Beale, Dorothea, 1831-1906; Cheltenham Ladies' College -- History; Teachers -- England -- Biography
The book on Kaiserwerth, written as it was for a special cause, has
naturally long since had its day, though on its appearance it was
accepted widely enough to justify the thought of a second edition. Mrs.
Lancaster was greatly interested by it, and showed it to the Bishop of
London,[22] who had just signed the Rule of the newly-founded Sisterhood.
Both Bishop Jackson and Dean Trench declined, in friendly letters,
dedications to themselves of a second edition, and none appears to have
been issued; possibly on account of difficulties suggested by Mrs.
Lancaster, who wished the scope of the book enlarged to embrace work
of a similar nature in England. In the event of this being done, she
begged Miss Beale to add a notice of the infant Community of St. Peter’s,
then in Broughton Square. To-day the book can scarcely be called extant,
but there is certainly one copy in England and one in Kaiserwerth. It
is interesting because it shows, like other writing of this time, the
continuity of Miss Beale’s ideas and thoughts. Her sowing had been
betimes and abundant, and she could already gather as she needed. She did
not give till she had the wherewithal, and though in her long years she
frequently sowed afresh—was ever disciple as well as teacher—she was an
early husbandman, a wise householder, able continuously and opportunely
to bring out things new and old. The simile of Jairus’s daughter,
occurring for the first time in the passage quoted below, was one she
often quoted in connection with that awakening of women’s energies it had
been her lot to share; and one she finally enshrined for her children in
the window placed in the College to the memory of Miss Buckoll in 1890.
And like much of her later work, the little book shows also how much her
religion went hand in hand with all her work for others. There was no
thought of the emancipation of women, no word of rights; she spoke only
of duties, of scope to do good; but even these were quite secondary to
the desire, the will to make the effort, the ear to hear the bidding
voice. Here is a passage to illustrate this:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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