We are often told that women are unfitted for business pursuits.  If this was business, I should say decidedly they were.  My acquaintance with women has been large and varied, but I have yet to see the woman whom I consider qualified to be a member of the New York Board of Brokers.  I have been present at many gatherings composed entirely of women, from the “Woman’s Parliament” to country sewing-societies, but never, even in that much-abused body, the New York Sorosis, have I seen a crowd of women, however excited, however frolicsome, however full of fun, capable of playing football with each other’s bonnets even upon April Fools’ Day.  I am convinced that not even Miss Anthony or Mrs. Stanton would have hesitated to admit, had she been present on the auspicious occasion above recorded, that there are limits even to woman’s sphere.  Let her preach and practice, and sail ships, and make horse-shoes, and command armies, if she will, let her vote for all sorts of disreputable characters to be set over her, if she choose, but let her recognize the fact that between her and the gentle amenities of the New York Stock Exchange there is a great gulf fixed, which only the superior being man, with his lordly intellect, his keen morality and his exquisite and unvarying courtesy, can bridge over.

K.H.

MR. SOTHERN AS GARRICK.

One hundred and thirty-five years ago two young men came up to London to try their fortune:  half riding, half walking, the young fellows made their journey.  One was thick-set, heavy and uncouth, and years afterward became known to men and fame as Samuel Johnson:  the other was bright, slender, active, and was called David Garrick.  Some ten years later, just before the battle of Culloden, a Dutch vessel, having crossed the Channel, landed at Harwich.  There was on board an apparent page, in reality a young Viennese girl disguised in male attire, who journeyed up to London too, where she soon made her appearance as a dancer at the Hay-market Theatre:  there she achieved great success, and became talked about as “La Violette.”  She was under the patronage of the earl and countess of Burlington, and finally became Mrs. Garrick.  It is said that she was the daughter of a respectable citizen of Vienna—­that she had been engaged to dance at the palace with the children of the empress Maria Teresa, but that, her charms proving too attractive to the emperor, the empress had packed her off to London with letters of recommendation to persons of quality there.  It seems more probable, however, that she was am actress at Vienna, and simply crossed the sea to try her fortune in England.  Becoming fascinated with Garrick’s acting, she married him after refusing several more brilliant offers, and in spite of the opposition of her kind patroness, Lady Burlington, who wished her to marry so as to secure higher social position.  This match gave rise to much romantic gossip.  It was said that