d as important in
the seventeenth century--and the facilities were not at hand, even if
the sentiment had existed--it would be captious criticism to construe
this into a grievance against the sex. In all that pertained to
dignity and real worth, the women of the Commonwealth, with all the
narrowness of their training, were much in advance of womankind at
the beginning of the modern era, and their moral differentiation from
the women of the same class before the spread of Puritanism was most
marked. Puritanism was a distinct gain for woman, for through that
movement the process of raising women in the social scale received
great impetus. A comparison with the girls of France of about the
same period certainly shows that the low state of education among the
sex in England was not in any wise peculiar to English conditions.
Fenelon, in referring to the neglect of the education of the girls
of his country, says: "It is shameful, but ordinary, to see women who
have acuteness and politeness, not able to pronounce what they read;
either they hesitate or they intone in reading, when, instead, they
should pronounce with a simple and natural tone, but rounded and
uniform. They are still more deficient in orthography, whether in the
manner of composing their letters or in reading them when written."

The Civil War itself had a wide effect upon the state of education
among the people. Families in which education had been fostered,
with the turn of their fortunes found it impossible to continue it;
families whose fortunes had risen by political changes felt their
deficiency in this respect, and affected to despise accomplishments of
which they themselves were destitute. Certain of the more enlightened
Puritan women pretended to apply themselves to the study of Hebrew, on
the ground that they looked upon it as necessary to eternal salvation.
Such pedantry brought no credit to those who affected it, but only
served to heap odium upon the higher studies, which were now rejected
with contempt on all sides. How effectually interest in education was
suppressed by the civil disorders is shown by a remark of a traveller
who visited the country after the Revolution. He says: "Here in
England the women are kept from all learning, as the profane vulgar
were of old from the mysteries of the ancient religions." It is
amusing to note the theories which had arisen with regard to female
education and which were used to extenuate its lack. Some apol