pen to men alone, but
Madeline Andrzejkowicz has endeavored to fill the gap by
establishing at Warsaw a school of painting for women. The first
woman's industrial school was founded in 1874 at Warsaw, and during
the first six years, to 1880, it had 743 scholars. Establishments
of this kind are now quite numerous in the kingdom, but, for
political reasons, they have not been founded in the Polish
provinces of Russia. The unfortunate political situation of Poland,
which robs even men of their rights, is an insurmountable obstacle
in the way of the emancipation of women. There are, however, many
encouraging signs of progress. At Warsaw there is more than one
newspaper edited by a woman. Marie Ilnicka has owned and edited for
more than sixteen years, at the capital, a paper which is widely
read and which has great influence. It is no uncommon thing for
women to deliver public lectures, which are very popular and draw
large houses. Elise Orzeszko, the distinguished Polish novelist,
tells me:

We have confidence in the efforts of the men who are leading
society and who are sacrificing their talents and earnestly
toiling to advance liberal ideas. In the meanwhile our duty is to
awaken thought on the question of woman's rights, so that when a
better day does come to Poland, women may be ready to participate
in the common welfare.

* * * * *

But we cannot close this brief sketch without mentioning the
Orient, that region of transition between the darkness of Asia and
the light of occidental Europe; for, though the position of woman
is in general so lamentable that at first glance it seems best to
pass over this portion of the continent in silence, one catches
here and there a glimmer of progress that portends a better day in
the still distant future. And, too, regenerate Greece commands our
attention, for she indeed is a rich oasis in this desert of
Mohammedan conquest.

There are many Ottoman women, especially among the rich families,
who desire to change their dress and enter into relations with the
women of other religions, but the ecclesiastical and civil
authorities are always ready to check this tendency and to
rigorously enforce the ancient customs. In certain harems earnest
efforts have been made to establish true family life and to bring
up the children under the eye and care of the parents, with the aid
of foreign governesses, who, along with the lang