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AN ENGLISHWOMAN IN AMERICA . An Englishwoman ' s Experience in America . By Marianne Finch . Bentley . Tins is truly what it purports to bo—the book of an Englishwoman , rpcordin " a woman ' s experience , and written from a woman ' s point of view . This makes the book interesting ; anything remark a bly new on the subject was not to be expected , and yet by her mode of treatment Mrs . Finch has given us a very agreeable and suggestive volume . Her impressions of America are decidedly favourable , tone does not approve of all she sees , but discriminates . Even in noticing a fault , she does not satirize ; as , for example , in her indication of that nngentlemanly forgetfulness of woman ' s presence implied in the following : — most unfortunately lo
" On our return to Boston , by the evening train , T was - cated in a group of expectorating gentlemen , whom it pleased my evil genius to keep near me all the way back . In vain I opened the window , hoping to drive them to a warmer latitude ;* no vacancy occurred in t hose regions , so I was obliged to reconcile myself to becoming a peninsula in a sea of tobacco-juice—too happy if I could keep ' it out of my face , which was often in peril , from <> ne of this chewing fraternity squirting past mo through the open window . Luckily , he was always successful in his aims , and ' cleared ' me and the window . I suppose it was confidence in his own skill that preve nted him from reassuring me , when I shrunk back , as a gentleman with similar aims did a friend of mine , who sat between him and a coach , window ; observing she was a little nervous when the nlthy missile passed her , he said , kindly , ' Don ' t trouble , ma ' am , I guess I can clear you / " None but the very lowest Englishman would persist in smoking in a carriage , when it annoyed women , why therefore will not Americans forego their quid under such circumstances ? When at Lowell , Mrs . Finch says : —
" I observed Hume ' s History of England , Joseph us , biographical and religious works , but very few novels . Mr . James , the English novelist , noticed the scarcity of light literature in one of these establishments , and mentioned it to the matron . She ( not knowing the profession of her visitor ) replied , Oh dear , I don't encourage such trash ! I tell ' em I never wish to see one in the bouse . ' The novelist , much amused , said , ' My dear madam , you did wrong there !'" In the following extract the reader will catcli a glimpse of one dear to England as to America . " The Universalists are a numerous and increasing sect , differing but little from the Unitarians . Like them they reject the Trinity , the doctrine of Atonement and Election . The idea to which they seem to attach most importance themselves , and by which they are known as a sect is—their belief in final and universal happiness , or that good will eventually triumph over evil ; that they may exist" together , but cannot assimilate—one being : transient and removable , the other permanent , and
inherent in God and nature . " Thus I heard it expounded by one of their most celebrated preachers in Boston —Mr . Miner . He illustrated his faith by facts from history , saying persons were burnt for witchcraft in that State , till the moral sense of the people was sufficiently awakened to stop it . " In forming their government , evil was permitted to enter it , in the shape of slavery . ' It remained by the side of liberty , but could never amalgamate with it . Expediency had kept them together , but tho strife remained j and would never cease till the slavery was overcome , '
" This is the only time I heard this tabooed subject mentioned in the pulpit , except by Theodore Parker , who , when the Bill for detaining fugitive slaves was passed into law , mentioned it on the following Sunday morning , after the sermon , saying he did not consider himself bound to obey this iniquitous law ; that there were nearly 500 fugitive slaves in Boston , whom he would assist by every means in his power ; and that he hoped there were many in that audience with manliness enough to do tho . same . The audience testified their approbation of his sentiments , by giving him a round of applause . "It has often been mentioned , as a reproach to the clergymen of America , that , with few exceptions , they arc silent on the subject of slavery .
" This is not surprising , when we reflect that a leader of any kind , whether political or religious , represents the opinions of the body over whom ho presides . No one with freedom of choice , would vote for a member of parliament whose opinions were opposed to his own : much less would he pay a man for preaching what he did not wish to hear—however conscientious the preacher might be . Of course , it follows , that if a congregation will not listen to anything about slnvevy , the minister must either be silent on that subject , or seek a congregation whose opinions are more in accordance with his own ; and this , in some cases , is such a breaking up of social and family ties—to say nothing of pecuniary loss—that wo cannot wonder if the former alternative ! is frequently preferred . This reflection must increase our admiration of those whose mental and moral nature , having
outgrown their associations , have enough of courage- uiul eonseientiousnesH to coma forward , and in the strength of their individuality declare the truth thnt is in them . " Among these in the Kev . Theodore Parker , who , disclaimed by all tho sects every Sunday morning preaches whatever lie thinks right to crowded and admiring nudienccH . Ho is the Hourdnloue of Boston , telling the free and independent republicaiiH of their faults , without the smallest reserve ); but they do not receive his censure wilh quite so good a grace as the French monarch did that of the thunderer of Notre Dame . " Clear and elevated in his views— -linn and uncompromising in their expression , . ] u > i , s born to influence liis fellow men , and leave Ilia ' foot-prints on the nands of time . ' "
Mrs . Finch also note . s of the 'HohIoii clergy thnt they resemble tho Catholic clergy in a more familiar intercourse with parishioners , thus bringing 'Religion ami Life- into nearer relalioiiH : — " There is one very pleasant characteristic of an American clergyman- ho belongs to his congregation . However wise and good lie may be , ho in not a mere moral nnd intellectual abstraction , hut lives , nnd moves , and has bin being among his people . This influences his preaching , rendering liis style perhaps more fuinilinv , mid permitting him to introduce subjects that Koine might think inappropriate If tho pulpit loses anything in dignity , it gains very much in interest ; by the introduction of incidents uh they occur in the surrounding life , frequently elevating ordinary chcunistnnceH , nnd ' setting life ' s trite things to music / by pussing them through u cultivated und elevated mind . '" One of tho most iiitoronting portions of this volurno is that devoted to
the " woman ' s movement" in America , a subject so open to iac ± ^ that one must not be surprised if small jesters seize upon it ; bu . subject which all thinking persons must admit to be of very considerable importance . Mrs . Finch gives curious information of the state of things in this direction . The small wits and small divines are , of course , hilarious and denun-. ciai-ive pn such an anarchical tendency as that of educating women in the graver learning " of men ; but Mrs . Finch answers with a sarcasm : — " In a paper edited by one of them , a leading divine of New York , in replying to a correspondent , he strenuously opposes woman taking part in anything public , overwhelming all opposition with this astounding climax : —* Place woman unbonneted and unshawled before the public gaze , and what becomes of her modesty and virtue f What , indeed , if it he all in her bonnet and shawl ?" Her experience of the female orators of the convention was by no means such as to make her shrink from the movement as unfeminine : —
" I received many fancy sketches of those jnonstrous women who met at Worcester to talk about their rights and wrongs . In spite of myself , I found their president ( Mrs . Paulina Davis ) fixed in my mind as a coarse , masculine , overbearing , disagreeable person , with a dirty house , a neglected family , and a henpecked husband . Being unexpectedly introduced to her , I was as much puzzled as we are told Napoleon was , when he liad to deal with an honest man , —for any other kind he was prepared ; I was prepared for anything monstrous , but to find Mrs . Davis , a fair , delicate-looking woman , with gentle manners , and a low voice , which she uses sparingly , completely set at nought all my pre-conceived notions .
I afterwards visited her at her home , near Providence , where I remained with her several days . Here again my fancy portrait was all wrong;—I found her a deeply-loved and most affectionate wife , an excellent housekeeper , and an indefatigable needle-woman . Had I not witnessed her home-virtues , I confess myself sufficiently prejudiced to have overlooked her public services . But having satisfied myself that she was regular in her devotions at the altar of the household gods , I felt at liberty to admire the clear intelligence by which she saw the bearings of this woman ' s movement , and deeply respected the courage and generosity that induced her to throw herself into it , and incur the responsibility and odmm of leadership , during its infancy and unpopularity . "
Of Mrs . Davis we hear : — " It happened that in the course of her reading she had met with Combe's Constitution of Man , a book which not only added to her love of the study of physiology , but strongly impressed her with a sense of its importance , especially to women , who , generally speaking , know so little about it . With this conviction she determined to educate herself for a lecturer on the subject . " Accordingly she proceeded to New York , and now it was that she realized all the difficulties and annoyances that were thrown in her path merely on account of her sex . Colleges were closed against her , books and apparatus were denied her , professors could not receive her with their pupils ; however , she persevered , sometimes stealing her knowledge by inducing doorkeepers and librarians to allow her to lock herself up with the manikins , skeletons , books , and other treasures entrusted to their keeping . At other times receiving her lessons at five o ' clock in the morningthat she might not interfere with the students of the more privileged sex .
, " After passing through this , she had to go through another ordeal , to establish herself as a lecturer . In this also she succeeded , as well as in making it remunerative . " After several years spent in this way , in which she says she learnt more than she could have done in a century from her former mode of life , she met with her present husband , a most worthy man , of whose intelligence and liberality it is superduous to Bpeak , since it is sufficiently proved by his choosing her for a wife , and their mutual attachment . " And of others : — . .. ..
" Subsequently I became acquainted with many of both sexes connected with this movement . I found they varied in circumstances , education , religion , and even in politics , but all united in an earnest protest against slavery in every form , whether of sex or colour , direct or indirect . They were earnest , intelligent , deep-thinking men and women , ' and the speeches delivered and the resolutions passed at their last convention , contained in a report now lying before me , corroborate this state" They do not advocate the equality of tho sexes , neither do they desire them to be like . All they claim is , that both sexes should have the samo chances of developmentand not base artificial distinctions on assumed differences .
, " They maintain that every faculty bestowed by the Creator brings with it a ri-ht to bo used , whether it belongs to man or woman ; that no circumstances can create faoultios not orig inally given by God , but that circumstances are necessary to their development ; for instance , light will not enable the blind imin to pee , but by withdrawing it from tho ui » n who can see , his eyes are useless to him , and he becomes as helpless as tho blind mini . So by excluding woman from the light of knowledge , she is in many thingn like one who cannot Hoe . " For this reason they demand for hoih sexes the samo advantage * in education , the same choice of employments , and the saino power in choosing thoir law-makers
and erovernora . # # # # * # * " Thanks to the woman ' s movement , some half-dozen medical colleges are now o p en to women , and two schools of design are established , ono in JJcwton , tho other in Philadelphia . About a hundred women hi each are studying drawing , designing , wood-engraving , and lithographing , with great success . " Physiological societies are also instituted in several places . " Hut these women complain ut having ' to receive this miserable pittance as ail act of grace , ' ( I use the words of their president , ) ' while millions of money , and a large body of tho most learned and talented men in the country are devoted to-Mie development of tho masculine mind , in all directioim that can give it strength and brightness , and wiir for it honour and wealth . ' The women arc refused a Hlmro in these advantages , on account of their sex , though this docH not prevent their being taxed to support them . "
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LIFE BY TIUO FIIIMSIDE . Life by the fflreside . By tho Autlior of Visitiny my Rotations . Hontloy . A ii Ai'i'V idea , pleasantly carried out . It iH indeed by tho Fireside that Life most simply and inost variously displays its < juiotor aspects ; and tho authoress of Visit ' mq my Halations , whose t » lent is tlml ; of quiet observation , and roiloofcion , has chosen & aubjeot peculiarly fitted to her , in ohoos-
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" * A Btovo ia ulwuya placed iii ottaU ooreiftgo .
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3 m THE LEAD E E . ( Baxv ^ — ______________ ¦ ' ^ ^ a ^^ im ^^^^^ mm ^^ mmmmm ^^^— --l—Z —ii * i ** m tm ^
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 9, 1853, page 356, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1981/page/20/
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