America, where the influence of education on health has been most
carefully studied. Her book is a most important contribution to the
discussion of one of the great social problems of our day. The extended
activity of women is now an accomplished fact; its results are on their
trial; and Mrs. Pfeiffer's excellent essays sum up the situation very
completely, and show the rational and scientific basis of the movement
more clearly and more logically than any other treatise I have as yet
seen.

* * * * *

It is interesting to note that many of the most advanced modern ideas on
the subject of the education of women are anticipated by Defoe in his
wonderful Essay upon Projects, where he proposes that a college for women
should be erected in every county in England, and ten colleges of the
kind in London. 'I have often thought of it, 'he says,' as one of the
most barbarous customs in the world that we deny the advantages of
learning to women. Their youth is spent to teach them to stitch and sew,
or make baubles. They are taught to read, indeed, and perhaps to write
their names or so, and that is the height of a woman's education. And I
would but ask any who slight the sex for their understanding, "What is a
man (a gentleman I mean) good for that is taught no more?" What has the
woman done to forfeit the privilege of being taught? Shall we upbraid
women with folly when it is only the error of this inhuman custom that
hindered them being made wiser?' Defoe then proceeds to elaborate his
scheme for the foundation of women's colleges, and enters into minute
details about the architecture, the general curriculum, and the
discipline. His suggestion that the penalty of death should be inflicted
on any man who ventured to make a proposal of marriage to any of the girl
students during term time possibly suggested the plot of Lord Tennyson's
Princess, so its harshness may be excused, and in all other respects his
ideas are admirable. I am glad to see that this curious little volume
forms one of the National Library series. In its anticipations of many
of our most modern inventions it shows how thoroughly practical all
dreamers are.

* * * * *

I am sorry to see that Mrs. Fawcett deprecates the engagement of ladies
of education as dressmakers and milliners, and speaks of it as being
detrimental to those who have fewer educational advantages. I myself
would like to see dressmaking regarded not merely as a learned
profess