From the hour of a woman’s birth to her death, there is a continuous system of belittling her, which, if it does not succeed in destroying her self-respect, thus teaching her that she may, as her only means of retaliation, allow herself in any little meanness which may occur to her, is so galling to that self-respect, that the wonder is that her very nature has not become revolutionized.  But women have so long been trained in this school, that they have, to a large extent, adopted the language expressive of their own inferiority, if not the sentiment itself.

Emma and John, as children, play together; Emma aged five and John three years respectively.  Their toys are suited to their sex—­Emma’s a doll, John’s a toy carriage and ponies.  For a time all goes on harmoniously; they use each other’s toys indiscriminately; for as yet their minds have not been contaminated by outside influences.  By and by, as will come in play, both children wish entire possession of the same toy.  There is a contest, and John appeals to mother:  “Emma has my carriage, and won’t give it up.”  “For shame!” says mother, “Emma, give John his toy directly.  Don’t you know that a carriage with ponies is a toy for little gentlemen?  Besides, if you are good, when you both grow up perhaps he will give you a ride with real carriage and live ponies.”  Awed by the command, and charmed by the distant prospect of the actual ride, the little girl—­as indeed she ought—­gives up the toy, and peace is restored for the time.  But presently a shrill cry is heard:  “Johnnie’s rubbing all the paint off my dolly’s cheeks.  He won’t give her to me.  O, he has broken her arm.”  The mother’s reply to this cry is stern and sharp.  “Don’t be so cross with your little brother.”  Then to John.  “O, John, you ought not to have broken sister’s pretty dolly; it wasn’t half so nice as your own little carriage and ponies.  Why didn’t you play with them?  Boys should be gentlemen.  Emma is only a little girl;” with a tone emphatic of inferiority upon the word girl.  “Little boys should never stoop to play with girl’s toys.”  Later on, where a girl’s enjoyment is in a measure provided for in connection with her brother, he is made almost invariably the purse-bearer.  What she has is of his generosity.  Girls must be yielding, submissive, and dependent, as becomes their sex.  Boys may be overbearing or rough; it is a sign of a manly spirit to be so.

Thus arrogance and injustice is fostered in the boy, and a sense of wrong begotten in the girl; the one is degraded in her own eyes, and in the eyes of her brother; the other is elevated above his just level in his own eyes and his sister’s; and heart-burning and jealousies engendered that often last through life.  A girl may hardly choose her own husband.  Her father, brother, or some friend will introduce some eligible party.  She is an undutiful girl if—­when he honors her by asking her hand—­she do not thankfully consent.  To the credit of humanity