Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/50

Rh the publicity of his wife's glory. It is said that he is pleased by it, and it does him honour.

At a public lecture, lately delivered by a distinguished litterateur, Mr. Dana, on Shakspere, he instanced Desdemona as the ideal of woman in all ages, beyond which none higher could be found. When, however, the lecture was ended, Lucretia Mott rose, and said:—

“Friend Dana, I consider that thou art wrong in thy representation of what woman ought to be, and I will endeavour to prove it.”

She, therefore, proposed to the assembly, to meet her on a certain day, in that same room. The assembly did not fail to be present, and Lucretia M. delivered an excellent lecture, permeated by that love of truth and integrity which is the very foundation of Quakerism. Lucretia is a splendid woman and speaker, and would be still more splendid if she listened a little more attentively to other people's observations and thoughts, especially on the slave question. But that she does not.

Among others who have invited me to their houses, is the wife of the British Consul. I called on her to thank her, and found her a warm-hearted, lively lady, particularly zealous on the subject of the development of her sex to a more independent life, both as regards body and soul. She had established a drawing-school for her young girls, where they could learn drawing, the making of designs, wood-engraving, &c., and she showed me various beautiful works of these young people. She had also endeavoured to establish other good institutions for women, but was annoyed by the want of sympathy which she met with, especially among women themselves. She said, “They do not stand by their sex!”

She thought that as the world now went on, the best service one could do to any new-born female child was to—drown it. I laughed at this extraordinary proof of love, but could not agree with this warm-hearted lady, that