Italian origin of the Renaissance feminist movement—Protests against war, force, the materialisation of the religious spirit and the hollowness of learning—Recourse to the affections—Quest of true happiness—Idealism: woman chooses the method—“Love and faith”—Crusade of love—Worship of life and hatred of death—Women the motive-force of life—Active and tranquillising rôle of Italian women in the 16th century—Conquest of France by the new spirit—General sentiment of the new society. Pages 6-20 _BOOK I. FAMILY LIFE_ CHAPTER I MARRIAGE Marriage, its realist character and its difficulties—The aim of marriage not personal satisfaction—The girl married blindfold—The father—Marriageable age—Interviews—Reflections of the father—Ideas of the bridegroom elect—His physical and moral criterion—His uneasiness—Final crisis—Ideas of Michelangelo and Raphael—Marriage ceremonies and festivities—Weddings at Naples, Florence, and Venice—Behind the scenes—Weddings in France—Brides’ journeys—Moral aspects. Pages 21-44 CHAPTER II THE MARRIED WOMAN The genius of motherhood—Marriage a physical science—Domestic difficulties—Platonism in marriage—Semi-wives—Wives in name only—Vocation of women for medicine—Women as sick-nurses—as doctors—Enfranchisement of women as regards medicine—Intimacies between women and doctors—Women’s medical collections—Hygienic rules—Neurasthenia—Woman as home-ruler—The châtelaine—Her management of retainers—The science of charity—Principles of great houses. Pages 45-69 CHAPTER III THE CHILDREN 1. _Maternity._—Tendency to small families, its various causes—Marital misfortunes—How new arrivals were received—Unpopularity of feeding by the mothers—Children educated by the mother till the age of seven—Old system of hardening—New system based on reason. 2. _The Boys._—Necessity of developing individualism among them—Paternal education—Growing influence of the mother—College life—Greatness and decadence of tutors—Understanding between tutors and mothers—Excessive production of young men of fashion—Influence of the new ideas—Decline of the spirit of toil and discipline. Pages 70-85 CHAPTER IV THE EDUCATION OF GIRLS