Women’s Work and Women’s

Waipawa Mail, Volume X, Issue 1022, 14 December 1886, Page 4

Women’s Work and Women’s

DutyAn Address by Mrs Fawcett. Tins famous lecturer on “ Women’s has arrived at a very sensible conclusion. Mrs Fawcett warned her hearers against breaking entirely with (ho old ideal cf womanhood. Above all, while seeking to enlarge tho interests of women’s lives and to a certain extent to change the typo of tho ideal woman, let them be very careful to “ hold fast tlm( which was good” in tho old ideal of womanhood. Lot not pity and gentleness, puiily and compassion, bo ousted from tlieir throne. They were, not inconsistent with courage and determination. Let their ideal bo in Ciirlylo’s words “ the freedom and valour of womanhood.” Indeed, strength was never so strong as when it was allied with purity. The Foot Laureate had tnught them that in his lines about Sir Galahad— My strength is as the strength of ten, Because my heart is puro. Olio sometimes heard of women joining shooting parties, watching a battue, and even stalking deer. Let them leave the slaughter of animals for amusement to those who havo been condemned to it l>y tradition and education. Let them imitate manly virtues as much ns they liked ; there would bo too much courage, honour, and diligence in tho world. But let them avoid all foolish imitations in mere externals, and worso than foolish imitations of men in what was least to he admired in them. Let them, if they would truly serve tho woman’s cause, appreciate at their high value all tho duties that from time immemorial had, in our country at Fast, been regarded as women’s special work—tho direction of tho household, the care of the young and sick. Let all that fell to their lot in those directions bo done ztlously, conscientiously, and well.