I have often been surprised and almost frightened to see the singular skill and happy audacity with which young American women contrive to steer their thoughts and language through the traps of sprightly conversation; a philosopher would stumble at every step along the narrow path which they tread with assured facility.
Unable and unwilling to keep a girl in perpetual and complete ignorance, they are in a hurry to giver her precocious knowledge of everything. Far from hiding the world’s corruption from her, they want her to see it at once and take her own steps to avoid it. And they are more anxious to ensure her good conduct than to guard her innocence too carefully.
For my part, I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves here domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within it, nowhere does she enjoy a higher station. And now that I come near the end of this book in which I have recorded so many considerable achievements of the Americans, if anyone asks me what I think the chief cause of the extraordinary prosperity and growing power of this nation, I should answer that it is due to the superiority of their women.
-- Ch.12 How the American Views the Equality of the Sexes
No comments:
Post a Comment