to say about the certain outcome of the present movement amongst women the fact that religion, nature, and science are unanimous in their teaching. Everywhere we have the two principles: man, woman; mother, father. It is only, in fact, when we reach the sphere of what is called politics that the woman disappears altogether, and that the man is seen dominating and alone. I remember, as I write, one of those discussions that fill the columns of our newspapers at the dull seasons. It ran, I think, through the Daily News, and the question with which it started was “What is wrong?" The opener set out by asserting that our modern civilisation did not satisfy anybody. And he asked the momentous question, "Why is it? What is the secret of our discontent?” The discussion took the usual course. Floods of criticism, oceans of advice and sermonising were poured through the columns of the paper. Some said the social system was wrong. Others laid the blame on the lack of religion amongst the people. Selfishness, the drink habit, luxury, shiftlessness—all these were given as explanations. Not one of these writers seemed to see that the great wrong—the wrong at the heart of all our civilisation—is this: we are professing to be what we are not; we place before us a standard of righteousness which we do not attempt to follow.
What is our boast in England? It is that we are free. England, the official politician of to-day will tell us, for all that she has her ancient forms—the king, who is the dignified head of society; the landed and moneyed aristocracy; the lords of
