The growth of the world has followed the widening lives of men, outside the home. The specialised trade, with its modification of character; the surplus production and every widening range of trade and commerce; the steadily increasing power of distribution, and transportation, with its increased area, ease, and speed; the ensuing increase in travel now so general and continuous; and following that the increase in our knowledge and love of one another; all--all that makes for civilisation, for progress, for the growth of humanity up and on toward the race ideal--takes place outside the home. This is what has been denied to the lady of the house--merely all human life! Some human life she must needs partake of by the law of heredity, sharing in the growth of the race through the father; and some she has also shared through contact with the man in such time as he was with her in the house, to such a degree as he was willing and able to share his experience. Also her condition has been steadily ameliorated, as he, growing ever broader and wiser by his human relationships, brought wisdom and justice and larger love into his family relationship. But the gain came from without, and filtered down to the woman in most niggardly fashion. Literature was a great world-art for centuries and centuries before women were allowed to read--to say nothing of write! It is not long since the opinion was held that, if women were allowed to write, they would but write love letters! In our last century, in civilised Christian England, Harriet Martineau and Jane Austen covered their writing with their sewing when visitors came in; writing was "unwomanly!" The very greatest of our human gains we have been the slowest to share with woman: education and democracy. We have allowed them religion in a sense--as we have allowed them medicine--to take; not to give! They might have a priest as they might have a doctor, but on no account be one! Religion was for man to preach--and woman to practise. In some churches, very recently, we are at last permitting women to hold equal place with men in what they deem to be the special service of God, but it is not yet common. Her extra-domestic education has been won within a lifetime; and there are still extant many to speak and write against it, even in the Universities--those men of Mezozoic minds! And her place as active participant in democratic government is still denied by an immense majority, on the ground--the same old underlying ground--that it would take her from the house! Here, clear and strong, stands out that ancient theory, that the very existence of womanhood depends on staying in the house.