Thus far I have argued from the orthodox view, that matrimony ought to be the goal of every woman’s ambition.  But if a woman wishes to remain single and devote herself exclusively to the realisation of some ideal, it is hard to see why she should not.  Men who take this course are eulogised for their noble self-sacrifice in immolating themselves for the advancement of the cause of civilisation; women who do precisely the same thing are sometimes unthinkingly spoken of in terms of contempt or with that complacent pity which is far worse.  It is difficult for us to realise adequately what talented women like Rosa Bonheur had to undergo because of this curious attitude of humanity.

“The home is woman’s sphere.”  This shibboleth is the logical result of the attitude mentioned.  Doubtless, the home is woman’s sphere; but the home includes all that pertains to it—­city, politics and taxes, laws relating to the protection of minors, municipal rottenness which may corrupt children, schools and playgrounds and museums which may educate them.  Few doctrines have been productive of more pain than the “woman’s sphere” argument.  It is this which has, for a thousand years, made the unmarried woman, the Old Maid, the butt of the contemptible jibes of Christian society, whereof you will find no parallel in pagan antiquity.  Dramatic writers have held her up to ridicule on the stage on account of the peculiarities of character which are naturally acquired when a person is isolated from participation in the activities of life.  It is the doctrine which has made women glad to marry drunkards and rakes, to bring forth children tainted with the sins of their fathers, and to suffer hell on earth rather than incur the ridicule of the Christian gentleman who may, without incurring the protest of society, remain unmarried and sow an unlimited quantity of wild oats.  It is this doctrine which was indirectly responsible for the hanging and burning of eccentric old women on the charge that they were witches.  As men found a divine sanction for keeping women in subjection, so in those days of superstition did they blaspheme their Creator by digging out of the Old Testament, as a justification for their brutality, the text, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”

“Politics will degrade women”—­this naive confession that politics are rotten is a fairly strong argument that some good influence is needed to make them cleaner.  Generally speaking, it is difficult to imagine how politics could be made any worse.  If a woman cannot go to the polls or hold office without being insulted by rowdies, her vote will be potent to elect officials who should be able to secure for the community a standard of reasonable civilisation.  There is no case in which more sentimentality is wasted.  Lovely woman is urged not to allow her beauty, her gentleness, her tender submissiveness to become the butt of the lounger at the street corner; and in most instances lovely woman, like the celebrated Maitre Corbeau, is cajoled effectively.  Meanwhile the brothel and the sweat-shop continue on their prosperous way.  By a curious inconsistency, man will permit woman to help him out of a political dilemma and will then suavely remark that suffrage will degrade her.