with prayer by Henry Ludlow; we were warmly welcomed by brother Dunbar, and then these two left us.  After a moment, I arose and spoke about forty minutes, feeling, I think, entirely unembarrassed.  Then dear sister did her part better than I did.  We then read some extracts from papers and letters, and answered a few questions, when at five the meeting closed; after the question had been put whether our sisters wished another meeting to be held.  A good many rose, and Henry Ludlow says he is sure he can get his session room for us.”

This account of the first assembly of women, not Quakers, in a public place in America, addressed by American women, is deeply interesting, and touching from its very simplicity.

We who are so accustomed to hear women speak to promiscuous audiences on any and every subject, and to hear them applauded too, can scarcely realize the prejudice which, half a century back, sought to close the lips of two refined Christian ladies, desirous only of adding their testimony against the greatest evil of any age or country.  But those who denounced and ridiculed them builded better than they knew, for then and there was laid the corner-stone of that temple of equal rights for women, which has been built upon by so many brave hearts and willing hands since, and has brought to the front such staunch supporters and brilliant advocates as now adorn every convention of the Woman’s Rights Associations.

After mentioning some who came up and spoke to them after the meeting was over, Angelina adds:—­

“We went home to tea with Julia Tappan, and Brother Weld was all anxiety to hear about the meeting.  Julia undertook to give some account, and among other things mentioned that a warm-hearted abolitionist had found his way into the back part of the meeting, and was escorted out by Henry Ludlow.  Weld’s noble countenance instantly lighted up, and he exclaimed:  ’How supremely ridiculous to think of a man’s being shouldered out of a meeting, for fear he should hear a woman speak!’...

“In the evening a colonizationist of this city came to introduce an abolitionist to Lewis Tappan.  We women soon hedged in our expatriation brother, and held a long and interesting argument with him until near ten o’clock.  He gave up so much that I could not see what he had to stand on when we left him.”

Another meeting, similar to the first, was held the next week, when so much interest was manifested that it was decided to continue the meetings every week until further notice.  By the middle of January they had become so crowded, and were attended by such an influential class of women, that Mr. Ludlow concluded to offer his church to them.  He always opened the meetings with prayer, and then retired.  The addresses made by the sisters were called “lectures,” but they were rather familiar talks, occasionally a discussion, while many questions were asked and answered.  Angelina’s confidence in herself increased rapidly, until she no longer felt the least embarrassment in speaking; though she alludes to the exhausting effect of the meetings on her physical system.  Of Sarah, she says, writing to Jane Smith:—­