Page:The rights of women and the sexual relations.djvu/211

 

Mr. Editor — On a former occasion you had asked me to speak without reserve in the columns of "Der Pionier." I comply with this request all the more willingly because it was needless in my case. I have always been in the habit of speaking my mind freely, which, as I have often been told, is not considered "wise;" but I could never see why it should be less wise, not to suppress my convictions, not to give up my right, and not to sacrifice my freedom, than t make my regard for the weakness, the folly, and the errors of others the law of my actions. Least of all can I think of this to-day, when I have made up my mind to discuss a subject which, according to my opinion, cannot be treated inconsiderately enough.

Shakspeare says "Frailty, thy name is woman." No one would contradict me less than Shakspeare himself, if I should say, "Deception, thy name is man!' I shall not take the trouble to prove what mountains of lies men have left behind them, whenever they have entered the realm of history; it is sufficient for my purpose to show, first of all, that their whole relationship to us women has ever been one of lies. Just as every tyrant lies, must lie, so men also have always lied, because they were our