LECTURES TO WOMEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10662, 24 May 1895, Page 2

LECTURES TO WOMEN.

Mr J. O’Bryen Hoare lectured on " Woman in her Social Relation ” yesterday, at the Art Gallery. There was a very large attendance. In dealing, with hia subject Mr Hoare stated that he should do so from a socialistic standpoint, defining Socialism as a belief that the welfare of the whole organism was of more importance than the advancement of any part. He stated that the common saying “ that tho position of woman marked the advancement of the nation or people,” appeared to place woman in aa artificial position. Why should she be a test any more than man ? The real reason was that she was still regarded aa the property of someone—and that she participated in the greater care which the civilized man bestowed upon his live stock. There was a time when woman was really the head of the tribe or group, because property was inherited through her. It was more easy for a man under a free form of marriage to identify his mother than hia father. He dwelt upon the practical difficulty which men felt in treating women on perfectly equal terms, and showed how this was accepted as a matter of course by women, many of whom still held the sister of mature years iu contempt, because she was not “ looked after by a white man.” The lecturer dealt at some . length with the organic nature of society, and the many important opportunities arising therefrom, calling in these days for all the energy of both men and women to reduce to order and unity all the conflicting element sof creed and caste. Passing to woman’s special work, he drew attention to Professor Drummond’s “ Evolution of a Mother.” Sex attraction and motherhood we re the means hitherto chiefly used by Nature to secure the permanence of society. Now we were all, knowingly or unknowingly, working at another stage—the evolution of a brother ; for there was no finality in Nature. He also drew special attention to the spiritual significance of sex. Woman was unlike man - in spirit—this cast no reflection on her. Such questions as—- " Which is physically or mentally, _or morally the stronger?” were foolish. There was one spirit, but its operations were different; the combinations of the different modes of expression, wore unlike. Tho recognition of this fact would lead to intor-depsndehco and unity of work. Happiness being the chief, indeed, the only, end of society, its attainment depended on liberty and justice, which would be the watchwords of the coming society. It was woman’s especial work to temper justice with mercy. Today society was often cruel, and the duty of society to the individual but poorly recognised; yet every so-called enemy of society was largely the creation of society. As had been truly said, “ Society has only the criminals it deserves.” The State was only tho means which society used to carry out its aims ; now in its tone. There was nothing absurd in the idea of two Houses of Legislature, one composed of men, the other of women. At all events, woman should aim at the removal of all legal disabilities. Not all women —as not all men —were fit to be legislators or judges. The few in either sex might be equally fit. In conclusion, Mr Hoare pressed upon his hearers the greatness of their work and the increasing number of their opportunities. Let them beware pf prejudice, woman’s curse. Her power to set a standard for men’s manners was as strong as ever. If her coming work was hard it was noble. Could she do better than stiive to mould her life by that measure of perfection which Sbakspere had set to men ?