They lift the banner of no party; and assert the opinions of no clique. They do not even attempt an originality, page: iv which, in treating of a subject like the present, would be either dangerous or impossible. Had it not been planned and completed, honestly, carefully, solemnly, even fearfully, with a keen sense of all it might do, or leave undone; and did not I believe it to be in some degree a good book, likely to effect some good, I would never have written or published it.
How much good it may do, or how little, is not mine either to know, to speculate, or to decide. I have written it, I hope, as humbly as conscientiously; and thus I leave it. I PREMISE that these thoughts do not concern married women, for whom there are always plenty to think, and who have generally quite enough to think of for themselves and those belonging to them. They have cast their lot for good or ill, have realised in greater or less degree the natural destiny of our sex. They must find out its comforts, cares, and responsibilities, and make the best of all.
It is the page: 2 single women, belonging to those supernumerary ranks, which political economists tell us, are yearly increasing, who most need thinking about. First, in their early estate, when they have so much in their possession—youth, bloom, and health giving them that temporary influence over the other sex which may result, and is meant to result, in a permanent one. Secondly, when this sovereignty is passing away, the chance of marriage lessening, or wholly ended, or voluntarily set aside, and the individual making up her mind to that which, respect for Grandfather Adam and Grandmother Eve must compel us to admit, is an unnatural condition of being.
We have only to deal with facts—with a certain acknowledged state of things, perhaps incapable of remedy, but by no means incapable of amelioration. But, granted these facts, and leaving to wiser heads the explanation of them—if indeed there be any—it seems advisable, or at least allowable, that any woman who has thought a good deal about the matter, should not fear to express in word—or deed, which is better,—any conclusions, which out of her own observation and experience she may have arrived at.
Herein I refer, as this chapter must be understood especially to refer, not to those whom ill or page: 4 good fortune— query , is it not often the latter? He has got the grand pabulum of the human soul—occupation. If any inherent want in his character, any unlucky combination of circumstances, nullifies this, what a poor creature the man becomes! And why? Yet this is precisely the condition of women for a third, a half, often the whole of their existence.
