that
the old one and the young one are both literally dying with hunger.

Two machines are constantly working to exterminate them:--the convent,
that immense _Workshop_, that works for little or nothing, not relying
on its labour for subsistence. Then the large shop, with sleeping
partners, that buys of the convent, and destroys by degrees the smaller
shops which employed the workwomen. The latter has but two chances
left--the Seine, or to find at night some heartless wretch who takes
advantage of her hunger--suicide or dishonour.

Men receive about as much as women from public charity: this is unjust.
They have infinitely more resources. They are stronger, have a greater
variety of work, more _initiative_, a more active impulse, more
locomotion, if I may so express myself, to go and hunt out work. They
travel, emigrate, and find engagements. Not to mention countries where
manual labour is very dear, I know of provinces in France, where it is
very difficult to find either journeymen or man-servants. Man can
wander to and fro. Woman remains at home and dies.

Let this workwoman, whom the opposition of the convent has crushed,
crawl to the gate of the convent--can she find an asylum there? She
would want, in default of dowry, the active protection of an
influential priest, a protection reserved for devout persons, such as
have had the time to follow the "_Mois de Marie_"--Devotions to the
Virgin--the _Catechisms of Perseverance_, &c., &c., and who have been,
for a long time past, under ecclesiastical authority. This protection
is often very dearly purchased; and for what? To get permission to
pass one's life shut up within walls, to be obliged to counterfeit a
devotion one has not! Death cannot be worse.

They die then, quietly, decently, and alone. They will never be seen
coming down from their garrets into the street to walk about with the
motto, "_To live working or die fighting_." They will make no
disturbances; we have nothing to fear from them. It is for this very
reason, that we are the more bound to assist them. Shall we then feel
our hearts affected only for those of whom we are afraid?

Men of money, if I must speak to you in your own money language, I will
tell you, that as soon as we shall have an economical government, it
will not hesitate to lay out its money for women, to help them to
maintain themselves by their industry.

Not only do these sickly women crowd our hospitals, and leave