social scheme, it is well to look a little carefully at 

 what they would probably be. And, first, they must appear in 

 woman herself more than in man. The mere fact of equality be- 

 fore the law would vitalize her intellectual being, through an 

 added sense of power, not likely to awaken at once a correspond- 

 ing sense of responsibility. This has been the history of all class 

 advancement, and especially when advancing upon privileges long 

 withheld, and it cannot be doubted that the entire body of women,! 

 mean all classes of them, would be thus affected — first by the priv- 

 ileges, rather than by the duties, of the new position. Nor could 

 this fail to bring about great social injury, involving the neglect 

 of children and homes, domestic industries and charities, difl'erences 

 between husbands and wives, and disaster to private and public 

 business. As the direct result of the independence of woman, this 

 would be bad enough; but it would undoubtedly be followed by the 

 darker shades of increased licentiousness among both women and 

 men. Political power, and political power alone, as furnishing the 

 means of protecting himself against the inflictions which may 

 come of it, has been the bulwark of man's prerogative and prac- 

 tice of vice. It has done more and worse than this; it has com- 

 pelled, whenever his interests were subserved thereby, a participa- 

 tion bj' woman in his vice, while meeting out direst penalties for 

 t.ie same when it did not so subserve his purposes. 



