92 Ihe Higher Education of Women. 



woman. The only drawback to the higher education of woman 

 was the risk of increasing their individuahsm, and in 

 consequence their self-assertion. The purely communistic 

 feeling, the sense of the organic unity of the race, the glory of 

 living for great causes and sinking oneself in the advancement 

 of such causes — those were not always fostered by opening up 

 pathways to learning to which people might isolate themselves 

 till they became the most learned of their age. In conclusion, 

 he said he believed they were as yet on the threshold of triumph 

 as to the education of women, because he believed the more 

 thoroughly educated women were the more thoroughly improved 

 and educated men would be, and therefore the more elevated 

 and ennobled the future of the race would be. He was confident 

 that the higher education of the woman would develop and 

 evoke the virtues of chivalry, of courtesy, and of unselfishness 

 in men, because he was sure of this, that the most-highly 

 educated women, who were trained in knowledge, who became 

 experts in language, philosophy, science, and art, would exert 

 the highest and the deepest, and therefore the most benign, 

 influence on the education of their sons and daughters, and 

 consequently of the whole future of the world. 



Dr. Redfern. — The thoroughly exhaustive account which 

 has been given us of what has been done in all time, and 

 especially of recent years, to promote the education of women 

 prevents anything of importance being added. I was extremely 

 glad to hear, what I dare say many of you knew, of the 

 numerous successes of ladies in the Cambridge and London 

 University examinations, examinations, I believe, of the very 

 highest type in arts and science. Mention was also made of 

 what has happened on this side too. Ladies have not 

 unfrequently taken a very high — nay the very highest — place in 

 particular subjects at the examinations of the Royal University. 

 All its prizes and degrees are completely open to women, and 

 have been taken with great advantage by large numbers of ladies, 

 several of whom have altogether headed the men of their year. 

 Something was said by the Professor on which I wish to say a 



