A History of Matrimonial Institutions, Vol. 3 of 3Howard, George Elliott
History
A History of Matrimonial Institutions, Vol. 3 of 3
Howard, George Elliott
Families; Marriage -- History
[811] For example, see DR. STRAHAN, "The Struggle of the Sexes:
its Effect upon the Race," _Humanitarian_, III (Nov., 1893),
349-57; replying to an article entitled "Sex Bias" in the same
journal for July of that year; EDSON, "Women of Today," _North
Am. Rev._, CLVII, 440-51; who is criticised by ICHENHAEUSER, _Die
Ausnahmestellung Deutschlands in Sachen des Frauenstudiums_, 8
ff.; an article entitled "'Woman's Rights' Question Considered
from a Biological Point of View," _Quart. Jour. of Sci._, XV,
469-84; which is effectually disposed of by WARD, "Our Better
Halves," _Forum_, VI, 266-75. Ward is attacked by ALLEN, "Woman's
Place in Nature," _Forum_, VII, 258-63. ROMANES, "Mental
Differences of Men and Women," in _Pop. Sci. Monthly_, XXXI,
383-401, takes a conservative or intermediate position. A liberal
view is held by BROOKS, "The Condition of Women Zoölogically,"
_ibid._, XV, 145 ff., 347 ff.; and by WHITE, "Woman's Place in
Nature," _ibid._, VI, 292-301.
[812] CAIRD, _Morality of Marriage_, 13, 174, 175.
[813] Quoted by CAIRD, _op. cit._, 14. For a trenchant discussion
of this point compare MILL, _Subjection of Women_, 38-52, 111
ff., _passim._
It is vain for "scientific optimism" to seek in "nature" a
justification for woman's sexual subjection. "Independently ...
of its false facts and false premises, this pretended scientific
defense of the undue inequality of the sexes in man is fundamentally
unsound in resting upon a thoroughly false assumption, which is
only the more pernicious because widely prevalent. It assumes that
whatever exists in nature must be the best possible state.... The
only practical use to which we put science is to _improve upon
nature_, to control all classes of forces, social forces included,
to the end of bettering the conditions under which we inhabit the
earth. This is true civilization, and all of it."[814]
[814] WARD, _Dynamic Sociology_, I, 662.
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