Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/187

 they will prove themselves worthy to be all these three, and more than these, to the very utmost extent of their moral and intellectual being!

Perhaps there is nothing more entertaining to the wit of a cultured and intelligent woman than the recurrent piping wail of man's assertion that "woman has no creative power." Her place, says the didactic male, is the kitchen, the nursery, and beside the cradle. Certes, she can manage these three departments infinitely better than he can, especially the cradle part of it, wherein his fractious disposition is generally well displayed the moment he starts in life. But, as a matter of fact, there is hardly any vocation in which she cannot, if she puts her mind to it, distinguish herself just as easily and successfully as he can if he will only kindly stand out of her way. He makes himself ludicrous by persistently "crying her down" when all the world en masse beholds her taking the highest University honours over his head, and beating him intellectually on his own ground. In physical force he certainly outstrips her. Item,—he can kick her as heartily and skilfully as he can kick a football, vide the daily police reports. Item,—he can eat and drink much more than she can, because he devotes a great deal more time and attention to the study of gastronomy. Item,—he can smoke more. Item,—he can indulge freely in unbridled licentiousness, and amply prove his original savage right to be considered a polygamous animal, without being banned from "good, society," or anything being said against his moral character. This a woman cannot do. If she has many lovers, her conduct is severely criticized. But if she